As a multi-academy trust, Harbour Learning Trust (HLT) is a charitable company limited by guarantee. This means that HLT is a single legal entity, but it has several academies within its family of schools.
HLT is an education charity that runs a family of seven primaries and one secondary school, in Greater Lincolnshire. After a substantial period of growth starting in 2018, Harbour Learning Trust now serves over 3000 children and young people across its eight academies. We are now entering the next phase of development and are looking to continue to drive school improvement, as well as growth and our development agenda. We are a values-driven organisation with a commitment to integrity, collaboration, and excellence. We strive to be a caring employer who values all our staff, providing genuine and exciting opportunities to develop expertise, share best practice and form strong partnerships both within and beyond our Trust. We know that education really can change lives for the better and we passionately believe that every child should receive the very best education in order to fully prepare them for the future.
Members, Trustees and Governors
The Trust has established three key layers of governance:
- Members
- Trustees
- Local Governors
Please see below for the detailed governance structure and all other relevant documents.
Members
Members are the guardians of the governance of our Trust Partnership. They need to be assured that effective governance practice is taking place. To do so, they keep in touch with the work of the Board of Trustees by meeting at least twice per year (including the Trust’s AGM), and receiving regular updates after each Board meeting. Our Members receive the Trust’s annual report and accounts, an annual governance report, and they are able to appoint and remove Trustees.
Trustees
As HLT is a charitable company, the Board of Trustees are regarded as directors in company law, and Trustees in charity law. Reflecting the charitable objects at the core of the Trust’s work, members of HLT’s Board are referred to as our Trustees. They meet as a minimum four times per year.
The Board of Trustees is responsible for three core strategic governance functions:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
- Holding the CEO and Headteachers to account for the educational performance of each school and its pupils, and for the performance management of staff
- Overseeing the financial performance of each school and the Trust overall, and making sure that the Trust’s money is well spent
In May 2022, the Board launched a new three-year strategy, including the HLT Vision and Values. The Board has established key priorities for the Trust: pupil Academy Improvement, To Build an Effective and Efficient Central Services Infrastructure and To Ensure High Quality Leadership and Governance across the Trust.
The Trustees bring together knowledge, expertise and skills linked to the Trust’s core areas of: education, inclusion, environmental sustainability, governance and finance.
Local Academy Councils
Although the Board of Trustees is accountable for all of the academies within HLT, it highly values the work undertaken by local governors in supporting, and challenging, our academies and senior leadership teams to deliver high quality and inclusive education. Each academy has a Local Academy Council that meets four times a year.
To find out who the governors are, please see the ‘Our Schools’ areas on each academy website.
The different responsibilities overseen by Members, Trustees and Local Governors are set out in the HLT Scheme of Delegation, which is reviewed on an annual basis.
Member, Trustee and Governor Recruitment and Appointment
The recruitment and appointment of Members, Trustees and Governors is set out within the Articles of Association and Scheme of Delegation. The term of office, number and types of trustees and specific role are
all clearly defined.
If you are interested in becoming a Member, Trustee or Governor of the Harbour Learning Trust, please see recruitment packs below.
Get in Touch
To contact any of the Members, Trustees or Governors, please email: [email protected]
To send correspondence to the Chair of Trustees, please either send a letter addressed to:
Chair of Trustees
c/o Governance Professional
Harbour Learning Trust
Low Road
Healing
Grimsby
DN41 7QD
or by email to: [email protected]
