Academy Council

James Smythe – Chair of the Academy Council
James is the Academy Council’s Teaching and Learning link.

Anne Wilson MBE – Vice Chair of the Academy Council
Anne is the Academy Council’s Careers and Employability link.

Sue Hague – Member of the Academy Council
Sue is the Academy Council’s Safeguarding and SEND link.

Alexander Leonard – Member of the Academy Council
Alex is the Academy Council’s Health and Safety link.

Linda Mason – Member of the Academy Council
Linda is the Academy Council’s Looked After Children link.

Please send all correspondence to Sara Louise Peasant, Personal Assistant to Andrew Downing, c/o Outwood Academy City.

The Role of the Academy Council

The Academy is a member of Outwood Grange Academies Trust (OGAT). Ultimate responsibility for the Academy rests with the Board of Trustees of OGAT (OGAT governance details and scheme of delegation can be found by clicking here but some of the work of the Board is delegated to the Academy Council (the Governors of the Academy).

Some Governors are appointed by the Trust whilst others are elected by parents or carers of students at the Academy or by staff.

Each academy, or a group of academies across a close geographical area, has local governance arrangements in the form of an Academy Council. The Academy Council is a sub-committee of the Board. The role of the AC is to carry the Trust’s vision, values, policies and priorities forward, provide internal assurance and, in addition, to develop the local community and employer links.

The Academy Council are made up of governors who are expected to question, challenge and support the academy’s leadership.

Each of the above bodies have detailed Terms of Reference which set out their roles and responsibilities and function. The authority of each group is controlled by the Board via the Scheme of Delegation.

The role of the OGAT Board of Directors/Trustees

The role of the Trustees mainly involves strategic oversight across the Trust, governance, contractual relationships with third parties and setting the Trust’s vision and policies.

The Trustees are responsible for:

• Compliance with all statutory regulations and Acts of Parliament governing the operation of the academy, including health and safety.
• Compliance with the provisions of the Funding Agreements.
• Compliance with the Academies Financial Handbook.
• Setting the risk management strategy, reviewing the strategic risk profile, considering strategic risks in the context of future Trust planning and decision making and reviewing the effectiveness of the risk management arrangements.

The Trustees delegate responsibility to the Chief Executive Officer for:

• Appointment of the Principal at an academy.
• The determination of the extent of the services provided to the academy by the Trust and how the costs should be allocated.
• Determination of the educational targets of the academy.
• Determining any additional financial and reporting targets for the academy.
• Determination of any statutory policies and procedures for the academy and other policies and procedures as the Trustees deem necessary to fulfil their responsibilities.
• Identifying resources to effectively and efficiently implement the risk management strategy.
• Reporting regularly to the Trust Board on the performance of its academies and conduct the performance management of the Principals.

Seven Principles of Public Life

The Board and Academy Councils and their members will, at all times, uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life, known as the Nolan Principles. They are:

• Selflessness Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other benefits for themselves, their family or their friends.
• Integrity Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties.
• Objectivity In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.
• Accountability Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.
• Openness Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands it.
• Honesty Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.
• Leadership Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.