Governance Structure 

Members

The founder members established Barnet Special Education Trust as a company limited by guarantee in March 2016. The members meet annually and at other times as required, to ensure the Trust fulfils its founding principles and to receive the company’s annual report and accounts. Members are responsible for the appointment of trustees.

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees steer the strategic aims of the Trust and formally meet at least four times each year.  They appoint the Chair and community governors of each Local Governing Body, whilst ensuring the election of staff and parent representation for each to keep a general overview of the work of the Trust and its provisions.  They hold the Chief Executive Officer to account and are accountable in turn to the Members, DfE and ESFA for education standards, safeguarding, finances and management across the Trust. The Trust through its Accounting Officer, will ensure that all statutory responsibilities are fully discharged.

Finance,  Audit and Risk Committee

The Trustees have established a Finance,  Audit and Risk Sub-Committee as a direct sub-committee of the Board, in accordance with the Academy Trust Handbook. This committee meets a minimum of three times per year to ensure the Board has sufficient oversight of the financial performance and regularity compliance of Trust activities.

Local Governing Bodies

The Trustees establish a Local Governing Body (LGB) for each school in the MAT. Each LGB is a sub-committee of the Board. A scheme of delegation will afford each member school control of internal budgets, following agreement with Trustees as to the level of commitment to centrally shared resources. Each LGB reports to the Trustees and takes a strategic role in the governance of their school to hold the Headteacher and other senior leaders to account in respect of safety and wellbeing, educational standards and achievement of agreed plans and objectives.

Oakbridge Board of Trustees

In order to comply with education funding law in England, the BSET Board of Trustees has established a subsidiary company to separately manage our 19-24 SEN provision. This has its own separate Board of Trustees who act as the company directors and governors of the college.