Governance

Cherry Tree Primary School is part of the Inclusive Multi Academy Trust. The Trust is an exempt charity overseen by the Secretary of State for Education, governed by the Department for Education's Academies Financial Handbook and various pieces of legislation relating to both schools and charities. Details of the Trustees and Members can be found here. 

The main documents that set out how the Trust operates are the Articles of Association, which set our internal structure, and the Master Funding Agreement, which is the legal contract with the Secretary of State under which the Trust runs its schools. In addition, there are separate supplemental funding agreements for each individual school. There is also a Memorandum of Association which outlines the Members of the Trust. The Trust must publish an Annual Report which includes Audited Accounts. This document can be found here

Each school within the Trust has its own Local Governing Committee. They have staff, parent and community representation.

The Local Governing Committee exercises the powers, responsibilities and duties delegated by the Trust Board as set out in the Scheme of Delegation. This responsibility is predominantly school level governance functions and includes:

  • Implementing the vision and value of the Trust
  • Building an understanding of how the school is led and managed
  • Ensuring that the school is working within policies adopted by the Trust
  • Is meeting the agreed Trust targets
  • Is managing its finances well within delegated powers
  • Engaging with stakeholders
  • Being a point of consultation and representation
  • Reporting to the board 

How the Governors work

The Local Governing Committee meets each half-term. Governors use these meetings to take reports from the Head Teacher and the IMAT Trustees. Governors make sure we are doing everything required of us by law, by Hertfordshire County Council, and by OFSTED. 

Much of the Governors' work is done at meetings each half-term but each governor also has a particular role and visits the school regularly. 

 

Contacting the Chair of Governors

The Chair of Governors is Mark Scoulding and can be contacted via email chairofgovernors@cherrytree.herts.sch.uk, through the Clerk, by emailing clerk@inclusivemat.co.uk or by writing to: The Chair of Governors, Cherry Tree Primary School, Berry Avenue, Watford WD24 6ST. Alternatively, please call the school office on 01923 245 490.