Governance

Local Governing Bodies (LGBs)

Each school within The Goldfinch Trust has a Local Governing Body (LGB). LGBs play a vital role in ensuring that our schools are well supported, well challenged and firmly rooted in their local context, while operating as part of a wider Trust family.

Local Governing Bodies act on behalf of the Trust Board, with clearly defined responsibilities delegated to them through the Trust’s Scheme of Delegation. This ensures strong, consistent governance across the Trust, alongside appropriate local oversight for each school.

What Local Governing Bodies Do

Local Governing Bodies focus on the strategic oversight of individual schools, rather than day-to-day operational management. Their core functions include:

• Holding school leaders to account for educational outcomes, quality of provision and pupil progress
• Providing oversight of safeguarding, ensuring robust systems and a strong safeguarding culture
• Monitoring the implementation and impact of the School Development Plan
• Offering support, challenge and local insight to senior leaders
• Acting as a key link between the school, the Trust and its wider community

LGBs work closely with Headteachers and the Trust’s Executive Team, contributing to continuous improvement while ensuring that each school reflects the Trust’s vision, values and high expectations.

What Is Delegated to Local Governing Bodies

The Trust Board retains overall legal responsibility for all schools within The Goldfinch Trust. However, a range of responsibilities are formally delegated to Local Governing Bodies, including:

• Scrutiny and monitoring of school performance and standards
• Oversight of safeguarding arrangements and statutory compliance at school level
• Approval and monitoring of key school policies where delegated
• Oversight of aspects of school-level finance, within Trust frameworks
• Contribution to the performance management of senior school leaders

The precise scope of delegation is clearly defined by the Trust Board and reviewed regularly to ensure effective and proportionate governance.

Working Within the Trust Structure

Local Governing Bodies do not operate in isolation. They are an integral part of the Trust’s governance structure and work in partnership with:

• The Trust Board, which holds overall accountability
• The CEO and Executive Team, who provide leadership and strategic direction
• School leaders, who manage the day-to-day running of the school

This shared approach ensures clarity, accountability and coherence across the Trust, while preserving strong local knowledge and relationships.

Find Out More

More detailed information about the Local Governing Body for Maudsley and Bethlem Hospital School, including membership, meeting information and school-specific governance arrangements, can be found on the Maudsley and Bethlem School website: Welcome to The Maudsley and Bethlem Hospital School