Governance within a Multi-Academy Trust
Fishponds CE Academy is part of the Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust (DBAT), a multi-academy trust that is responsible for a number of academies across Bristol and Wiltshire. Governance for a multi-academy trust operates at two levels.
1. Trust level
At Trust level there is a Board of Directors. DBAT directors are accountable to the Department for Education and external government agencies for the quality of the education the trust provides and the effective use of the associated academy funding. They are required to have systems in place through which provide assurance of high quality, financial probity, safety and good practice.
2. Local Level
At a local level, each academy has an Academy Council. Similar to a Governing Body, the role of the Academy Council is primarily to support and scrutinise the activities of the Academy to ensure the highest standards are achieved for both students and staff.
Academy Councils are responsible for holding Headteachers and Senior Leadership to account for the quality and effectiveness of the academic experience for all pupils at the Academy with the aim of securing continuous school improvement. The Council do this through monitoring performance against the Academy’s annual school improvement plan, through monitoring risk and response, and by overseeing systems and processes for the safeguarding of children and the health, safety and wellbeing of academy staff.
