Academy Trust and Trustees

CVPS is managed by an Academy Trust who are committed to providing the best school for our children.

We are currently looking for volunteers to become part of our Board of Trustees. If you are interested in finding out more, please email info@villageprimary.org

The CVPS Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee, with Articles of Association.

The Trust has two layers of governance:

1) The CVPS Academy Trust members

Members hold the trust board to account for the effective governance of the trust but have a minimal role in the actual running of the trust.

A key responsibility is the appointment/removal of trustees.

Members need to be satisfied that the standard of governance is high.

Members safeguard the governance of the trust and seek assurance that governance is effective.

Members have responsibility for ensuring that the academy trust’s charitable objective, which may be summarised as ‘advancing education for the public benefit’ is being met.

Members should question if the board of trustees is ensuring:

Governance is strong.
Pupils are making expected progress and reaching the required levels of attainment.
Robust financial oversight.

Members must remain informed about the work of the trustees but not actively seek to participate in it.

Members:

Sign the memorandum and articles of association
Determine the name of the Trust
Appoint members and trustees
Appoint and remove the auditors
Are entitled to receive a copy of the annual report and accounts
Meet once a year at an annual general meeting
Address trustee board under-performance
If the Trust is failing, in conjunction with the DfE, dissolve the Trust.

To hold the trustee board to account, at the AGM members should receive a report on governance, answering the following questions:

Does the trust board reflect the ethos and values of the trust?
Is the trust board effectively fulfilling its core governance functions?
Is there a clear vision for the trust and is progress being made against the strategic aims being pursued to realise this vision?
Is financial oversight sound?
How well does the trust board know the school and how are the needs of the school being met?
How engaged are stakeholders and is this reflected in the reputation of the trust and the decisions of the board?
Are the right people around the trust board table and are there any skills gaps?
Has the trust invested in a governance professional?
Is there evidence to show that the charitable objectives of the trust are being met and that the governance of the trust is effective?
Has the trust board reviewed its own performance and have members received a copy of the governance review report? What does it tell them and what is being done as a result?

2) The board of trustees

Trustees work together to carry out their core functions:

ensuring there is clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils and the performance management of staff
overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent

Trustees are responsible for governing a charitable company and directing how it is managed and run. Trustees must also ensure that the school complies with all legal and statutory requirements.

The trust board works closely with the Principal. The Principal is responsible for day-to-day operational management of the school, whereas the role of the board is strategic. As such, trustees are responsible for:

determining the mission, values and long-term ambitious vision for the school
deciding the principles that guide school policies and approving key policies
appointing and appraising the Principal and making pay recommendations
working with senior leaders to develop a strategy for achieving the vision
ensuring that stakeholders are involved, consulted and informed as appropriate
ensuring that the school delivers a broad and balanced curriculum such that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education and adult life
taking ownership of the school’s financial sustainability and ensuring effective resource management across the school
agreeing the school’s staffing structure and keeping it under review to ensure it supports delivery of the strategy
ensuring robust risk management policy and procedures are in place and that risk control measures are appropriate and effective

Trustees must monitor the priorities that have been set to ensure progress is being made by:

measuring the school’s impact and progress towards its strategic objectives
ensuring the required policies and procedures are in place and the school is operating effectively in line with these policies
holding the Principal to account for standards, financial probity and compliance with agreed policies
evaluating relevant data and feedback provided by the SLT and external reporting on all aspects of school performance
asking challenging questions of the Principal in order to hold them to account
ensuring that there are policies and procedures in place to deal with complaints effectively

Trustees should ensure that they are making a positive and meaningful contribution to the board by:

attending meetings, reading papers and preparing questions for the Principal in advance
establishing and maintaining professional relationships with the SLT and colleagues on the board of trustees
getting to know the school, including visiting occasionally during school hours
undertaking induction training and developing knowledge and skills on an ongoing basis

CVPS Academy Trust - further information

CVPS Academy Trust consists of the following members:

Kirstin Shipley. Date appointed: 25th November 2024.
Alison Malcolm. Date appointed: 31st January 2016
Patsie Beaton. Date appointed: 26th March 2023
Dan Tobin. Date appointed: 5th March 2014. Date resigned: effective 29th November 2024

Declarations of Interest

Kirstin Shipley. Business/Pecuniary or Conflicts of Interest: None

Alison Malcolm. Business/Pecuniary or Conflicts of Interest: None

Patsie Beaton. Business/Pecuniary or Conflicts of Interest: None

Documents relating to CVPS Academy Trust

Cramlington Village Primary Trust Meeting Attendance 2022-2023

Cramlington Village Primary Limited Funding Agreement Cramlington Village Primary Limited Signed Accounts 2022 Cramlington Village Primary School Memorandum and Articles of Association

