CST's governing a school trust is a short development programme for new trustees, and trustees new to the education sector, designed to complement and extend your trust's induction process. It sets out an inspiring vision of the high-quality stewardship that school trusts need to make a difference to the children and young people that they serve, and will give you the framework and guidance to help you to contribute to your board from the get-go.
The curriculum draws upon two core CST publications, Next-gen governance and Governing a school trust, as well as weaving the Academy Trust Governance Code throughout the sessions. Across four online seminars, course leader Jackie Eason MBE will share an exciting and compelling definition of trust governance. You’ll learn more about effective leadership and boardroom practice, in the context of the following topics:
The programme will give you a clear understanding of how trust governance goes beyond compliance and you will take away handy reference materials to support your practice. If you’re a CST member, you will have the opportunity to connect with your peers between sessions on our dedicated online Governance and trustee professional community, which is an inclusive benefit of CST membership.
For one or two delegates please use the individual booking form below. For groups of three to ten delegates, please use the group booking form.
Individual booking Summer 2025
Individual booking Autumn 2025
Participants on previous CST governance courses said:
"I have over 40 years experience in school governance and this programme was by far the most useful, engaging and participative I have experienced. From the administration and organisation to the expert inputs, it was exceptional."
"[I] found the course to be of a excellent professional standard, useful and practical."
By participating in the programme you will take away an understanding of:
Stewardship: The values, mindset and behaviours necessary for effective, ethical and accountable governance in today’s fast-changing world.
Duties of competence and care: Your legal responsibilities and accountabilities as a trustee and director of a company and the skills and attributes that will enable you to fulfil them effectively.
Assurance: How the board assures itself around educational quality, financial oversight, risk management and safeguarding the children in your trust.
Culture: How to foster an organisational culture that will build long-term sustainability, increase wellbeing and retention and allow you to fulfil your role as an ethical employer.
Online - summer 2025
Session one – Monday 12 May, 16:00-18:00
Session two – Monday 19 May, 16:00-18:00
Session three – Monday 2 June, 16:00-18:00
Session four – Monday 9 June, 16:00-18:00
Individual booking Summer 2025
Online - autumn 2025
Session one - Thursday 6 November, 16:00-18:00
Session two - Thursday 13 November, 16:00-18:00
Session three - Thursday 20 November, 16:00-18:00
Session four - Thursday 27 November, 16:00-18:00
Session one – What do we do? An introduction to trust
governance (structures)
In the first session, trustees will receive an introduction
to the principles that underpin effective, ethical and accountable trust
governance, how the governance community can be structured in a trust and the
corresponding roles and responsibilities.
Session two – How do we lead? (board leadership)
The second session focuses on how to deliver strategic
leadership in a trust. We explore leadership mindsets and how to foster a
healthy organisational culture that aligns with the trust’s values. We describe
how to work with executive leaders to develop strategies, while remaining agile
and horizon scanning for risks and opportunities. And we introduce the concept
of civic trusts and the wider role trusts can play in their communities.
Session three – How do we know? (accountability)
Having set a strategic vision for the trust, the third
session asks how, as trustees, we can know that the trust is on track. We explore
the different ways trustees can monitor, evaluate and hold executive leaders to
account around educational quality, financial health and the overall delivery
of the trust’s charitable objects.
Session four – How do we behave? (compliance and care)
This final session ends where we started: we ask how we seek
assurance that we are fulfilling our duty to advance education for public
benefit. We explore what it means to exercise reasonable care, skill, and
diligence at all times, through risk-informed practice, careful management of
conflicts and a culture of continuous learning and development of the board to
ensure we have the right skills, knowledge and experience to enact this sacred
duty on behalf of children.
CST members £130+VAT / non-members £160+VAT.
Group booking rate for 3-10 people: CST members £320+VAT / non-members £370+VAT.
Please email events@cstuk.org.uk for more information.
View our Terms and Conditions.
You may also be interested in our:
Effective layers of governance masterclass
The role of trust members short course
Company no: 05303883
Charity no: 1107640
