Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many multi-academy trusts do not have at least two parent directors; and under what circumstances such an arrangement is permitted.

The governance arrangements for each academy trust are set out in their articles of association. Multi-academy trusts have the freedom to establish the most effective governance structure to support and drive high performance in their schools. The trust board may choose to delegate responsibilities to local governing bodies, which may cover one or more schools within the trust, or may establish local bodies on an advisory basis. Arrangements below the level of the trust board are a matter for trusts to decide on. The Department for Education does not hold information on the numbers of multi-academy trusts adopting different approaches to governance at school level.

Parents have an important role in academy governance. The Department’s current model articles of association require that there should be a minimum of two parents either on the multi-academy trust board or on each local governing body.

We encourage academy trusts, including those established before September 2010, to review their governance arrangements regularly, and to consider moving onto the Department’s updated model articles.