CVPS board of Trustees - further information

A full list of Trustees is shown below:

Name: Paul Young - Chair
Category: Trust appointed Trustee
Appointed by or Elected: Appointed by Trust
Appointment Dates: 30th September 2024 to 29th September 2028

Name: Norman Tait
Category: Trust Appointed Trustee
Appointed by or Elected: Appointed by Trust
Appointment Dates: 30th September 2024 to 29th September 2028

Name: Lynne Carrick
Category: Trust Appointed Trustee
Appointed by or Elected: Appointed by Trust
Appointment Dates: 3rd September 2024 to 2nd September 2028

Name: Mark Atkinson
Category: Trust Appointed Trustee
Appointed by or Elected: Appointed by Trust
Appointment Dates: 11th July 2024 to 10th July 2028

Name: Craig Allardice
Category: Trust Appointed Trustee
Appointed by or Elected: Appointed by Trust
Appointment Dates: 24th June 2024 to 23rd June 2028

Name: Chris Dale
Category: Trust Appointed Trustee
Appointed by or Elected: Appointed by Trust
Appointment Dates: 4th July 2023 to 3rd July 2027

Name: Sarah Lister
Category: Parent Trustee
Appointed by or Elected: Elected
Appointment Dates: 10th December 2021 to 9th December 2025

Name: Jean Ross
Category: Trust Appointed Trustee
Appointed by or Elected: Appointed by Trust
Appointment Dates: 7th December 2021 to 6th December 2025

Name: Lucy Whitehead
Category: Trust Appointed Trustee
Appointed by or Elected: Appointed by Trust
Appointment Dates: 1st September 2023

Former Committee Members who have served in the past 12 months:

Grahame Anderson - 25th March 2024 to 8th October 2024
Matthew Armstrong - 24th January 2024 to 4th October 2024
Joanne Loughlin-Ridley - 11th September 2023 to 22nd April 2024
Paul Seago - 8th February 2024 to 16th April 2024
Kirstin Shipley 10th February 2024 to 7th November 2024

The term of office is a period of four years, after which a trustee may be re-elected.

Personal and Business Interests

Name	Directorships, partnerships and employment with businesses	Links to other educational institutions and charities (including trusteeships and governorships)	Trustee’s personal relationships with trustees or members of staff	Relevant interests of close relatives	Date Interest Began
Craig Allardice	Employment: Contract Manager - Inspired Thinking Group (ITG) Limited
Mark Atkinson
Lynne Carrick		Teacher - Beaconhill Primary School. Secondment - lecturer - Northumbria University			Beaconhill 1995. Northumbria University - 2020
Chris Dale			Children are friends with those of the Principal
Sarah Lister		Chair of Durham Wildlife Trust. Appointed September 2013		Child at school	31/01/2022. Durham Wildlife Trust Sept 2013
Jean Ross
Norman Tait				Two Grandchildren at school
Lucy Whitehead		Governor for Newminster Middle School	Child is friends with Chair of Governor’s child at school		2023
Paul Young	Public Sector Projects Ltd, Owner				18-Jan-24

The declaration above must contain details of members and trustees:
- Ownership or partnership of a company or organisation which may be used by the trust/school to provide goods or services;
- Goods or services a member or trustee offers which may be used by the trust/school;
- Any close relation a member or trustee has to someone who satisfies either of the above;
- Any close relationship a member or trustee has to someone who is employed by the trust/school.

Trustees and Members must declare: A direct benefit that refers to any personal financial benefit and an indirect benefit that refers to any financial benefit trustees/members may have by virtue of a relationship to someone who stands to gain from a decision of the governing board.

The attendance records for each trustee are available below. A signed copy of the register is available in school.

CVPS Governing Body Meeting Attendance 2023-2024

Sub Committees of the board of Trustees

Education

Mark Atkinson: (Chair)

Education Committee (including admissions) Terms of Reference

Resources

Sarah Lister: (Chair)

Resources Committee (including risk) Terms of Reference

Further documents relating to the Trustees can be found below:

Click here to download CVPS Scheme of Delegation 2021.pdf

Click here to download the Code of Conduct

Governors Diversity Data 2023-24

Cramlington Village Primary Ltd
Registered address: Cramlington Village Primary School, Bowmont Drive, Cramlington, Northumberland, NE23 2SN
Company number: 07575016
Telephone: 01670 735177 Website: www.villageprimary.org