5. Executive leadership
Information on how the board works with the executive leadership.
This section covers the trust quality description of executive leadership.
The board:
- ensures high quality executive leadership through appointing the trust鈥檚 CEO and providing effective support and challenge to the CEO and executive leadership team
- maintains sufficient independence from the executive leadership team to allow scrutiny of both their performance and organisational performance overall
- sets clear objectives and effectively manages the CEO to ensure high performance, whilst securing appropriate levels of remuneration for the CEO and the executive leadership team
- works in partnership with the CEO to:
- ensure effective relationships between the executive leadership team and trustees
- ensure the executive leadership team has the expertise needed to fulfil functions delegated by the board, for example secure financial expertise
- support effective succession planning by building a leadership pipeline
The board must appoint a senior executive leader, who should be the accounting officer Academy Trust Handbook 1.27-1.28. The articles of association set out the trustees鈥� responsibilities in the appointment of the senior executive leader.
A board may ask for details about whether a senior executive leader (or teacher) has been subject to capability procedures in the previous 2 years, in line with the funding agreement.
If the articles of association in a trust require it, then any relevant religious authority may have rights to:
- attend proceedings
- provide advice
- give its agreement to the appointment
顿蹿贰鈥檚 Multi-academy trust leadership development: CEO content framework sets out the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to lead large MATs effectively.
The accountabilities of executive leaders to governance is set out in Headteachers鈥� standards.
More information on executive leadership is available from:
- Confederation of School Trusts (CST):
- National Governance Association:
The board holds the senior executive leader to account for the day-to-day running of the trust.
It is important that the chair of the board builds and develops a good professional working relationship with the senior executive leader based on mutual respect and understanding.
For the relationship to be effective, the chair and the senior executive leader need to understand each of their respective roles and duties. The chair can act as a sounding board and provide effective support to the senior executive leader as long as this does not interfere with:
- the chair鈥檚 and board鈥檚 responsibility for providing constructive challenge to the senior executive leader and the executive leadership team
- making decisions that are in the best interest of the trust
The senior executive leader:
- reports to the board as is required and including on delegated duties
- gives advice and complies with any reasonable direction given by the board
- implements the board鈥檚 strategic framework
Whether or not the senior executive leader is a trustee, an effective board independently evaluates the information it receives from the executive leadership team and makes its decisions accordingly.
has more information. This is joint guidance from the Association for College and School Leaders (ASCL), National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) and the National Governance Association (NGA).
5.2.1 Managing the senior executive leader
The board鈥檚 appraisal and performance management of the senior executive leader is a key part of their relationship, and it will want to ensure that the senior executive leader鈥檚 development is part of the process.
Find out more about CEO appraisal from:
- Association of Chairs:
- Confederation of School Trusts: 3 part guidance on the
- DfE: Multi-academy trust leadership development: CEO content framework
The board works in partnership with the senior executive leader and the executive leadership team through:
- setting, agreeing, communicating and reviewing a clear vision and strategy, focussing on high quality inclusive education and school improvement
- taking reasonable steps to ensure the wellbeing of the senior executive leader and their executive team
- supporting sensible health and safety management (see )
A trust is free to determine its own appraisal processes. The board will:
- work with the senior executive leader to develop and maintain a transparent system for the performance management of the executive leadership team
- set appropriate levels of remuneration
- ensure the continuing development of the senior executive leader and the executive leadership team
- have effective oversight of employee performance and the framework for pay and conditions of service
An effective board will have a succession plan to address anticipated, and unexpected changes in its executive leadership so that the trust can continue to deliver its strategy.
The trust, as the employer, has a legal duty to protect its workers from stress and therefore the board will want to consider the wellbeing and work-life balance of all its staff.
The board supports the wellbeing of their staff by actively promoting their commitment to implementing 顿蹿贰鈥檚 workload reduction taskforce recommendations.
DfE encourages the board and the senior leadership team to consider implementing flexible working practices. The flexible working in schools guidance and accompanying resources can help employers develop and implement flexible working policies.
The board must ensure the trust adheres to .
Boards may wish to consider designating a trustee or local governor as a wellbeing champion to provide strategic support to the school leadership team as appropriate.
Find out more about wellbeing at work from:
- Health and Safety Executive: guidance
- DfE: education staff wellbeing charter and school workload reduction toolkit include useful information and resources to support trusts
DfE encourages boards to consider:
- the 2016 independent workload review groups鈥� recommendations on:
- making data work, a 2018 report from the teacher workload advisory group
The board must ensure its:
- approach to pay and benefits is transparent, proportionate and justifiable. No individual can be involved in deciding their remuneration
- decisions about levels of executive pay are evidence-based聽and reflective of the individual鈥檚 role and responsibilities
Section 2 in the Academy Trust Handbook provides further information on executive pay.
You can also find out more on executive pay from:
- DfE: Setting executive salaries: guidance for academy trusts
- Confederation of School Trusts: and