Trust Governance Structure
The layers of governance within the Trust include:
- Members: responsible for holding Directors to account and ensuring the charitable object of the organisation is being fulfilled. They are the guardians of the governance of the Trust and are accountable to the Bishop. They are responsible for the appointment of the majority of Directors.
- Directors (Trustees): in conjunction with the CEO, have ultimate responsibility for making strategic decisions about the day-to-day running of the academies within the Trust and delivery of the three core governance functions. They have a duty to uphold the charitable object of the organisation. They are accountable to the Members and the Bishop (who is a Member).
- Governors: in conjunction with the Headteachers, support Directors by monitoring and challenging the performance of each academy at a local level.
The Trust is a private limited company by guarantee and a charitable trust. Responsibility for the academies that make up the trust and for the funds granted by Parliament for providing education in those academies is entrusted to the Board of Directors.
These Directors are both the Charity Trustees and Company Directors of the Catholic Multi-academy Trust Company. Much of the work of the Trust Board is delegated to individual committees; for example, Resources & Risk Management, Standards, Policy, Mission & Catholic Life and Pay Committees. In addition, there is an Academy Council for each academy or a group of academies, which undertakes the governance function at a local level (in some cases a Rapid Improvement Group will be implemented to support rapid school improvement).
The Academy Council has delegated responsibility for monitoring the day-to-day running of the academy(ies). The Academy Council is made up of volunteers who serve as Foundation Governors, Parent Governors, Staff Governors and the Headteacher. Some Governors are appointed by the Diocesan Bishop whilst others are elected by parents or carers of pupils/students at the academy or by staff. A typical Academy Council includes:
- The Headteacher/Executive Headteacher;
- 2 Parent Governors;
- 1 Staff Governor;
- 6 Foundation Governors.
The Chair of the Trust Board may be contacted using admin@bkcat.co.uk
Set out below is the operational structure within the Trust including:
- CEO: appointed by the Trust Board in accordance with Diocesan protocols and employed by the Trust company. The CEO is responsible for the day-to-day operations, advising the Trust Board on strategy and policies and delivering the Board’s vision and ethos. Also, appointed as Accounting Officer and responsible for the Trust’s financial effectiveness and stability. The CEO is responsible for the performance management of Headteachers and senior members of the Trust Central Team.
- Trust Central Team: appointed by the CEO and Trust Board (or representatives) to support the CEO to deliver all operational aspects of the day-to-day running of the Trust including HR, finance, governance, IT, compliance, premises management, risk, standards and performance. The Trust Central Team monitor and deliver on compliance with statutory requirements and governing documents.
- Headteachers: appointed by the CEO and Trust Board (or representatives) in accordance with Diocesan protocols. Headteachers are accountable to Directors, through the CEO for all aspects of the day-to-day management of the academy (or academies in an executive headship arrangement). They are responsible for the performance management of all staff within each academy.
- External Partners: engaged by the Trust to add capacity and support in delivering strategic objectives. They bring an external view and perspectives to support monitoring and evaluation and the drive for continual development and improvement.
The table below displays the names of Headteachers and Chairs of Academy Councils:
| Academy | Chair of Academy Council | Headteacher/Executive Headteacher/Head of School |
| English Martyrs Catholic Primary School | Patrick Ganley | Sarah Spencer (Executive Headteacher) Bridget Kerrigan (Head of School) |
Holy Family & St Michael’s Catholic Primary School | Lesley Warters | Claire Cade |
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School & St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Moorthorpe | Phil Kitson | Jenna Thompson (Interim Headteacher, Sacred Heart) Kelly Picton (Interim Headteacher, St Joseph’s Moorthorpe) |
St Austin’s Catholic Primary School | Anne Parkes | John Molyneux |
St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School | Cedric Duval | John Woolley |
St Ignatius Catholic Primary School | Phil Kitson | Tina Connell |
St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School | Paul Hogan | Katie Hartley |
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Castleford | Averil Birch | Sarah Spencer (Executive Headteacher) Sarah Wakefield (Head of School) |
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Goole | Catherine Murphy | Helen Cooke |
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Pontefract | Alan Richards | Michaela Tomlin |
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School | Suzanne Sweeting | Louise Bird |
The Holy Family Catholic High School | Stuart Boothman (Chair of Trust Intervention Board) | Donna Mitchell |
St Thomas à Becket Catholic Secondary School | Carmen Pearce (Interim Chair) | Patrick Caldwell |
St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School & Sixth Form College | Ian Hughes | Philip Dore |
Information about the full memberships of Academy Councils including meeting attendance records over the last academic year can be viewed on individual academy websites.
If you feel you could make a positive contribution to the work of our Directors or an Academy Council, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please view the Governor Vacancies page for more details.