Definitions
Explanations of the terms used in this guidance.
An independent, charitable company limited by guarantee which has a funding agreement with the Secretary of State. Includes those that run one or more academies, including free schools, university technical colleges (UTCs) and studio schools.
The company directors and charity trustees who sit on the board of an academy trust. They are also known as trustees in recognition of the charitable, non-profit-making status of academy trusts.
In some trusts, those on the board are known as directors or company directors. This often happens in academies with a religious character where the term ‘trustee’ is reserved for those on the board of the separate trust that owns the land and assets.
The academy trust’s senior executive leader. They are accountable for value for money, regularity and propriety.
The accountable body for the academy trust which operates at a strategic level. Also known as the board of academy trustees.
Chair of the board of academy trustees.
The academy trust’s purpose, which is set out in the academy trust’s Articles of Association.
The board can set up committees and delegate powers to them. A local committee is a committee of a board in a multi-academy trust (MAT) that is established as a local governing body (LGB) under the academy trust’s Articles of Association.
The executive leaders and executive leadership team are held to account by the board for the performance of the academy trust. May include the senior executive leader, executive headteacher, headteacher or principal, as well as other senior employees, depending on the structure of the academy trust.
Members and officers (employees) of a local authority, or individuals who are, or have been, a member within the last 4 years, of a local authority where that local authority has a responsibility for education or is a district or parish council where there is a land or other commercial relationship with the academy trust.
The founding and/or subsequent members of an academy trust. They have a general duty to exercise their powers to further the academy trust’s charitable purpose. They form part of the academy trust’s governance structure.
A MAT is a single legal entity. It is a charitable company with a board of academy trustees that is accountable for all of the academies within the trust. It has both a master funding agreement and supplemental funding agreements for each academy.
These make up the board of academy trustees. Non-executive leader is another term for academy trustee.
A SAT is a charitable company with a board of academy trustees that is accountable for one academy within the trust. It has a single funding agreement with the Secretary of State.
An academy within an academy trust – includes free schools, UTCs and studio schools operated by an academy trust.
The accounting officer (as defined in the Academy Trust Handbook section 1.27 to 1.28). In a MAT this should be the chief executive (or equivalent) and the head of the management team. In a SAT this should be the principal. Academy trusts may use the term executive principal.