The Abbey Mead Primary Academy Council

Working together for our school

Our Academy Council plays an important role in the life of our school. It brings together volunteers from our community who care deeply about giving every child and young person the best possible education and experience.

Academy councillors support and constructively challenge school leaders, helping to keep our mission at the heart of decisions and shaping a culture where every child can thrive.

As part of The Mead Educational Trust (TMET), the Academy Council is the local tier of governance, providing local insight and assurance and acting as the eyes and ears of the Trust Board, feeding key information up so decisions are informed by what is happening in our school and the heart of our community.

Visit the TMET website for further information on governance in the Trust.

What does the Academy Council do?

The Academy Council does not run the school day-to-day – that is the role of the principal and senior leadership team. Instead, councillors focus on the bigger picture and provide strategic oversight.

In practice, this means they:

• Champion the vision, ethos and aims of the school in line with TMET’s values.
• Keep pupils’ learning, safety and wellbeing at the heart of decisions.
• Constructively support and challenge school leaders to help the school keep improving.
• Monitor progress against school improvement priorities and evaluate the effectiveness of strategies.
• Ensure safeguarding and pupil wellbeing are effectively implemented.
• Develop and maintain effective links with the school’s local community.
• Share insight and feedback

Who is on our Academy Council?

Our Academy Council is made up of a mix of:

• Trust-appointed (community) councillors – volunteers from the community appointed by the Trust’s Executive Team.
• Parent councillors – parents or carers of children at our school
• Staff councillors – members of our school staff

All councillors are volunteers who bring a range of skills, experiences and perspectives.

 Register of interests

In line with good governance practice, academy councillors declare any business or personal interests that could be seen to influence their role. This helps ensure transparency, openness and integrity in decision-making.

Becoming an Academy Councillor

Academy councillors come from all walks of life – you do not need a background in education. What matters most is a commitment to children and young people, curiosity and a willingness to ask questions. If you are interested in becoming an academy councillor, you can find out more about the role on the Trust website:

Become an Academy Councillor (TMET)

New councillors receive a full induction and ongoing support and training from The Mead Educational Trust.