Academy trusts: governance guide
Guidance on strategic leadership and the governance of academy trusts.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
This non-statutory guidance is for those involved in trust governance. It provides essential information from a range of sources on the trust board’s roles and legal responsibilities.
The academy trust handbook and your funding agreement have more information on contractual requirements.
This guidance changed format on 19 November 2025. No updates were made to the content.
If you have created a PDF or printed copy, check you have got the following updates made on 25 June 2025.
In 6.3. ‘Accountability for financial performance’ – added sources of financial data and tools.
In 7.3 ‘Complaints’ – updated complaints to the department and Ofsted.
In 7.5 ‘Funding and finances’ – updated information on the teachers’ pay additional grant, teachers’ pension employer contribution grant, core schools budget grant, National Insurance contributions grant and the chair’s sign-off of the digital reporting form.
In 7.10.2 ‘Pupil mental health and wellbeing’ – added a nutrition section.
In 7.10.3 ‘Supporting pupils in school with medical conditions’ – added new guidance including information on the trust board’s responsibility.