MODEL B GOVERNANCE 

Marshland St James Primary & Nursery School 

Background 

There are two models of academy governance: 

1. Independent oversight of the academy by the Local Governing Body (LGB); and 
2. Oversight of the academy under a Model B framework where it has not been possible to recruit members to constitute a LGB (Model B framework). 

MSJ has had in place a LGB for many years.  Following the resignation of a number of members and it was concluded that to ensure that there was effective oversight in place over Marshland St James Primary & Nursery School (“MSJ”), it was appropriate to put in place a Model B framework.  The appropriateness of a Model B framework for MSJ will be reviewed on an annual basis or earlier if there is an expectation that a LGB can be put in place. 

Governance and reporting 

An overview of how the framework works for MSJ is set out in Appendix 1. 

At academy level 

The Model B framework provides independent oversight over the academy through the establishment of termly meetings with the Head Teacher and the following DEMAT Central Functions: 

1. The DEMAT Hub Director 
   
2. The DEMAT Director of Education or their designate 
   
3. Other representatives of the DEMAT Education team, as appropriate 
   
4. The DEMAT Head of Governance 
   
5. Other representatives of the DEMAT Central team covering the Finance, HR and Premises functions, as appropriate 
   
6. Independent Members providing Community representation and challenge to the Model B Oversight Committee. 

The meetings are broadly in line with the agenda of normal LGB meetings and include the Headteacher tabling a Headteacher report for discussion and challenge.  They also consider the outcomes of audits of the academy such as Health and Safety and Safeguarding. 

Local policies applied at MSJ are approved by the DEMAT Head of Governance.  Central Policies developed by DEMAT are approved by the DEMAT Trustee Board. 

The Model B also require the school to run a Parent Forum to ensure that the Model B termly oversight meeting properly considers parental feedback at the academy.  The rationale for this approach is that it is: 

1. a pre-requisite of local oversight under the Articles of Association of DEMAT; 
   
2. the right thing to do. 

At a Trust level 

Oversight of MSJ is carried out for Education and for non-Education areas of the academy’s activities. 

On the Education side, a system of support, challenge and monitoring of the academy is delegated through Trustees and the CEO to a Hub Director (HD). The HD conducts regular visits to the school and meetings with the headteacher and other staff. Principally, this is to support the academy in its improvement journey through several mechanisms, including but not exclusively: 

• Support and challenge for the headteacher in development of the Academy Development Plan (APD) 
• Support and challenge for the headteacher and leaders in the self-evaluation process 
• Monitoring the academy (alongside leaders) for progress against agreed development actions 
• Support for the headteacher and wider team in establishing a programme of CPD 
• Support and challenge for subject leaders 
• Support and challenge for school leaders around curriculum choices and development 

On the non-Education side, the academies fall under the oversight of the DEMAT central functions, being: 

1. Premises, incorporating Health and Safety and IT; 
2. HR 
3. Finance 
4. Governance, incorporating Data Protection 

On an ongoing basis, all issues arising in any of these areas are processed and reported in summary on a weekly risk dashboard. 

On a monthly basis, all issues/key risk identified are reported to the DEMAT Central Leadership Team.   The Governance report to the CLT includes a specific section on Model B DEMAT academies. 

On a quarterly basis or as directed by the DEMAT Trust Board, these reports are summarised and presented to the DEMAT Trust Board Committees as appropriate (DEMAT Standards & Ethos, Finance & Estates, Personnel and Audit and Risk). 

On an annual basis, the DEMAT Head of Governance carries out a review of the effectiveness of the Model B framework across DEMAT. 

A record of all documents held and created for the LGB and Model B structures applied to the academy are held on GovernorHub (see appendix 2).