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Statutory Information 2024-2025

Our Governance Structure ensures there are clear reporting lines of accountability to ensure probity, good governance and outstanding performance. 

Trustees and Members of the Trust are appointed in accordance with the Trust Articles of Association.

Trustees focus on three core functions of governance:

  1. Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction of the Trust;
  2. Hold trust schools and its leaders to account for the educational performance of the schools and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and
  3. Oversee the financial performance of the Trust and make sure its money is well spent.


Mrs Ruth Rule-Mullen - Chair

Email: r.rulemullen@cfat.org.uk

Tel: 01942 487982 

Mr Mark Rowlands - Vice Chair

Governance Roles

The role of Members

Meetings of Members are called 'General Meetings' and the decisions they make are called 'resolutions'. CFAT Members meet at least once a year at the Trusts Annual General Meeting (AGM). Member’s are responsible to ensure the continued adherence of the Trustees to the founding principles of the Trust, namely to secure the best educational standards, personal and academic, for all pupils within the Trusts. 

The role of Trustees

The role of Trustee is to oversee the strategic direction of the Trust and work with fellow Trustees to monitor the outcomes of pupils and the application of funds to ensure the continued viability of the Trust. It is also the Trustees role to provide constructive challenge so that they can demonstrate that they are effective and efficient managers of the Trust. Trustees meet at least once a term to discuss key strategic and operational issues. 

The Board of Trustees is supported by a Finance, Audit and Risk Committee that meets once per term to monitor internal controls, a Local Academy Board meets once per term at each school/academy and a Headteacher Board (HTB) for the trust school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) facility Kingsbridge meet once per term. 

Member, Trustee & Executive Team Pen Portraits 

Member and Trustee pen portraits can be viewed by clicking here

Executive Team pen portraits can be viewed by clicking here 

School Improvement / Executive Team pen portraits can be viewed by clicking here

The Board of Charitable Trustess  (Sept 2024 to Aug 2025)

 Name

 Role 

 Date of Appointment

Term of Office 

 Date of Resignation

(if within 12 months)

Members

Mrs Ruth Rule-Mullen

 Member & Chair

01st September 2019

Members do not technically have a term of office

 

Mr Neil Bailey 

Member 

01st September 2017

Members do not technically have a term of office

 

Mrs Sarah Greer 

Member

23rd November 2021

Members do not technically have a term of office

Mrs Rose Crompton

Member

1st September 2019

Members do not technically have a term of office

 

Mrs Janice Taberner 

Member 

13th October 2022 

Members do not technically have a term of office

 

Trustees  

Mrs Ruth Rule-Mullen

Trustee & Chair

Initial 4th May 2018 as Chair 01st September 2019

annual appointment as chair SoD

 

Mr Mark Rowlands

Trustee & Vice Chair (from 26th March 2024) 

01st February 2013

4 Years | 31st January 2025

re-elected for a further 4 year term beginning 01 February 2025 at the AGM 19th Nov 2024

 

Mrs Jane Chambers

Trustee & Vice Chair (up to 26th March 2024)

6th March 2018

annual appointment as vice chair SoD| 05th March 2022

 

Mrs Sue Darbyshire

CEO / Trustee 

14th January 2013

4 Years | 31st January 2025

31st December 2024

Mr Jack Pugh

Trustee 

01st February 2013

4 years | 31st August 2023

 

Cllr Carl Sweeney

Trustee 

01st February 2013

4 Years |31st January 2025

 31st August 2024

Mrs Michelle Frost

Trustee

22nd September 2020

4 Years | 22nd Sept 2024

re appointed July 2024 

 

Mrs Lynne Hamnett

Trustee 

1st September 2019

4 Years | 31st August 2023

re appointed July 2023

 

Mr John McDonald

Strategic Finance Manager  

Co-opted member on to the Trustees finance, risk and audit committee

1st September 2018

annual 

 

Mr Sean Power

Directeur Général - Institut Florimont

Co-opted /associate member on to the board of Trustees in support of the trusts post covid-19 educational services 

23rd November 2021

annual 

 

Clerk 

Ms Marie Collier  

Contact: info@cfat.org.uk

Trust Wide Clerk 1st September 2018 annual

 

