Governance

Manor School is part of The Rise Partnership Trust (RPT), which aspires to provide the best possible education to all pupils attending schools within the Trust.

Effective governance ensures that the Trust, and each school within our Trust, is supported and challenged to maximise performance, and to ensure that the Trust complies with its legal obligations.

The governance structure of RPT is as follows:

Members: ‘are the guardians of the governance of the trust. The members’ role is discrete and distinct; they are tasked with assessing if the board of trustees is performing well and, as such, are ensuring that the purpose of the trust is being met, and its charitable object is being fulfilled.’ (NGA, 2018)

Trustees: ‘are both trustees of the charity and directors of the Company limited by guarantee. The Charities Act 2011 defines charity trustees as the people responsible under the charity’s governing document for controlling the administration and management of the charity, regardless of what they are called. They are known collectively as the trustee board. Under charity law trustees have the ultimate responsibility for directing the affairs of, and ensuring that it is solvent, well run and delivering the charitable outcomes for which it has been set up. In law trustees have several legal duties, which are often described as those of compliance, care and prudence.’ (NGA, 2016)

Local Academy Board: each school has a Local Academy Board whose duties are similar to that of a maintained school’s local governing board, but without the legal responsibility or recognition. They hold the school to account on curriculum and standards, safeguarding and health & safety, and community & parental engagement.

The LAB members and their areas of responsibility are:

  • Steven Thompson – Headteacher, Ex-Officio Governor 
  • Robin Connaughton – Staff Governor 
  • Catherine Harris - Staff Governor
  • Nita Abubaker - Parent Governor
  • Chris Smaling - Co-opted Governor
  • Amie Sylvester - Parent Governor

Deepti Bal is the LAB’s Clerk.