Governance

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The Sigma Trust was formed in September 2016 and is a charity and company limited by guarantee.  Strong governance is the cornerstone of any successful Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) it ensures accountability, drives improvement, and fosters a culture of transparency and trust. Within a MAT, governance operates at different levels, each with distinct responsibilities:

The Executive Committee:

The Executive Committee consists of all the Headteachers and senior colleagues within The Sigma Trust and report directly to the Chief Executive Officer, who has the delegated responsibility for day to day operations of the Trust.

The Executive Committee are responsible for the day to day management of all academies and for providing strategic leadership for the Trust.
  • Lyn Wright – Chief Executive Officer
  • Brian Markham – Chief Operations and Finance Officer
  • Jon Bland – Executive Headteacher, The Stanway School
  • Gavin Bradley - Director of Primary Education
  • Scott Holder – Director of Education
  • Neil Gallagher – Executive Headteacher, Clacton County High School & Colne Community School
  • Fiona Pierson – Executive Headteacher, Paxman Academy and St Helena School
  • Charlotte Cumming – Headteacher, Monkwick Infant School and Nursery
  • Simon Essex – Headteacher The Thomas Lord Audley School
  • Kate Finch – Headteacher, Harwich & Dovercourt High School
  • Nicole Almond – Headteacher, Alton Park Junior School
  • Rebecca McCutcheon – Headteacher, Monkwick Junior School
  • Matt Moseley – Headteacher, Holland Park Primary School
  • Steph Neill – Headteacher, Philip Morant School and College

Members

Members have a role similar to shareholders in a company, they have ultimate control over the Trust and they are responsible for ensuring the Trust adheres to its charitable objectives and legal obligations. Members hold Trustees to account but do not get involved in the day-to-day business of the Trust.

The Sigma Trust Members are:

  • Sue Hammond – appointed 1st September 2023
  • Joanna Hazlewood – appointed 10th October 2023
  • Bharat Parmar – appointed 30th September 2020
  • Nick Pavitt – appointed 14th September 2016
  • Richard Moodey - appointed, 1st September 2016, stepped down 1st January 2025

The Role of Members

Members play a limited but crucial role in safeguarding academy trust governance. While they must ensure they do not stray into undertaking the Academy Trustees' role, they assure themselves that the governance of the Trust is effective, that Academy Trustees are acting in accordance with the Trust’s charitable object(s) and that they, the Members, use their powers to step in if governance is failing. Members are not involved in the day-to-day business of the academy trust.

The Members of the Trust have a different status to Trustees. The Members appoint Trustees to ensure that the Trust’s charitable object is carried out and so must be able to remove Trustees if they fail to fulfil this responsibility. Members are responsible for approving any amendments made to the Trust’s articles of association. In order to retain a degree of separation of powers between the Members and the Trust Board, and in line with DfE expectations, the Chair of the Trust Board is the only Trustee who is also a member. Members are not permitted to be employees of the academy trust.

Members Summary of Business Interests 2023 - 2025

Trustees

The Board of Trustees, much like the directors of a company, hold the ultimate responsibility for the Multi-Academy Trust. They are accountable under the law for every major decision concerning the academies within their care. This dual role as both company directors and charity trustees reflects the unique legal status of academies. However, the Board wisely delegates many of the day-to-day governance functions. This delegation empowers key individuals and committees, such as the CEO, Board committees, and Local Governance Committees within each academy, to effectively manage operations. By distributing responsibilities, the Board of Trustees can focus on their core governance functions: defining a clear vision and ethos, and setting the strategic direction for the Multi-Academy Trust.

Trustees delegate some governance functions to Board committees, these include a:

  • Finance Committee
  • Audit & Risk Committee
  • People and Culture Committee
  • Standards Committee

Trustees membership terms of office & attendance 2023 - 2025Trustees summary of business interests 2023 - 2025

Meet our Trustees

The Role of Local Governance Committees

Duties of Local Governance Committees are determined by the Trustees and is predominantly to carry the Academy Trust vision forward and ensure the Trust’s values are embedded within the school.

  • The Sigma Trust has established Local Governance Committees (LGCs) for its academies which are directly accountable to the Trustees. LGC Committees may be appointed to serve one academy or jointly shared across more than one academy as deemed appropriate by the Board of Trustees.
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