The Department for Education (DfE) offered schools in England and Wales the opportunity to join the new academies programme.

Having carefully considered the issues, the Governing Body voted earlier in 2013 to convert the school to a voluntary academy as they believed that becoming an academy would be in the best interests of the school, its pupils and the local community.

The School also became a  founding member of the Chester Catholic Academies Partnership on conversion 1 March 2013 and as such is required to publish the following documents;

Articles of Association

Master Funding Agreement

Scheme of Delegation

Supplemental Funding Agreement

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Constitution

The academy trust is a company limited by guarantee and an exempt charity. The charitable company’s memorandum and articles of association are the primary governing documents of the academy trust.  The Trustees of The Chester Catholic Academies Partnership are also the Directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law. The partnership currently has only one member school; The Catholic High School, Chester (the “Academy”).

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Characteristics of a Catholic Multi Academy

• In addition to above, the parties acknowledge that an additional characteristic of the academy trust is that it is a Catholic Multi Academy and that each Academy is to be conducted as a Catholic school in furtherance of the object of the academy trust set out in the Articles:
  1. a) to advance for the public benefit education in the United Kingdom, in particular but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing by establishing, maintaining, carrying on, managing and developing Catholic schools designated as such (“the Academies”) which shall offer a broad and balanced curriculum and shall be conducted as Catholic schools in accordance with the Code of Canon Law of the Latin Church from time to time and the doctrinal, social and moral teachings of the Catholic Church from time to time and following the directives and policies issued by the Diocesan Bishop to ensure that the formation, governance and education of the Academies is based on the principles of Catholic doctrine, and at all times serving as a witness to the Catholic faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ; and

1. b) to promote for the benefit of individuals living within Cheshire and North Wales who have need by reason of their age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time activities in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the condition of life of the said individuals.

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Trustees and Company Members

The meaning of ‘trustee’, ‘director’ and ‘governor’

They are the people responsible under the academy trust’s articles of association for controlling its management and administration. They have responsibility for directing its affairs, and for ensuring that it is solvent, well-run, and delivering the trust’s charitable outcomes for the benefit of the public.

Multi-academy trusts have different governance arrangements because they are established to oversee and manage more than one academy. They typically have members, trustees, and local governing bodies. Individuals who sit on a local governing body at a constituent academy in a multi-academy trust may not necessarily be trustees of that overall trust, but can have duties delegated to them by the trustees.

The following Trustees are appointed: B Larkin (Chairman) appointed 25/1/2013 and Mrs C McKeagney (Head Teacher Ex officio) appointed 1/9/2019, Jane Johnson (Chair of Governors Ex officio), Bishop Mark Davies (appointed 1 April 2016) as a Person of Significant Control. None of the Trustess have any pecuniary interests related to The Chester Catholic Academies Partnership.

Former Trustees in the last 12 months: Mrs M Griffiths-Parr

The meaning of ‘member’

The members of an academy trust have a different status from the trustees. The members are the subscribers to the trust’s memorandum of association, and any other individuals permitted to become members under its articles of association. Members have an overview of the governance arrangements of the trust and have the power to appoint trustees and remove these trustees.

Company members: Bishop Mark Davies, Diocesan Bishop/Secretary appointed 25/1/2013, Very Rev D. Roberts, Signatory/Bishop’s Appointment appointed 25/1/2013, Carol Lawrence appointed 1/10/2018, Canon Jonathan Brandon appointed 9/12/2024, Mr Richard Woods appointed 9/12/2024.

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Annual Accounts

The Chester Catholic Academies Partnership is a company limited by guarantee and an exempt charity. This means we are regulated by the Department for Education rather than the Charity Commission. Our academy is funded by the Department for Education on a per pupil basis in the same way as maintained schools. We also have a mandatory obligation to publish our annual Reports and Financial Statements – click here >