STATEMENT FROM SOUTH BANK MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
13 September 2023
Ian Wiggins, Chair of Trustees at South Bank Multi Academy Trust said “We greatly value the service and dedication of the large number of governors who serve across our schools and we certainly value debate across our community. We take our duty of care towards our staff seriously and as such have clear expectations on how we interact with each other and that we ensure everyone in the Trust is treated with respect and kindness.
“Regrettably, over an extended period of time, we saw behaviours from a governor at Scarcroft Primary School which fell well below the expectations and standards set out in our Code of Conduct. Trustees met with this governor, who has since taken the decision to resign along with a number of other members of the governing body.
“The former governors have made a number of allegations within their resignation letters which do not reflect the reality in Scarcroft or in any school within the Trust. South Bank MAT relies on the generosity of countless volunteers who give up their time to serve our community in both formal and informal roles across the Trust. The expertise and commitment from individuals at all levels of our governance arrangements is very much appreciated by me and the whole Trust Board and has been vital in making our Trust the thriving community of schools it is today.
“As a Multi Academy Trust, the trust board is the responsible body for the organisation and each school within it and chooses to include, as part of our governance arrangements, various sub-committees of the trust board, including local governing boards. Our trust’s governance arrangements, central team and staffing structures are similar to other MATs locally and nationally.
“The trust board is taking the opportunity to further strengthen the governance arrangements for Scarcroft to make sure they can provide the best support and challenge for the Headteacher, staff and children. We will write to parents in due course with further details.
“We are very much looking to the future and welcome the opportunity to work with governors who challenge and hold our schools to account, who share the Trust’s aims and vision, and put the education and well-being of our children and staff at the heart of everything we do.
“We have hugely strengthened as a family of schools over the past 18 months and the Trust Board and I are really proud of the work we all do for our pupils. We would like to thank our committed staff, pupils, parents and governors for their hard work, support and commitment to ensuring excellence for every child every day.”