
Governance
Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust Governance Structure
Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust is structured in accordance with its Articles of Association.
There are three levels of governance within the Trust: the Members, The Trust Board of Directors, and the governors who make up the Local Governing Body for each academy in the Trust.
The Trust comprises five Members. The Members are accountable to the DfE and have ultimate responsibility for the Trust achieving its charitable objectives. They sign off the Articles of Association and have the power to appoint and remove the Directors. The Members include representatives from the Diocese of Newcastle and Hexham. The majority of the Members are independent of the Directors to provide challenge and scrutiny to the Board.
The ultimate responsibility for the running of our schools resides with the Directors of the Trust. They set the strategic direction for the Trust and are accountable to the Secretary of State for the performance of the schools within it. This is set out in a legal document known as the ‘funding agreement‘. As charity trustees, they must also ensure that they are complying with charity law requirements.
Directors are appointed on the basis of skills needed.
The authority for running each school remains at Local Governing Committee level and is clearly defined by our scheme of delegation.
The Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust is governed by people in our local communities who have each made a significant impact on the lives of young people.

St Oswald's Catholic Primary School: Local Governing Committee
Governors are like a Board of Directors and make decisions about how the school is run. They meet at least once a term in school.
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Governors are appointed to help:
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decide what is taught
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set standards of behaviour
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interview and select staff
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decide how the school budget is spent
School Governors have legal duties, powers and responsibilities. They can only act together, they cannot act individually.
School Governors are:
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Foundation governors appointed by the Bishop
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Parents
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Staff governor
Parent Governor:
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has a child in school
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is elected by parents of the school
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serve, as do other governors, for four years
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Parent Governors bring views of parents to the Governing Body, but they speak and act as individuals. They do not vote for all parents in general. They have equal status in the work of the Governing Body and have voting rights.
The Governing body can be contacted through the Chair, Mrs A Slater, at the school address.

Alison Slater
Chair / Curriculum
Foundation Governor

Julie Fitzgerald
Vice Chair / SEND
Foundation Governor

Gareth Pritchard
Finance & Premises
Foundation Governor

Elizabeth Turnbull
Early Years
Foundation Governor

Kelly Philips
Foundation Governor

Vacancy
Foundation Governor

Katie Morris
SEND
Staff Governor

Vicky Quinn
Safeguarding / Health & Safety

Jo Wraith
Parent Governor



