Become a Local Trust Committee Member

Become a Local Trust Committee Member

Make a Difference in Your Community

Serving as a member of a Local Trust Committee (LTC) is a rewarding and meaningful voluntary role. LTC members help shape the future of their local academy by promoting high standards, supporting effective safeguarding, championing inclusion, engaging with stakeholders and, in Church schools, helping to preserve and develop the academy’s Christian character. Through their contribution, LTC members play a vital role in ensuring the best possible outcomes for children and young people.

What Does a Local Trust Committee Do?

Each academy within DDAT has a Local Trust Committee (LTC), which plays an important role in supporting and strengthening the academy’s work within its community.

Working closely with the Headteacher and academy leaders, LTC members provide support, challenge, and local oversight across a number of key areas, including:

• Educational Standards and Achievement: Monitoring pupil outcomes and progress to help ensure every child can achieve their full potential.
• Safeguarding and Pupil Welfare: Ensuring that safeguarding remains effective and that the wellbeing of children is prioritised.
• SEND and Disadvantaged Pupils: Providing oversight of provision and outcomes for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, and those who may face barriers to learning.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Strengthening relationships with parents, carers, staff, pupils, the local Church (where applicable) and the wider community.
• Governance and Oversight: Monitoring key aspects of academy performance and supporting the delivery of academy improvement priorities within the framework established by the Trust Board.
• Christian Distinctiveness: In Church schools, supporting and promoting the Christian vision, values and distinctiveness of the academy, ensuring these remain at the heart of school life.

LTC members are a vital part of each academy’s success. They bring local knowledge, professional expertise, and an independent perspective, helping to ensure that every academy continues to provide the highest quality education and support for its pupils.

Your Commitment

LTC membership is a voluntary position with a standard term of office of four years.

Members are expected to:

• Attend approximately five Local Trust Committee meetings each year.
• Read papers and prepare for meetings in advance.
• Participate in panels or working groups when required.
• Engage with training and development opportunities.

The time commitment is manageable and flexible, making it possible to combine the role with work and family commitments.

Who Can Become an LTC Member?

Our Local Trust Committees are made up of people from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and professions, all united by a commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people.

Committee membership may include:

• Parent Members (elected by the parent body)
• Headteacher
• Staff Members (elected by the staff body)
• Trust Members (nominated by the PCC in faith schools, or by the LTC/school in non-faith schools, and appointed by the DDAT Trust Board)
• Chapter Member (for the Cathedral School, nominated by the Dean and appointed by the DDAT Trust Board)
• Foundation Ex-Officio Member

Eligibility

To become an LTC member, you must:

• Be aged 18 or over.
• Not be disqualified from serving as a governor or trustee, including through bankruptcy restrictions.

No specific qualifications are required. We welcome applications from individuals with a willingness to contribute, an interest in education, and an ability to work collaboratively with others.

Whatever your background or expertise, we will seek to make the best use of your skills and experience for the benefit of the academy, its pupils, staff and wider community.

Interested in Joining Us?

If you would like to find out more about becoming a Local Trust Committee member, please contact:

Jayne Hadfield
Governance Lead
jayne.hadfield@ddat.org.uk