Governors
New Islington Free School trust – Governance
NIFS trust is an exempt charity. The registered name of the Academy Trust is New Islington Free School. It is a company limited by guarantee with registered Company number 07937849. Comprehensive information about its governance arrangements may be found in its Articles of Association and its annual report to Companies House.
Members and Governors
The members of the academy trust have a different status to the governors. The members are the subscribers to the academy trust’s memorandum of association whose powers include the authority to appoint governors. Members have a limited financial liability to the academy trust, if it is wound up, which is set out in the Trust’s memorandum and articles of association.
The Members may appoint up to 10 Governors. Together, Governors comprise the Governing Body which in turn may appoint further governors under the terms detailed in the Articles of Association.
The meaning of ‘trustee’, ‘director’ and ‘governor’
The Academies Accounts Direction 2013 states:
In this document [The Academies Accounts Direction 2013] there are frequent references to trustees. This is taken to be the same body of people as both the directors of the company and the governors of the academy; the words are used interchangeably. They are the people responsible under the academy trust’s governing document for controlling its management and administration. They have responsibility for directing its affairs, and for ensuring that it is solvent, well-run, and delivering the charitable outcomes for the benefit of the public for which it has been set up.
The Trust has chosen to use the single term governors to refer to this body of people.
Organisational structure
The Governors, as trustees of the Academy Trust, are legally responsible for the overall management and control of the Academy Trust and the full Governing Body meets at least three times a year. The work of implementing most of their policies is carried out by the Finance Committee (which meets approximately two weeks before each meeting of the full Governing Body) and the other principal committees (Estates Committee; Teaching and Learning Committee; Pupil Performance Review Group; Remuneration Committee; Communication and Fundraising Committee). The Audit Committee fulfils the Trusts obligations under its funding agreement to have robust internal and external audit procedures in place. At least one member of the Audit Committee is a suitably qualified, independent person who is not otherwise involved in the governance or management of the Trust.
The day to day running of the Academy Trust is delegated to the Head Teacher and to the School Business Manager, supported by a staff team with defined areas of responsibility.
Composition of the Governing Body
Member
| Mr E M Watkins CBE | Chair of Governors Member |
| Mr M Boulton | Vice Chair of Governors Member Chair of Pupil Progress |
| Mr C Bolton | Member Chair of Finances, Resources, Health Safety and Audit |
| Mr S V Leeming | Member |
| Mr R Cunnington | Co-Opted Governor |
| Mr R Goodaire | Parent Governor |
| Mr I Ussenudoh | Parent Governor |
| Mrs S Bailey | Staff Governor |
| Mr S Foster | Health and Safety Governor Safeguarding Governor |
| Mrs L Hamilton | Chair of Teaching and Learning |
| Mr J Headifen | Member |
| Mrs A Ryan | Community Governor |
| Mr A Shan | Governor |
| Dr N Bhayankara | Governor |
| Mrs G M Batchelor (co-opted) | Independent member of Audit Committee |
| Mrs T Smith | Head Teacher and CEO |
| Mrs P Millward (in attendance) | SBM (in attendance at Finance, Audit and RemunerationCommittees) Clerk to Governors |
Annual Report and Financial Statements
Click here to access Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2018
Click here to access Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2017
Click here to access Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2016
Funding Agreement and Articles of Association
Click here to access Funding Agreement and Articles of Association
Memorandum of Association
Click here to access Memorandum of Association
Correspondence for the governors should be addressed to the School.
Private and confidential correspondence should be sent in a sealed envelope, clearly labelled as such.
Details of governors’ attendance may be found in the Trust’s annual report or may be requested from the School.
