Welcome to
Local Governing Body Information
The Local Governing Body at Thomas Adams School works alongside the Board of Trustees to support strong leadership, uphold high standards of education, and ensure the school meets the needs of its pupils and community. Governors provide challenge and guidance, act as ambassadors for the Trust, and help maintain positive links with parents and stakeholders.
Our Governance
Principles
Strategic leadership: the board of trustees defines the trust vision for high quality and inclusive education in line with its charitable objects. It establishes and fosters the trust’s culture and sets and champions the trust strategy including determining what, if any, governance functions are delegated to the local tier
Accountability and assurance: the board of trustees has robust effective oversight of the operations and performance of the academy trust, including the provision of education, pupil welfare, overseeing and ensuring appropriate use of funding and effective financial performance and keeping their estate safe and well maintained
Engagement: the board of trustees has strategic oversight of relationships with stakeholders. The board of trustees involves parents, schools and communities so that decision-making is supported by meaningful engagement.”
In schools within a MAT, it is the local governing body, which is responsible for scrutiny of decisions made in school, for driving improvement, and the processes and policies which allows the school to work effectively and appropriately.
Our Role
Delegation
Within The 3-18 Education Trust, responsibility for the governance of each school ultimately is with Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees has delegated certain responsibilities to each school’s Local Governing Body (LGB). LGBs are authorised to monitor and/or investigate any activity within its terms of reference or specifically delegated to it by the Board of Trustees. Each school in the Trust is accountable to and must serve its community. All pupils of the Trust deserve and should expect to receive a high standard of education. Whilst the Board of Trustees have overall responsibility and ultimate decision making authority for all the work of the Trust, and the standards achieved by the pupils of the schools, LGBs have been set up to ensure the vision of the Trust is fulfilled and a high standard of education is provided. The LGB is focused on the day-to-day life of the school for which it has governance responsibility and is there to ensure the staff working in the schools are supported and challenged, when necessary, and the needs of the pupils are met with a particular focus on the context of each school.
The role of those serving on the LGB is an important one, fulfilling the Trust’s mission and providing feedback to the Board of Trustees. Those serving on the LGB must act independently and in the best interest of the school and the Trust, whilst recognising that the school is part of a family of schools run by the Trust each with collective responsibility. Local Governors will act as ambassadors of the school and the Trust and must be able to demonstrate an understanding of the ethos and values of the Trust and a commitment to fulfilling the Trust’s mission and objectives for the school, using their skills and experience and drawing on specialist skills where required.
The delegation of responsibilities to LGBs is set out in a document called the Governance Scheme of Delegation and can be found here.
Our Role
Delegation
Connecting Stakeholders
Advisory Role
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Provide advice to the Board of Trustees on the functioning of the school
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Act as a key link between trustees, parents, and the school community
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Serve as a sounding board for the Headteacher, offering constructive challenge and support
Driving Progress
School Oversight
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Continually review the overall impact of the school
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Support and review the implementation of key policies, such as admissions and behaviour
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Ensure the school’s practices contribute to high standards of education and pupil welfare
Our Standards
Conduct
All involved in governance in the Trust sign a Governance Code of Conduct which sets out the expectations of and commitment required.
There is a Role Description for Local Governors. A copy can be found here.
The Chair of the LGB, Mr Stuart Mason, can be contacted through the school or the Governance Professional.
The Governance Professional for the Trust is: Ms Carole Warner and can be contacted by email: carole.warner@318education.co.uk or through the school.
Contact
The Thomas Adams School
Lowe Hill
Wem
Shropshire
SY4 5UB
Tel: +44 1939 237000