Trustee​/Director

The Marches Academy Trust (MAT) was one of the earliest academy trusts established in the Shropshire area and has grown significantly over the past 14 years. The trust now comprises 18 schools: five secondary schools, twelve primary schools, and one 9–16 special school, serving a wide range of communities including small rural settings where schools play a vital role at the heart of local life.

Four primary schools joined the trust most recently in December 2025, reflecting a period of rapid but carefully managed growth.

The trust operates as a Mixed Multi‑Academy Trust, including both secular schools and Church of England schools, with formal links to the Diocese of Lichfield. The four most recent schools to join the trust are all Church of England schools. Representation from the Diocese sits on the Trust Board in line with the trust’s Mixed MAT arrangements. Trustees are not expected to be practising members of the Church of England, but they are expected to uphold and champion the trust’s vision and ethos:
Achievement through caring and Inspiring potential.

Marches Academy Trust has a strong track record of securing improvement. This is particularly evident at Woodlands School, the trust’s 9–16 special school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. Previously judged inadequate prior to joining the trust, its most recent inspection (March 2024) confirmed significant improvement, with all areas judged good except the quality of education, which continues to improve.

The provision is well supported by the local authority and serves pupils from both within and beyond the trust.

Beyond its core educational provision, the trust delivers a range of central and traded services, including IT and aspects of SEND support, to schools outside the trust. It also operates its own Teaching School, supporting professional development across the region, and works closely with its linked charity, the 4 All Foundation, which provides community‑based activities such as sport and family learning through local hubs.

The trust is financially well governed, having recently received a clean external audit. The audit report will be shared with the full board ahead of submission to Companies House. Governance arrangements are well established: the trust has nine trustees, supported by a dedicated Trust Governance Professional, and all schools operate with local governing boards under a clear scheme of delegation. An External Review of Governance was completed in 2023 and all recommendations have been fully implemented, with reviews commissioned on a three‑year cycle.

The Trust are seeking to build board capacity and support succession planning, as some existing trustees approach the end of their terms of office. The trust is keen to appoint new trustees who can bring fresh perspective, robust challenge, and strategic insight as the trust continues to grow and expand its influence across the region.

The Trust’s Requirements:
The Marches Academy Trust is seeking to appoint up to four new Trustees with one or more of the following areas of expertise. Trustees will work collectively to provide strategic oversight, constructive challenge, and support to the executive leadership team.

Finance and Business:
The trust is seeking trustees with strong finance or commercial experience. While formal accountancy qualifications are not essential, candidates should be confident reading and interpreting company accounts and providing challenge on strategic financial planning, budget monitoring, and value for money. Successful candidates are likely to have overseen annual budgets of at least £50m, ideally within a growing or complex organisation.

Experience of supporting organisational growth, developing traded services, or operating within financial constraint would be particularly valuable. These trustees are likely to add capacity to the Finance & Operations Committee.

Time Commitment and Meetings:
Trustees are typically expected to commit 6–8 hours per month, including preparation and reading, which can be undertaken flexibly.

The Trust Board meets six times per year (October, November, February, March, May and…