Governance at Mercian Educational Trust

Our approach to governance

At Mercian Educational Trust (MET) we believe that effective governance is fundamental to ensuring that every child receives the best possible education and that our schools are supported to thrive.

Our governance arrangements are designed to provide strong strategic leadership, clear accountability and meaningful assurance across all seven schools.

In September 2026 we introduced a new governance structure, moving away from individual Local Governing Bodies towards a trust wide model built around specialist committees, focused assurance activities and direct links with our schools.

This approach allows our governance volunteers to use their skills and expertise where they can have the greatest impact, with a greater emphasis on visiting schools, understanding their individual contexts and providing informed challenge to leaders.

Our arrangements reflect our Trust values of Prepare, Empower, Thrive.

How our Trust is governed

Mercian Educational Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee. Governance is provided through a Board of Trustees, supported by Members, specialist committees, Assurance Teams and School Links.

Members

Members are responsible for safeguarding the Trust's charitable purpose and ensuring that its governance arrangements remain effective.

Their responsibilities include appointing Trustees in accordance with the Articles of Association and holding the Board to account for the effective governance of the Trust.

Our Members: WDAT Corporate Member, Chair of Trustees, Richard Ellam, Kayleigh Mapstone, Laura Rawlings

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is the accountable governing body for all seven schools within Mercian Educational Trust.

Trustees are collectively responsible for the strategic direction of the Trust, its educational performance, safeguarding, financial oversight and ensuring that statutory and regulatory responsibilities are met.

The Board sets the Trust's vision and strategic priorities, holds executive leaders to account and ensures that resources are used effectively to improve outcomes for pupils.

The Board meets formally four times each academic year, supported by a strategic planning session and the work of its committees and assurance arrangements.

Chair of Trustees: Sharon Tilki

Our Trustees: Roberta Hannon (Vice-Chair), Karen Bevan, Iwan Davies, Elaine Frostman-Clark, Gail Hatfield, Dafydd Lawday (CEO), Mark Loveday, Tracy Lowe, Sheila Marshall, David Smith, Paul Tredwell

Board Committees

The Board is supported by three specialist committees which provide detailed scrutiny, challenge and assurance within their areas of responsibility.

Standards Committee

This committee focuses on educational standards, school improvement, curriculum quality, inclusion and outcomes for pupils. It provides assurance to the Board that educational priorities are being implemented effectively and that all pupils are supported to achieve their potential.

Committee Chair: Roberta Hannon

People and Culture Committee

This committee oversees workforce strategy, staff wellbeing, organisational culture, leadership development and the effectiveness of people related policies and practices.

It also considers relevant safeguarding assurance including staff training, awareness and the effectiveness of organisational arrangements.

Committee Chair: Gail Hatfield

Finance, Audit and Risk Committee

This committee provides scrutiny and assurance in relation to financial management, internal controls, risk management, audit, compliance and the effective use of the Trust's resources.

Committee Chair: Karen Bevan

Each committee reports to the Board of Trustees, ensuring that key findings, risks and recommendations inform strategic oversight and decision making.

Assurance Teams

Our Assurance Teams provide additional insight and challenge to support the work of the Board's committees.

Rather than relying solely on information presented at meetings, governance volunteers undertake focused assurance activities across the Trust.

These activities may involve visiting schools, meeting leaders, reviewing evidence and exploring specific areas of strategic importance.

Assurance activities are agreed in advance, aligned to the Trust's strategic priorities and reported through the relevant committee to the Board.

The three areas of assurance are:

• Standards, Education and Inclusion: Educational quality, pupil outcomes, inclusion and school improvement.

• People and Culture: Staff experience, leadership, organisational culture and workforce effectiveness.

• Finance, Audit and Risk: Financial oversight, operational effectiveness, compliance and risk management.

This approach enables Trustees to receive evidence informed assurance about the effectiveness of Trust arrangements across our schools.

School Links

Each school has a named governance volunteer who acts as its School Link.

School Links provide an important connection between individual schools and the Trust's governance arrangements.

They visit their allocated school during the academic year to gain an understanding of its strengths, priorities, challenges and community.

Their role includes meeting school leaders, reviewing relevant information, considering safeguarding arrangements and sharing observations with the Trust Board.

School Links do not replace school leadership or undertake operational management. Their purpose is to provide an additional source of insight and assurance so that the Board remains informed about the individual circumstances of every school.

Our School Links

School	School Link
Beacon View Primary School	Anne Howells
Brookfield School	Susanna McFarlane
Great Malvern Primary School	Kate Arnold
Honeywell Primary School	Vacancy
Leigh and Bransford Primary School	Helen Davis
Somers Park Primary School	Hanna Barett

Northleigh Church of England Primary School

As a Church of England school, Northleigh has additional arrangements to support assurance of its Christian vision, ethos and distinctive character.

A dedicated Church School Assurance Hub provides local insight and assurance to the Trust Board.

Members of the Hub undertake visits to the school during the academic year with a focus on the school's strategic priorities, safeguarding, inclusion and the effectiveness of its Christian vision and values.

The Hub reports directly to the Board of Trustees, ensuring that the school's individual context and Church of England character remain central to governance oversight.

Church School Assurance Hub Members: TBC 

Safeguarding Governance

Safeguarding is a fundamental responsibility of the Board of Trustees and is considered throughout our governance arrangements.

In addition to safeguarding assurance undertaken through School Links and the Church School Assurance Hub, the Trust has two designated safeguarding governance links.

These individuals bring specialist expertise in family law and educational safeguarding and meet regularly with the Trust's Director of Safeguarding.

Safeguarding is also considered through the Standards, Education and Inclusion Committee and the People and Culture Committee.

These arrangements provide the Board with multiple sources of assurance about safeguarding practice, culture and compliance across our schools.

Safeguarding Links: Tracey Lowe and Anne Howells. 

Accountability and Decision Making

The Board of Trustees retains overall accountability for the governance of Mercian Educational Trust and its schools.

Responsibilities are delegated to committees and executive leaders in accordance with the Trust's Scheme of Delegation.

School Links and Assurance Teams provide monitoring, insight and recommendations to inform governance oversight. They do not operate as separate Local Governing Bodies.

This structure is designed to ensure that decisions are made at the appropriate level, responsibilities are clear and the Board receives relevant and timely information about the performance and needs of all schools.

Executive Leadership

The Executive Leadership are the employed professionals who enact educational, financial and operational procedures or Mercian Educational Trust and the individual schools. They provide advice and proposals to MET governance groups to ensure high quality decisions are made. The Executive Leadership team currently includes the CEO, CFOO, Director of Learning and Head of Governance.

School Leadership

School Leadership are the employed professionals who enact educational, financial and operational procedures at the individual schools. They provide advice and proposals to LGB groups to ensure high quality educational standards are maintained. 

Local Governing Body - Governor attendance and interest (for 2025-26)

Great Malvern Primary School - Local Governing Body details

The Brookfield School - Local Governing Body details

Grove Primary School - Local Governing Body detailsHoneywell Primary School - Local Governing Body detailsLeigh and Bransford Primary School - Local Governing Body detailsNorthleigh CE Primary School - Local Governing Body detailsSomers Park Primary School - Local Governing Body details