Building Capacity for Governance: Beyond the Agenda

Over the last year, ImpactEd Group has been supporting a growing number of MATs and school groups to understand board effectiveness and better link school improvement priorities to the way that Trusts are governed and grown.  

In a maturing sector, awash with data, understanding how boards can better support Executive teams to lead, and how Executive teams can better support Boards to Govern is a primary concern as the school system develops.

Significant strides have been made to define what good governance looks like, with the CST Building Strong Trusts Assurance Framework, the voluntary Academy Trust Governance Code, and DfE guidance  acting as a yardstick, but at a local level schools and Trusts have limited insights about the dynamics of governance in their setting and how it compares to robust benchmarks.  We want to change that. We are excited to announce a new research project, Beyond the Agenda, to strengthen governance in schools and trusts across the country.  

Strong governance doesn’t just oversee decisions – it shapes them. It determines who is involved, how choices are made, and whether they drive meaningful improvement. In today's educational landscape, where funding pressures, strategic complexity, and widening inequalities challenge leadership at every level, strong governance has never been more critical.

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Why Beyond the Agenda?

Beyond the Agenda deepens our understanding of governance effectiveness and equips boards and leaders with the insights and tools to enhance decision-making, strategic delivery, and educational outcomes. Combining research and insights with hands-on practical support, the founding cohort of executive and non-executive leaders will be supported to govern with confidence and clarity.  

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Through Beyond the Agenda, we will:

Provide education leaders with a benchmarking tool that offers actionable insights tailored to governance in trusts and school groups.  

Examine how governance enables (or obstructs) strategic leadership, accountability, and decision making, ensuring boards actively strengthen leadership and outcomes.

Offer an evidence-based view of board and executive behaviours that drive governance effectiveness and impact, locally and nationally.

Deliver practical and accessible targeted support to help the founding cohort to apply insights and build capacity for lasting change.

Join Our Founding Cohort

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Beyond the Agenda offers a structured improvement pathway, moving from insights to action. Schools and trusts can engage in the way that works best for them, whether through diagnostic benchmarking, tailored recommendations, or hands-on targeted support to apply insights and build governance capability and drive lasting change. We are now recruiting our founding cohort, limited to 20 trusts and school groups. As a founding cohort member, you will gain early insights, help design the national study to suit your context, and access tailored recommendations to strengthen your governance approach.  

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Timeline

Spring 2025: Confirmation of participation and initial engagement

Summer 2025: Data collection through surveys, interviews, and focus groups

Autumn 2025: Sharing of personalised insight reports and national research findings

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Ready to Transform Your Governance?

Want to strengthen governance in your trust or school? Join our founding cohort or get in touch to learn more.  

Beyond the Agenda: Because effective governance leads to better outcomes for all.

Dr Rajbir Hazelwood and Holly Waddell

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