Our Governance

All Academies have Members and a Board of Trustees. Both Members and the Board of Trustees for The Areté Trust include individuals from the Governing Body of Dartford Grammar School for Girls. The Chair of Governors of Dartford Grammar School for Girls is the Chair of the Board of Trustees, and the Headteacher of DGGS is also a Trustee. The Board of Trustees delegates powers to the Local Governing Body of the school.

The Areté Trust has 3 Members:

Mrs Janice Brooke

Date of Appointment: 1st June 2017

Business and Pecuniary Interest: Chair of Governors: Chantry Community Academy, Chair: Kent Governance Association

Mr Matthew Roberts

Date of Appointment: 1st June 2017

Business and Pecuniary Interest: Director: Benesse UK Ltd,

Mrs Carol Williams

Date of Appointment: 1st June 2017

Business and Pecuniary Interest: None

The Areté Trust has 5 Trustees all appointed by Members:

Mrs Janice Brooke – Chair

Date of Appointment: 1st June 2017

Current term of office 1st June 2021- 31st May 2025

Business and Pecuniary Interest: Chair of Governors: Chantry Community Academy, Chair: Kent Governance Association

 Mr Robert Chapman

Date of Appointment: 1st June 2017

Current term of office 1st June 2021- 31st May 2025

Business and Pecuniary Interest: None

 Mrs Sharon Pritchard (CEO and Accounting Officer)

Date of Appointment: 1st June 2017

Business and Pecuniary Interest: None

Mr David Smith

Date of Appointment: 1st June 2017

Current term of office 1st June 2021- 31st May 2025

Business and Pecuniary Interest: None

Mrs Rachel Horsley

Date of Appointment: 8th March 2021

Current term of office 8th March 2021 – 7th March 2025

Business and Pecuniary Interest: None

Please click here for details of Trustee attendance at meetings from 1st September 2022 to 31st August 2023

Governance Structure

The Arete Trust is a company limited by guarantee and an exempt charity. The Trust’s
Memorandum and Articles of Association are the primary governing documents of the
Trust.

The Trustees are also the Directors of the company for the purposes of company law
and the Secretary of State for Education is our principal regulator.


The role of the Members

Members play a limited but crucial role in safeguarding trust governance. They assure
themselves that the governance is effective and that Trustees are acting in accordance
with the Trust’s charitable objects, but they are not involved in the day-to-day running of
the Trust. Members may step in if the governance is failing and use their powers as set
out in the Trust’s Articles of Association.

The role of the Trustees

The Board of Trustees (“Trust Board”) is the decision-making body of the Trust and is
accountable and responsible for the Trust and all academies within it. The Trust is the
employer of all staff within the academies.

The Trust Board has three core responsibilities:

 Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
 Hold executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the
organisation and its students, and the effective and efficient performance
management of staff
 Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its
money is well spent

The role of the Local Governing Bodies:

The Trust Board delegates specific roles and responsibilities through the Scheme of
Delegation to committees, including the Local Governing Bodies. This strategic direction
and oversight will ensure that the culture, values and ethos of the Trust are being met at
individual academy level. The LGB is accountable to the Trust Board in relation to any
matter delegated to it. Roles and Responsibilities for all committees and the Local
Governing Bodies are written in the Terms of Reference documents.
Trustees value the work undertaken by the Local Governing Bodies and is committed to
ensuring that Governors are well supported as they carry out their duties for the Trust
Board.


For further information or if you have any queries, please Contact Us

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