Governance
The operation of HEART Academies Trust is detailed within a Master Funding Agreement, along with Supplemental Funding Agreements between the Trust and the Department for Education for each school.
The current governance structure is as follows:
The Members are, in essence, the shareholders of the company. This is currently a group of people, appointed by the Sponsor, which always includes the Chair of the Board of Trustees.
| Name of Member | Appointing Body | Date of Appointment |
|---|---|---|
| Murray Stewart (Chairman of the Harpur Trust) | Sponsor | 01/04/2017 |
| Richard Wilkinson | Sponsor | 01/04/2017 |
| Mr David Hoare (Chair of Board of Trustees) | Sponsor | 09/01/2019 |
| Sarah Graham | Sponsor | 04/12/2025 |
Members – July 2020
The members have several functions:
- Approve the Trust accounts and appoint the auditors
- Appoint trustees and governors
This group holds an AGM and audit meeting.
The Trustees of HEART Academies Trust have a range of powers and responsibilities which they are legally required to carry out, working in close partnership with the Chief Executive and Head Teachers to ensure that the schools provide the best possible education for all students.
| Name of Trustee | Date of Appointment | Term of Office | Committees Served | Position of Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sue Clark | 01/04/2017 | 4 years | Finance and Operations | |
| Linbert Spencer | 01/04/2017 | 4 years | Education/Strategy | |
| Jo Webster | 01/09/2017 | 4 years | Education/Risk & Audit | Chair of Education Committee/Safeguarding Trustee |
| David Hoare | 09/01/2019 | 4 years | All | Chair of Trustees (elected 25/03/2019) Chair of Strategy |
| Eleanor Graham-Law | 11/09/2023 | 4 years | Finance and Operations | |
| David Atter | 20/05/2024 | 4 years | Education | |
| John Fordham | 04/09/2024 | 4 years | Finance and Operations | Chair of Finance & Operations |
| Leigh Corbett | 01/07/2018 | N/A | All | Trust Governance Professional |
| Jennie Bayliss | 05/01/2026 | 4 years | Risk & Audit |
Resignations
| Sarah Graham | 24/03/2021 | Resigned 08/07/2024 | ||
| Dr Alan Lee | 09/04/2021 | Resigned 04/06/2024 | ||
| Lorraine Macdonald | 02/12/2021 | Resigned 06/01/2023 | ||
| Kami Nuttall | 10/01/2022 | Resigned 01/12/2025 |
Board of Trustees July 2024
The Board of Trustees considers the vision and aims of the Trust and its schools, as well as strategy and policy to deliver its key objectives. It has ultimate responsibility for all budgets, salaries and safeguarding. Apart from ensuring good governance, the Board’s primary objectives are to assist the Chief Executive and Head Teachers in delivering the best possible outcomes for all students, and to hold the Chief Executive and Head Teachers to account for the ways in which this is carried out. It does this through Board meetings and the Local Advisory Board of each academy.
The Local Advisory Board in each school is a committee of the Trust Board and monitors key aspects of the school in accordance with its strategic plan. The majority of the leadership of each school is delegated to the Head Teacher.
In addition to the Board of Trustees and Local Advisory Boards, there are three committees that consider issues across the whole Trust – the Education Committee, the Finance and Operations Committee, the Audit Committee and the Remuneration Committee.
Learn more about our Trustees here.
Details of each Academy’s Local Advisory Board can be found in the links below:
Core responsibility: standard monitoring.
The Local Advisory Board in each school is a committee of the Trust Board and monitors key aspects of the school in accordance with its strategic plan. The majority of the leadership of each school is delegated to the Head Teacher.
Details of each Academy’s Local Advisory Board can be found in the links below:
The Chief Executive, supported by Head Teachers and the Trust Executive Team, provides the overall educational vision, direction and leadership of the Trust. The Trust also provides leadership of key educational support services across the academies – finance, estates management, IT, catering. marketing and human resources. For curriculum support, academies can draw upon the expertise of the Trust’s School Improvement Team employed to work across the organisation.
Our Chief Finance Officer leads on all aspects of financial strategy and stewardship across the Trust. They ensure robust financial planning, oversight, and compliance, enabling HEART to make sound, sustainable decisions that maximise resources for student outcomes. The CFO works closely with schools to support effective budgeting and long-term financial resilience.
The Chief Operating Officer oversees the operational efficiency of the Trust, including estates, ICT, health and safety, HR, procurement, and compliance. Their role is to ensure that every school within HEART benefits from safe, effective, and well-managed environments, allowing school leaders to focus on delivering the best possible education.
Our School Improvement Director leads the strategic development of teaching, learning, and leadership across HEART schools. Working in close partnership with headteachers and senior leaders, they provide expert challenge and support to drive continuous improvement, raise standards, and secure excellent outcomes for all pupils – particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Each Head Teacher has responsibility for the students’ welfare and progress at their individual schools. All senior staff lead on a range of school-specific key responsibilities and ensure that they are consistently implemented and delivered across the school.
