IRIS Learning Trust Organisational Structure
Governance Arrangements 25/26
The IRIS Learning Trust is a charitable company that operates multiple academies as one legal entity. In a Trust, the purpose of governance is to enable:
· strategic leadership;
· accountability and assurance; and
· strategic engagement
The Trust’s model of governance allows for strategic board decision making, focused and effective executive leadership, and local engagement and input from stakeholders.
Within the Trust, there are the following tiers of governance:
Members: The role of Members is to hold the Trustees to account, assure themselves that the governance of the trust is effective and that trustees are acting in accordance with the trust’s charitable object(s). Members are not involved in the day-to-day business of the trust. However, Members have key powers, including the appointment and removal of trustees and amending the memorandum and articles of association. Members act as guardians of the Trust’s charitable objects.
Board of Trustees: The board of trustees is the legally responsible and accountable body for every school in IRIS Learning Trust. The board holds legal liability for areas that would normally be the responsibility of a governing body in a maintained school, such as the single central record and policies, with support from the central team. While the board may delegate many of its functions (for example to the executive team or a committee), the Board remains accountable for these functions.
The Board of Trustees is made up of 8 Trustees. It meets at least six times per year and its work is supported by a committee structure.
Committees of the Board of Trustees: The Articles of Association allow the Board of Trustees to form any committees which they deem as being helpful in supporting the discharge of their duties. The Trust has constituted the following committees:
Standards, Performance and Outcomes Committee: Responsible for monitoring and reviewing attendance, pupil progress and outcomes, behaviour, the impact of pupil premium grant funding and monitoring the Trust annual priorities
Finance, Audit & Risk Committee: Responsible for monitoring and reviewing risk management, internal controls. financial strategy, resource allocation, capital strategy, use of reserves, financial information management and financial governance.
In 25/26 the Chair of the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee is David Walker
Professional Growth Committee: Responsible for ensuring that the Board’s decisons about levels of executive pay (including salary and any other benefits) follow a robust evidence-based process and are a reasonable and defensible reflection of the individual’s role and responsibilities. Model reflect’s the Trust’s Flourishing People programme of professional development.
In 25/26 the Chair of the Professional Growth Committee is Darren Andrews
Local Academy Councils (LACs): Local governance is a key feature of the Trust’s governance framework. ACs are responsible for localised challenge and support on standards, safeguarding, SEND and Stakeholder engagement – the 4S agenda. They also maintain strategic oversight in relation to financial management, health and safety and the school estate. The LACs are advisory in nature and their responsibilities are delegated from the Board through the Trust’s Scheme of Delegation. The LACs also provide local assurance for the board on the experiences of pupils, parents/carers, staff and the wider community.
The LACs meet six times per year and each LAC is supported by a Governance Professional.
The Board of Trustees can delegate some its responsibilities to other layers of the governance structure. This is done through the Scheme of Delegation. You can find out more about the Trust's Scheme of Delegation https://www.irislearningtrust.org.uk/admin/sites/page/statutory-information/governance-and-financial-information
You will find details of members of each school’s Academy Council on the individual school website.
