Scheme of Delegation

Scheme of delegation matrix

No.Areas of responsibilityMembersTrust boardAudit committeeCEOCFOLocal governing bodyAcademy leadership team
1MEMBERS OVERSIGHT
1.1Signatories to the articles of association
X
1.2Appointing & removing members
X
1.3Approving changes/amendments to the articles of association
X
1.4Appointing/removing trust board members
X
1.5Approving academies joining/leaving the trust
X
2STRATEGIC OVERSIGHT
2.1Providing perspective on the wider education community and the challenges facing state-funded schools
X
X
X
X
X
2.2Setting the values, vision & strategic aims for the trust (including the development plan which ensures accountability and promotes outstanding learning)
X
X
2.3Contextualising each academy's vision
X
X
X
2.4Developing a format for each academy's development plan & headteacher reports
X
X
X
2.5Developing and reviewing annual academy development plans
X
X
X
2.6Reviewing national & local benchmarking data
X
X
X
2.7Establishing each academy's scheme of financial delegation
X
X
X
2.8Approving each academy's scheme of delegation
X
2.9Ratifying & removing chairs of local governing bodies (LGBs)
X
2.10Removing the chair of the trust board
X
2.11Appointing & removing clerk to the trust board
X
2.12Appointing and removing clerks to LGBs
X
2.13Appointing and removing co-opted trustees
X
2.14Appointing & removing governors to LGBs (new governors need to be appointed by the trust board/ratified by trust board if proposed by LGBs)
X
X
X
2.15Deciding the trust board's committee structure
X
2.16Deciding the LGBs committee structures
X
X
2.17Generating terms of reference for all committees & reviewing annually
X
2.18Effectively supporting & challenging the CEO & LGBs
X
2.19Effectively supporting & challenging the headteachers & leadership teams
X
X
2.20Assisting with the creation of a public face & external identities for the academies within the trust (including websites), facilitating discussions with those who might be considered strategic partners of the academies
X
X
X
2.21Reviewing and consulting on admissions policy changes
X
X
X
2.22Approving the admission policies for the academies
X
2.23Being made aware of all complaints coming in across the trust
X
2.24Supporting headteachers where deemed appropriate & dealing with complaints
X
X
2.25Promoting collaboration within the trust & supporting the development of strategic partnerships that support the trust's vision
X
X
2.26Considering strategic threats & opportunities in relation to the academies, assessing the impact on premises, curriculum, resources & admissions
X
X
X
X
X
X
2.27Recommending (trust board & LGB) & approving (trust board only) expansions & contractions to an academy's numbers on roll (NOR)
X
X
X
X
2.28Responsibility for code of practice for trust & academy boards
X
X
2.29Intervention where necessary in the management of an academy
X
X
3STAFFING
3.1Recruiting & appointing headteachers
X
X
X
3.2Recruiting & appointing CEO
X
3.3Performance management of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) including establishing a pay committee to make recommendations
X
3.4Recruiting & appointing Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
X
X
X
3.5Performance management of CFO (including pay recommendations)
X
X
3.6Performance management of headteachers
X
X
3.7Performance management of the CEO/Headteacher
X
3.8Recommending academies' staffing structures to the trust
X
X
3.9Approving each academy's staffing structure
X
3.10Develop a set of human resources (HR) policies & contracts to be used by all academies
X
X
3.11Reviewing & approving changes to HR policies
X
X
3.12Monitoring teaching & learning standards in each academy, ensuring proper standards of professional performance are established & maintained
X
X
3.13Scrutinising and, where necessary, challenging reports on the standards of teaching across the trust
X
X
X
3.14Formulating, implementing & updating a policy for disciplinary & grievance procedures
X
X
3.15Approving the trust's disciplinary & grievance procedures
X
3.16Facilitating discussion with staff representative bodies, including unions, at both trust board level & within academies
X
X
3.17Approving recommendations re: teachers' performance management in each academy
X
X
3.18Approving cost of living pay rises for all staff salaries
X
3.19Suspending or dismissing headteachers
X
3.20Suspending or dismissing teachers & support staff (requires a disciplinary panel on which LGB governors or trust board members can sit if required)
X
X
X
3.21Approving any leaving payments (redundancy, dismissal, early retirement) in accordance with academy policies
X
X
4POLICIES
4.1Drafting statutory policies for use across the trust
X
X
4.2Approving statutory policies for use across the trust
X
4.3Ensuring all statutory policies & documents are in place in each academy
X
X
X
4.4Monitoring the implementation & evaluating the impact of statutory policies
X
X
4.5Ensuring the Academy Safeguarding Audit is received, reviewed and returned by due date
X
X
X
4.6Ensuring academies' policies & practices are GDPR-compliant
X
X
X
5FINANCE
5.1Approving/monitoring financial procedures in accordance with legal & DfE requirements & best practice
X
X
5.2Ensuring records used to to provide financial & statistical information are accurate, reconciled and up-to-date
X
X
5.3Establishing & maintaining asset registers in accordance with financial procedures & any disposals
X
5.4Challenging spending in designated areas for each academy as agreed by the trust (see Financial Scrutiny document, Appendix 8)
X
X
X
5.5Approving spending across the trust in line with agreed limits
X
X
5.6Maintaining a register of pecuniary & business interests of board members, governors & staff
X
5.7Establishing & maintaining procedures for effective audit in accordance with legal & DfE requirements
X
X
5.8Receiving reports from internal and external audit inspections & resulting action plans
X
5.9Ensuring appropriate insurance arrangements in accordance with financial procedures
X
X
5.10Producing the first formal budget plan for the financial year in accordance with DfE timeframes
X
X
X
X
5.11Approving the first formal budget plan each financial year in accordance with DfE timeframes
X
X
5.12Receiving monthly management accounts (chair of LGB and trust board) and termly forecast reports
X
X
X
5.13Preparing mid-year budget review for education funding agency (EFA) budget forecast return outturn (BFRO)
X
X
X
5.14Approving mid-year budget plan
X
X
5.15Monitoring, reviewing & amending as necessary the trust's central financial performance throughout the year & at year end
X
X
X
X
5.16Establishing & approving a reserves policy for academies
X
X
X
5.17Ensuring that transfers between budget headings (viraments), up to agreed levels, comply with the financial procedures
X
X
X
5.18Establishing & implementing procedures for staff, trustees and board members to claim expenses
X
5.19Establishing a central lettings policy with appropriate costings
X
X
5.20Approving a central lettings policy
X
5.21Ensuring that writing off debts complies with financial procedures
X
X
5.22Ensure compliance with VAT and CIT regulations and submission of appropriate forms
X
6RISK MANAGEMENT
6.1Ensuring appropriate risk management policies are in place
X
X
6.2Reviewing risk registers for the trust and academies
X
X
6.3Ensuring compliance with health & safety requirements & monitoring the role of the competent officer
X
X
X
6.4Acting as initial decider for any exclusions by headteachers
X
6.5Ensuring the trust's and academies' websites are compliant, relevant and up-to-date
X
X
X
X
6.6Monitoring the role of the DPO in each academy with regard to GDPR compliance
X
7SELF-REVIEW
7.1Reviewing the performance of the trust board & its members annually
X
X
7.2Reviewing the performance of the audit committee and its members annually
X
X
7.3Reviewing the performance of the LGB & its members annually
X
X
7.4Updating the trust board and LGB skills audit
X