Associate  Attendees / Executive Team 

Craig Holden  Chief Operating Officer attendee by virtue of their position -
Carol Brockbank Chief Finance Officer  attendee by virtue of their position -

 

Platt Bridge Local Academy Board (LAB) information can be reviewed by clicking here

Kingsbridge SCITT Headteacher Board (HTB)  information can be reviewed by clicking here

 

Trustee or committees with specific roles - updated July 2022

Name or Committee  Specific Role 

Mr Jack Pugh

Safeguarding and Staffing 

Mrs Lynne Hammett 

Vulnerable Groups including Special Educational Needs & Disability

Cllr Carl Sweeney

Pupil Premium and Looked after Children

Mrs Jane Chambers 

Pupil Progress and Outcomes including Curriculum 

Mr Mark Rowlands

Health & Safety and Estates 

Finance Audit and Risk committee (FAR)

Finance, Audit & Risk 

Mrs Ruth Rule-Mullen, Mrs Jane Chambers, Mr Mark Rowlands & Mr Jack Pugh 

CEO/Executive Pay Committee 

Kingsbridge Headteacher Board (HTB)

Responsible for advising and challenging the Trusts SCITT activity inline with its Scheme of Delegation. 

 

The Trust Scheme of Delegation applies to all schools/academies & business areas within the Charitable Trust including its SCITT. It is available for review at the footer of this page. 

Meetings of Members and Trustees 

All meetings of both Trust Members and Trustees take place at the Trust's registered office which is Rivington Ave, Platt Bridge, Wigan, WN2 5NG and generally start at 17:30hrs unless stated otherwise. 

Minutes of meetings are available for inspection via request from the Trusts registered office.

Request for Copies

Anyone can by law request a copy of the accounts from the charity at any time. Our accounts are however, displayed online at the footer of this page for public review. 

If you would like to request copies of anything else please contact our Clerk in the first instance by emailing info@cfat.org.uk

Contact 
To contact any member of the Trusts Governing Board, please contact the Trust Clerk by emailing info@cfat.org.uk 

record of meeting attendance - Members and Trustees Meetings September 2024- August 2025

P – present

A – apology received and accepted

N – apology received but not accepted

D – did not attend, no apology received

meetings of cfat members (sept 2024 to Aug 2025)

Name

Planned AGM

19th November 2024

Ruth Rule Mullen 

P

Rose Crompton 

A

Sarah Greer 

P

Neil Bailey  

P

Janice Taberner 

A

 

meetings of cfat trustees (septt 2024 to Aug 2025)

Name

17th Sept 2024

Business & Resources Agenda

19th Nov 2024

Standards Agenda

28th Jan 2025

Finance & Resources Agenda 

25th March 2025

Standards Agenda

10th June 2025

Finance & Resources Agenda

15th July 2025

Standards Agenda

Attendance - out of a possible 6 meetings

Ruth Rule-Mullen (Chair) P P X out of a possible 6
Mark Rowlands (Vice Chair) P P X out of a possible 6
Jane Chambers  P A X out of a possible 6
Sue Darbyshire  P P X out of a possible 6
Jack Pugh  P P X out of a possible 6

Lynne Hamnett 

A D X out of a possible 6

Michelle Frost 

P P X out of a possible 6

in attendance 

Sean Power - Associate 

 A

D X out of a possible 6
Craig Holden (COO)

 

P

 

 

 

 

X out of a possible 6
Carol Brockbank (CFO)

 P

P X out of a possible 6
Marie Collier (Clerk) 

 P

P X out of a possible 6 

 

meetings of the finance, audit and risk commitee (sept 2024 to Aug 2025)

Name  27th November 2024 12th Feb 2025 21st May 2025 Attendance - out of a possible 3 meetings

John McDonald

X out of a possible 3

Jack Pugh (Committee Chair)

X out of a possible 3

Ruth Rule-Mullen 

X  out of a possible 3

Michelle Frost  (Committee Vice Chair)

