How our Trusts work

Section 1 - Introduction

This page explains concisely the organisation of the Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust and the Greenwood Academies Trust.

It details information about the role of Principals and Executive Principals, our organisational core values, our Trust structure and purpose, governance arrangements for individual Academies, the Trust meeting structure and perfomance management responsibilities. 

For all authorised users, documents giving more detailed information can be found on the secure Trustees page of this website.

Summary of Sections

1. Introduction.
2. Principals and Executive Principals.
3. Organisational Core Values.
4. The Trust Structure.
5. The Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust purpose - identifies the unique purpose of the Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust as compared to the GAT.
6. The Greenwood Academies Trust purpose - identifies the unique purpose of the Greenwood Academies Trust as compared to the GDFT.
7. Academy Governing Councils.
8. GDFT and GAT meeting structure - gives an overview of the time requirement for Trustees and Council Members annually for key meetings.
9. Performance Management Responsibilities - sets out Line-Management and Performance Management responsibilities for the Trust Board, Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive.

Section 2 - Principals and Executive Principals

Our Academies are led by outstanding Principals. Whilst working to achieve our organisational core values each Principal is free to develop the curriculum and structures within their own Academy to best serve the community they serve. The GDFT does not impose a standard central curriculum or structure. 

We have created a Trust where each Academy can evolve individually, developing best practice that can be shared both within the Trust and more widely.

Principals are challenged and supported by our Executive Principals. Executive Principals are experience Principals and are responsible for a group of Academies to manage support, set consistently challenging targets and ensure compliance with core Trust values. Executive Principals line-manage their designated Principals and report directly to the Chief Executive.

Section 3 - Organisational Core Values

i)  Group Vision

Group vision is the responsibility of the Chief Executive and the Trust Boards.

The Group vision includes the expansion of the number of Academies within the group to:

• support the Government‟s and DfE‟s drive to raise standards in the poorest performing schools.
• improve the education and life chances of a wide group of pupils.
• expand within our capabilities and capacity to ensure that the quality of what we deliver remains at an outstandingly high level.
• support LAs where undercapacity of school places is an issue.
• develop our own high quality leaders.
• enhance our input into developing national best practice at Ministerial level.
• deliver the best possible central services to individual Academies so Heads of School and Principals can concentrate on their staff and pupils and not on administration.

ii)  Strategic Aims

• Leading and managing the most successful and innovative group of Academies in the country, delivering outstanding value added and above average results.
• Ensuring that all our Academies have a calm, well disciplined and purposeful environment with our pupils taking a pride in themselves and their Academy.
• Developing pupil attitudes so they take responsibility for their actions, respect other pupils and their community and become confident, well-educated and purposeful citizens.

iii)  Our Ethos

• Everyone can succeed.
• Everyone has the widest opportunities to achieve success.
• Good pupil behaviour is expected at all times.
• Outstanding examination results are expected.
• Previous schooling, lack of parental support and home deprivation must not be a barrier.
• Staff are expected to set the highest of standards as role models.
• Senior staff, including Principals, teach the most challenging pupils at KS4.
• All secondary Academies have a year 7 base.
• There is a consistent focus on improving the quality of literacy and numeracy.

iv)  How we work

We provide expertise and capacity for:

• transforming leadership and governance
• focusing on school improvement, including discipline, behaviour and attendance
• improving the quality of teaching and learning
• immersing pupils in a success culture
• introducing a relevant and stimulating curriculum and personalised learning
• focusing on the value we add and how we assess the progress our students make
• targeting under-performing groups for significant improvement
• fostering student and staff pride in the organisation
• ensuring we have high visibility senior leaders

v)  The overarching target for each Academy in the Group

From Greenwood Dale‟s last Ofsted Report in September 2007:

"Greenwood Dale is an outstanding school. It serves a community facing significant challenges and turns out young people who achieve highly and develop into well rounded, ambitious young people, equipped in all respects for a modern, diverse society."

Section 4 - The Trust Structure