Academy Trust and its Governors

Bishop Stopford School is an academy under the Academies Act 2010. We are funded and maintained directly by the Department for Education rather than the Local Authority. Our Articles of Association determine how we must function in line with the Companies Act 2006 and our Church of England heritage.  

The Academy Trust is a company limited by guarantee:

Bishop Stopford School: A company registered in England and Wales No: 07698789

Registered Office: Bishop Stopford School, Headlands, Northamptonshire NN15 6BJ

Governance

The Academy Trust has two levels of governance:

Members are similar to shareholders in a company, although they cannot draw a profit from the Academy Trust. 

Members have specific responsibilities as detailed in the Articles of Association and the company's Scheme of Delegation. They hold an annual general meeting as part of their processes.

As with all UK companies, Academy Trusts have directors. Each director is registered with Companies House and is subject to a range of directors' duties under the Companies Act 2006.

Bishop Stopford School is also a charity with exclusively charitable purposes for the provision of education. Directors are therefore also trustees and ensure that the Academy complies with charity law and the requirements of the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

Under education law, directors and trustees are also known as Governors. They act as a collective body, meeting both as a Full Trust (Governing) Board and in a number of committees throughout the academic year. 

The Trust Board has four core functions:

  1. ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;

  2. holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its students, and the performance management of staff;

  3. overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent;

  4. ensuring the voices of stakeholders are heard.

Trustees work to the Academy's Core Values and the Standards in Public Life (The ‘Nolan Principles’) in all that they do. Their practice is also compliant with the Academy Trust Handbook and the ESFA's financial regulations.

 

Trust Board Attendance at Meetings 2024-25 Bishop Stopford School Accounts to 31 August 2023 Bishop Stopford School Accounts to 31 August 2024 Declarations of Interest Memorandum and Articles of Association Signed Model Funding Agreement Executive Pay 2025 Trade Union Facility 2025 Governor Biographies Scheme of Delegation 2056 - 2026