Information

Academy Committee

Academy Committees

The Academy Committees (ACs) support the Trustees to fulfil their responsibility for oversight of each school within the Trust, acting as the eyes and ears of the Board at local level. Their role is more focused than that of a traditional school governing body. The SAST central team manages – finance, HR, Estates, IT, and others.

The ACs responsibility is to monitor and scrutinise teaching and learning, welfare, and safeguarding issues. The ACs provide challenge and support to the Headteachers and senior leadership team, and represent the Trust to local stakeholders – parents, students, staff and the community. Two representatives of each AC are elected from among that school’s parents, while a further representative will be elected by the staff. The Headteacher is ex officio. The remaining representatives are appointed by the Trustees following recommendation from the AC and Headteacher, based on skills and experience, or in our Church of England academies, the Diocese of Salisbury and the Diocese of Bath & Wells receive and consider nominations and appoint. Ex ‘VA’ schools must have a majority of foundation representatives and ex ‘VC’ 25% of representatives must be foundation. Each AR is appointed for a term of four years, after which time, AC representatives, with agreement from the Diocese or Trustees, may agree to renewal of further term(s).

The AC will meet at the beginning of each full term (three times a year), plus an additional meeting to review published exam performance. Typically, this additional meeting will take place during the summer term for primary schools, once the SATS results have been published, whereas for secondary schools, this meeting will take place during the autumn term

You can contact the Chair of the Academy committee by email: Richard.weekes@sast.org.uk

Name	Office	Area	Term of Office Ends
Judith Hayward	Foundation	Safeguarding, Safer Recruitment	Foundation 09/03/2025
Richard Weekes	Chair		09/10/24
Emma Grunnill	Headteacher		On Resignation
Elizabeth Morton	Staff		01/09/2025
Brida Skipworth	Clerk
Dick Bennett	Appointed	Special Educational Needs, Pupil Premium	05/03/26