A Welcome from the Chair of Trustees
At Oak Bank, we are incredibly proud of the school’s continued success and the difference it makes in the lives of young people. As Trustees, our role is to ensure that the school continues to deliver an exceptional standard of education, care and opportunity for every pupil, while staying true to the values that define our Oak Bank community.
We are privileged to support a school that places relationships, wellbeing and high aspirations at the heart of everything it does. The dedication of the leadership team and staff ensures that every pupil is known, valued and supported to achieve their very best.
Oak Bank’s Outstanding Ofsted outcomes, its designation as a Behaviour Hub, and its work as a RISE delivery partner for the Department for Education all highlight the school’s national reputation for excellence and innovation in SEMH education. As Trustees, we work closely with the Headteacher and senior leaders to maintain these high standards, provide strong governance, and help sustain the nurturing, ambitious culture that makes Oak Bank such a special place.
We are immensely proud of our pupils, our staff, and the shared sense of purpose that defines the Oak Bank Family. Thank you for visiting our website. We hope it offers an inspiring insight into the life, achievements and community of our exceptional school.
Mr Ian Summerfield
Chair of Trustees
Oak Bank School converted to academy trust status in November 2013. Its governance structure is established in the Funding Agreement (a contract with the Department for Education) and is shown in the
diagram below. It reflects the legal structure of the Trust as both a company limited by guarantee (i.e. without shareholders), and an exempt charity (i.e. accountable to the Secretary of State for Education,
rather than to the Charities Commission).
The Funding Agreement requires the Trust to adopt Articles of Association (updated 2022) that set out the broad constitution. The Trust is also required to comply with the DfE Academy Trust Handbook 2024.
The information regarding Members and Trustees is published below the structure.
Diversity
The Board is currently reviewing its diversity data and is considering what is appropriate to publish in light of the April 2023 recommendation from the DfE to publish information.
Members
The Members have a particular role to oversee and ensure the good governance of the Trust but it is the Trust Board which is the legally responsible body for the effective running of the whole organisation, and the oversight of its finances. Members appoint the majority of Trustees and can also remove Trustees.
Our Members
Our Trustees
The Trust Board comprises people who become both directors of the company and trustees of the charity. In line with the Articles of Association they are known as Trustees. Mr Ian Summerfield is the Chair of the Oak Bank School Trust and can be contacted through the professional Clerk to the Board. lgrogan@oakbank.beds.sch.uk
Mr Phil Collier, Headteacher is the Trust CEO and Accounting Officer but is not a Trustee.
Former Trustees
