Governing together: New next generation governance

Evolving governance from compliance to sustainable stewardship

Governance in school trusts is not delivered by individuals working in isolation; it depends on the alignment of those who lead, advise, and govern the organisation. This course brings together chairs, CEOs, and governance professionals to explore what next-gen governance looks like in practice. Building on CST’s work on governance design, we examine how boards move beyond compliance and structure to become highly effective, strategically-aligned leadership teams. We examine roles, relationships, and behaviours across the board and executive, alongside the design of clear, coherent, and scalable governance arrangements. Participants will develop a shared understanding of stewardship, effective oversight, accountability, and assurance, and leave with practical approaches to strengthening alignment, decision-making, and board effectiveness.

Who is it for?

This course is for people in the following roles in trusts of all sizes:

• Chairs of trustees
• Trust CEOs and executive leaders
• Governance professionals

What you will gain:

• How to lead with a stewardship mindset in times of complexity
• How to harness collective intelligence on the board
• How to apply systems thinking and organisational design concepts to governance structures at any scale
• How to streamline governance processes to eliminate fluffload
• How to reduce friction with stakeholders through a relational approach
• How to establish a civic outlook

Course leader

Samira Sadeghi

Director of Trust Governance

Samira Sadeghi

Director of Trust Governance

Samira is Director of Trust Governance. She has been involved in school governance for over a decade. Prior to joining CST, she served as Head of Governance and Company Secretary at Academies Enterprise Trust, a trust with 57 schools. She started her career in governance with Ark Schools, as a regional governance officer.