Governance Documents

Governance at Esteem

Effective governance is an essential success factor for the Esteem MAT. Like other educational trusts we operate as a charitable company limited by guarantee. We have a strong governance structure in place made up of our members, trustees (known also as Directors , Board of Trustees, Board), and local governing boards which operate as committees of our Trust Board. These are all unpaid volunteers with strategic leadership responsibilities. In trusts, the purpose of governance is to provide:

• strategic leadership
• accountability and assurance
• strategic engagement

The Esteem MAT Board of Trustees

Our Board , which is the accountable body, has collective accountability and strategic responsibility for the trust. It has a focus on ensuring the trust delivers an excellent education to pupils while maintaining effective financial management and must ensure compliance with:

• the trust’s charitable objects
• regulatory, contractual and statutory requirements
• their funding agreement

The rules and guidance that they must work to in relation to governance are set out in our Articles of Association and our Funding Agreement. The Board delegates some functions and decision making to operational leads and committees.  This is set out in our Scheme of Delegation.

The Department for Education also provides non-statutory guidance on the strategic leadership and governance of academy trusts and the guidance that we must have regard to is detailed, along with our other key documents, below.

DfE Academy Trust Handbook

DfE Academy Trust Governance Guide

Terms of Reference – EMAT Academy Link Trustees

Trustee and Governor Code of Conduct

FAQs for Trustees

Scheme of Delegation November 2025

Governance Structure

Trustee and Members Attendance

EMAT Meeting Attendance 2025-26

EMAT Meeting Attendance 2024-25

EMAT Meeting Attendance 2023-24

Esteem MAT Ratified Annual General Meeting Minutes

EMAT AGM Minutes - 03.12.2025EMAT AGM Minutes - 04.12.2024EMAT AGM Minutes - 06.12.2023

2025/2026 Esteem MAT Member, Trustees, Governors (LGC), Executive Team and Senior Leaders Register of Interests

Local Governance

Local Governance at Esteem

Esteem has a well-established governance structure which recognises the importance of having an effective and functioning local tier of governance via local governing boards. We are proud of our governors who come from different backgrounds and have a wealth of knowledge and experience which they use to the benefit of our academies and our pupils. Like our members and trustees, governors are volunteers who afford their time to attend regular meetings and visit our schools , meeting regularly as a board and fulfilling the important role of governance. The local governing boards operate as committees of our Trust Board and their role includes monitoring academy performance, provide challenge, holding academy leaders to account and acting as a critical friend. A governor’s focus also involves ensuring money is well spent, staff and pupil wellbeing, safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion, SEND and pupil voice.

Please click on the links below to see more information about the local governing boards at our academies;