Governance Structure at Viking Academy Trust:

Strong governance is essential to the successful running of any academy trust. Viking Academy Trust is a company limited by guarantee and a charitable voluntary organisation, which relies on the valuable input of a considerable number of non-executive volunteers, supported by an experienced team of staff.​

​Due to the number of schools for which it is responsible, coupled with its drive for accountability, it is also a complex organisation with various important elements of governance. This is reviewed regularly to ensure it remains fit-for-purpose and to identify areas for improvement.​

Responsibility for the academies that make up the trust and for the funds granted by Parliament for providing education in those academies is entrusted to the Board of Trustees.

These Trustees are also the Directors of the company. Much of the work of the Board is delegated to committees; in particular there is a separate committee for each of the academies which works as a Local Advisory Body (LAB).  The LAB’s role is to champion the Trust’s ethos and mission, hold to account and support the Head of School and to monitor the Academy’s key performance indicators (KPIs).

Overview: Composition of Governance Elements

Viking Academy Trust: Members

• Founding members (of which there are two)
• Persons appointed by the Members by special resolution (currently three)

• Persons in this group to be known as ‘Members’

Viking Academy Trust: Board of Trustees

• Chief Executive Officer (Executive Headteacher)
• 9x Trustees appointed either by the Members or co-opted by the Trust Board

• Persons in this group to be known as ‘Trustees’

Viking Academy Trust: Local Advisory Body (LABs)

• Head of School
• Parent Local Governors
• Staff Local Governors
• Co-opted Local Governors

• Persons in this group to be known as ‘Local Governors'

Please visit 'Viking Governance Structure' tab for further information.

VIKING ACADEMY TRUST BOARD COMMITTEES

Name of Committee	Chair of Committee
Trust Board	Neil Roby
Finance, Audit & Risk (FAR)	Jon Cleverdon
Personnel & Appraisal (PA)	Heidi Russell

Members of Trust Board

Name	Role
JOANNA BRAND	MEMBER OF FAR COMMITTEE, MEMBER OF PA COMMITTEE, CHAIR OF RAPS LAB, SAFEGUARDING TRUST LEADER
JON CLEVERDON	CHAIR OF FAR COMMITTEE
ROBIN CURTIS	VICE CHAIR OF TRUST BOARD, MEMBER OF FAR COMMITTEE,  CHAIR OF UPTON LAB.  SAFEGUARDING TRUSTEE FOR UPTON
MICHAELA LEWIS	CEO, TRUST BOARD MEETINGS, MEMBER OF FAR COMMITTEE, MEMBER OF PA COMMITTEE
NEIL ROBY	CHAIR OF TRUST BOARD, MEMBER OF FAR COMMITTEE, MEMBER OF PA COMMITTEE, CHAIR OF CHILTON LAB
NICK ROWLAND-HILL	MEMBER & TRUSTEE
HEIDI RUSSELL	TRUSTEE, CHAIR OF PA COMMITTEE
PHIL VOTTA	TRUST STANDARDS LEADER

LOCAL ADVISORY BODY (LAB) COMMITTEES

Academy	Chair of LAB	Head of School
CHILTON PRIMARY	Neil Roby	Alex McAuley
RAMSGATE ARTS	Joanna Brand	Nick Budge
UPTON JUNIOR SCHOOL	Robin Curtis	Darci Arthur

For more information on the role of a Local Governor click here.

For more information on the role of a Trustee, please click here.

If you are interested in becoming a Local Governor or Trustee, please contact our VAT Governance Professional in the first instance: clerk@vikingacademytrust.com