Building governance arrangements that enable stewardship, assurance, and sustainable growth
As trusts grow and evolve, governance arrangements must also evolve. Structures that worked for a small organisation may not provide sufficient clarity, assurance, or connect across a larger and more complex trust. Effective arrangements depend on the size, context, geography, history, and ambitions of the trust. What matters is not adopting a particular structure, but designing governance intentionally so that every layer of the organisation contributes to educational excellence, effective stewardship, and public trust.
Drawing on CST's Governance at Scale and Next-gen governance publications and practical examples from trusts across the sector, this course explores how governance can be designed to support growth, strengthen accountability, improve assurance, and build effective relationships between boards, executives, schools, and communities. Participants will leave with practical tools and design principles that can be applied in trusts of any size.
Who is it for?
This course is for people in the following roles in trusts of all sizes:
- Governance professionals
- Chairs of trustees
- Trust CEOs and executive leaders
What you will gain:
- How to apply the principles from CST's Governance at Scale framework
- How to review and adapt existing governance structures using a systems-thinking approach
- How to intentionally design structures and processes that remain effective as trusts grow and evolve
- Practical examples from trusts operating successfully at a range of scales
This course offers a comprehensive and forward-thinking exploration of trust governance. By integrating the principles of CST's "Next-Gen Governance" report, the course equips governance professionals with the knowledge and tools necessary to cultivate robust, sustainable and effective governance within their trusts.
03:30 pm
12 Nov 2026 02:00 pm to
03:30 pm
19 Nov 2026 02:00 pm to
03:30 pm
- CST members £280+VAT