X out of a possible 3

 

in attendance 

Sue Darbyshire (CEO) A X out of a possible 3
Carol Brockbank (CFO) X out of a possible 3
Craig Holden (COO) X out of a possible 3
Marie Collier (Clerk) X out of a possible 3

 

record of attendance - members and trustees meeting (previous academic years) 

Click Here to review the Record of Attendance - Members and Trustees Meetings 2023-2024 

Click Here to review the Record of Attendance - Members and Trustees Meetings 2022-2023 

Click Here to review the Record of Attendance - Members and Trustees Meetings 2021-2022 

Click Here to review the Record of Attendance - Members and Trustees Meetings 2020-2021

Click Here to review the Record of Attendance - Members and Trustees Meetings 2019-2020

Click Here to review the Record of Attendance - Members and Trustees Meetings 2018-2019

Click Here to review the Record of Attendance - Members and Trustees Meetings 2017-2018

 

Collecting Board Diversity Information

Click Here to review report on Community First Academy Trust’s Governing Board diversity indicators following the collection of diversity data.

declared conflicts of intrest register 

Click Here to review the Trust's Register of Business Interest 

 

group annual impact report 2020

click here to view our Group Annual Impact Report Aug 2020

 

finanical statements

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Financial Statement to Aug 2023 

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Financial Statement to Aug 2022 

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Financial Statement to Aug 2021 

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Financial Statement to Aug 2020

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Financial Statement to Aug 2019

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Financial Statement to Aug 2018

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Financial Statement to Aug 2017

 

trust financial regulations manual 

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Financial Regulations Manual.

 

audit management letters 

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Management Letter 2023 

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Management Letter 2022 

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Management Letter 2021 

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Management Letter 2020

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Management Letter 2019

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Management Letter 2018

 

cfat value for money statement 

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Value for Money Statement

 

cfat articles of association and memorandum of association 

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Memorandum of Association

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Articles of Association

 

cfat scheme of delegation (sept 2023 to Aug 2024)

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Scheme of Delegation (updated 19/09/2023)

Please click here to view the Terms of Reference of the Trust Finance, Audit and Risk Committee 2023-24

Please click here to view the Terms of Reference of the Trust Kingsbridge EIP SCITT Headteacher Board 2023-24

Please click here to view the DfE's Governance Handbook 

 

cfat funding agreements 

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Deed of Variation of Funding Agreement

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Supplemental Funding Agreement 

 

general data protection regulations

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust General Data Protection Regulations

 

trade union facility time publications 

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Trade Union Facility Time 2018-19

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Trade Union Facility Time 2019-20

Please click here to view Community First Academy Trust Trade Union Facility Time 2020-21

Please click here to view Community First Academy trust Trade Union Facility Time 2021-22

Please click here to view Community First Academy trust Trade Union Facility Time 2022-23

 

ADMINSSION ARRANGEMENTS

MATs must publish the admission arrangements for their schools on the central trust website and ensure this information is made available for the duration of the offer year.

Our admission arrangements within the trust comply with the DfE’s ‘School Admissions Code’ and ‘School Admission Appeals Code’.

Click Here for Platt Bridge Community School 

publication of executive pay 

AFH 2.32 - Trusts must publish on its website in a separate readily accessible form the number of employees whose benefits exceeded £100k, in £10k bandings, as an extract from the disclosure in its financial statements for the previous year ended 31 August.

The number of employees whose employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs and employer national insurance contributions) exceeded £100,000 was:

Financial Statement August 2016 Financial Statement August 2017 Financial Statement August 2018 Financial Statement August 2019 Financial Statement August 2020 Financial Statement August 2021 Financial Statement August 2022 Financial Statement August 2023 Financial Statement August 2024
£60,001 - £70,000 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

click here

 

 

 

£70,001 -            £80,000

1 1 - - - - - 2
£80,001 - £90,000 1 - - - - - - -
£90,001 - £100,000 - 1 - - - - - -
£100,001 - £110,000 1 - - - - - - -
£110,001 - £120,000 - - - - - - - -
£120,001 - £130,000 - 1 1 1 1 - - -
£130,001 - £140,000 - - - - - 1 1 -
£140,001 - £150,000 - - - - - - - 1

*extract as published in the annual audited accounts  statements