Governance

The governance structure at Centurion Multi-Academy Trust has three reporting lines to hold the CEO and Principals / Headteachers to account and to ensure that the Trust operates as a charity and a limited company should do.

Members

The Members of the Trust are responsible for the constitution of the Trust and are made up of local people who have influence and strong links within our local communities.

Members appoint Members and Trustees in line with the Articles of Association which sets out details for our internal management, decision making and running of the Trust. The Members meet once a year at an annual general meeting. The Annual Accounts and Report are presented to Members at this meeting.

The Members are:

Julie Marriot, CEO Family Gateway, Howdon

Nathan Rodgerson, Managing Director of Sports management Solutions

Michelle Younger, Director of Experience Thirteen Group

Livia Bird, Vice-President of Education at Northumbria University Students’ Union

Trustees

Trustees oversee the day-to-day running of the Trust, approve policies and hold the CEO to account for performance of the academies.

They focus on three core functions of governance:

  • Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
  • Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of our academies, our pupils and the performance management of staff;
  • Overseeing and ensuring effective financial performance.

Trustees meet as a Board of Trustees six times per year. Trustees operate the following sub committees: Education Committee, Finance, Audit and Risk Committee and Business Committee.

Our Scheme of Delegation outlines the functions undertaken by the Board of Trustees and those which have been delegated to its Committees, the Central Trust Leadership Team, Academy Education Committees and Senior Leadership Teams.

The Trustees are:

Dr David Bass, CIO for Tyneside Vineyard for the Life Vineyard Church

Steven Bates, Managing Director of Giraffe Finance

Steph Doughty, Lawyer within NHS Foundation Trust

Matt Hill, Managing Director for Sportsworks

Lynne Hindmarch, Area Manager for Greggs Foundation

Darren Starling, Managing Director for Vision for Education

Paul Truscott, Governance Officer

Julie Warren, Social Work manager, Caffcass

Susan Winter, Headteacher, Wellfield Middle School

Governors

Academy Education Boards (AEBs) serve as a key link between the academies, parents/carers and the local community. Governors monitor the performance of the academy/school, advise Trustees of any concerns and hold Principals / Headteachers to account. AEBs meet five times per year. In addition Chairs of each AEB meet with the Chair of Trustees during the year in order to provide consistency in areas of focus.

Full information on our Governors can be found on the websites of our academies.

All Members, Trustees and Governors complete an annual declaration of business interests and declare any pecuniary interests within meetings.

Accounting Officer

Louise Guthrie