Welcome to the Governance section of the Devonport High School for Girls website.
Structure
Devonport High School for Girls Academy Trust is a single academy trust and is structured to include a Board of Members and a Board of Trustees. The Academy Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee (Company Number: 7556657). The Trustees are the registered directors of the trust and must ensure that the school is run in accordance with its Memorandum and Articles of Association.
Members
Members have a limited but distinct role. They are the guardians of the Trust with responsibility for ensuring that the Trust fulfils its charitable function of providing effective educational provision. Members are responsible for approving the appointment of new Trustees and the removal of Trustees. As part of its oversight the Members’ group receives a copy of the Annual Accounts and appoints the External Auditors. Where, in exceptional circumstances, a Board is failing to fulfil its function Members may direct or even dismiss a Board. The Members must hold an Annual General Meeting; this is usually held in December.
Our Members are:
Olivia Grimes
Glynis Westcott
Shirley Williams
Pat Wilton
Vikki Frost
The Role and Structure of the Board of Trustees
The Trustees are made up of a range of stakeholders who contribute a wide range of skills and experience and provide an independent viewpoint. All Trustees want to make a positive contribution to students’ education and to ensure that the school is run to promote student achievement.
The Trustees are a corporate team and have three key functions. We work with the school’s senior leadership team to:
- Ensure that the vision, ethos and strategic direction of the school are clearly defined;
- Ensure the sound, proper and effective use of the school’s financial resources.
In addition, the Trustees will:
- Hold the Head Teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its students and the appraisal of staff.
The running and management of the school is done by the Head Teacher and Senior Leadership Team. The Board’s role is to provide effective challenge and support to the Head Teacher and Senior Leadership team to ensure excellence in all areas of DHSG.
The Board of Trustees consists of the Head Teacher together with a number of other trustees, some elected from the parent body and others appointed by the Members under Article 50.
The Board is led by a Chair and Vice Chair. Trustees come from a wide range of backgrounds and are chosen to ensure a balance of skills across the Board. Trustees are generally in post for four years with the option to be reappointed for a further four years with a cap of eight years’ service in total. The combination of experienced trustees and new recruits ensures both continuity and a fresh approach.
The Trustees meet each month in which the strategic work of the Board takes place; all Trustees are expected to attend the Board Meetings. The Board exercises its power in line with the articles and terms of reference. The Board of Trustees has appointed a Governance Officer who assists with ensuring compliance with governance matters.
Remuneration Committee
The Remuneration Committee has responsibility for overseeing and approving teaching and support staff pay progression. The committee meets annually, normally in November. The committee has powers to act on behalf of the Board in accordance with its Terms of Reference.
The Board meetings are overseen by our Governance Professional and the minutes of the meetings can be requested by sending an email to: Governance@dhsg.co.uk
Our Trustees are:
Mrs Vikki Frost (Chair of Trustees)
Mr Lee Sargeant
Mrs Heather Cotton (Vice Chair or Trustees)
Mrs Ellen Blakeman
Ms Helena Clarke
Mrs Karen Pilkington
Mrs Katie Plant
Mr Shah Rahman
Miss Grace Spooner
Miss Jodie Wilson
Governance Professional: Alison Nettleship
Contactable via Governance@dhsg.co.uk
