Multi-Academy Trusts have a tiered governance structure, taking the form

• Members
  • Directors
    • Local Academy Committees

Foundation Governors sit on the Local Academy Committees alongside local governor colleagues appointed by the trust from staff, parents and the local community. 

An academy’s Articles of Association set out the number of governors of each type on the Local Academy Committee and how they must be appointed.

Local Foundation Governors are representatives of the Church of England on the Local Governing Board of an academy.  They are responsible for:

• preserving and developing the Christian character of the academy
• ensuring that the spiritual and moral beliefs of the Anglican church underpin the academy's daily life
• making sure that Christian vision and values, Collective Worship and Religious Education are considered by the committee 
• creating a community where pupils are cared for as individuals and helped to find fulfilment as they grow towards adulthood
• strengthening the relationship between the academy, local church and the wider community
• making sure that Directors are updated on local matters

In a Multi-Academy Trust, the Board of Directors delegates specific responsibility to the Local Academy Committee via the Scheme of Delegation.

This may change from time to time within a trust, and the level of delegation also varies between different trusts.

Generally speaking, the role of a Local Foundation Governor in an academy is comparable to that of a Foundation Governor in a maintained school.

The skills, experience and personal attributes that make a good governor are similar across both roles.  

Where the roles differ is that, in a multi-academy trust, the central team and directors oversee strategic decision-making and core functions. The Local Academy Committee is able to spend a larger proportion of their time on the responsibilities outlined above. 

The Government provides guidance on the role of Academy Directors and Local Governors in its “Academy Trust Governance Guide”.