Governance
Coppice Primary Academy is part of Focus-Trust, a charitable primary schools trust based in the North West of England.
Every school in Focus-Trust is the legal responsibility of the Trust Board. This board focuses on statutory duties and delegates most day-to-day governance responsibilities to each school’s individual Local Governing Body (LGB). This means that Governors are able to concentrate on the things that really matter – educational strategy, school outcomes and aspiration.
Focus-Trust is non-denominational and does not make any profit from running its schools. Focus-Trust’s relationship with the Secretary of State is set out in the Master Funding Agreement. There are also supplemental funding agreements for each individual school in the Trust, including Coppice Primary Academy.
The Focus-Trust Master Funding Agreement and Coppice’s Supplementary Funding Agreement are available on the Trust website – here.
Other key statutory information, including the Focus-Trust Annual Report and Financial Statements, Articles of Association and Scheme of Delegation can be found on the Focus-Trust website - here.
Coppice Governors are:
Mr. Kenneth Lees (Focus Trust Governor, Chair of Governors, Chair of Teaching & Learning )
Mrs. Finney Swift (Focus-Trust Governor, Vice-Chair of Governors, Chair of Operations, Designated Safeguarding Governor)
Mr. Kenneth Edwards (Focus-Trust Governor, Health & Safety Governor)
Mr Stephen Schofield (Focus-Trust Governor)
Mrs Lynn Edwards (Focus Trust Governor)
Mr. John Taylor (Executive Principal)
Mr. Andrew Hulmes (Head of Academy, Coppice)
Mrs. Joelle Hardman (Head of Academy, Roundthorn)
Ms. Paige Greenwood (Focus-Trust Governor)
Mr. Belal Shahid (Parent Governor, Coppice)
Mrs. Kiran Iqbal (Parent Governor, Roundthorn)
Mr. Kenneth Lees is the Chair of Governors. he can be contacted via the school office email account or via the school.
Oldham Governor Services provide clerking to the LGB. The clerk can be contacted via the school.
The Focus Trust Governance & Financial information can be found by clicking here
Focus Trust Financial and Governance Information
Governance Disclosure 2024-25
Scheme of Delegation
The underlying principles for this Scheme of Delegation are:
- That all academies, ultimately, are in a partnership of equals irrespective of their length of membership
- Focus-Trust is a registered charity and remains true to its aims and objectives.
Focus-Trust is mindful that their function is to ensure that all statutory obligations are met
- Focus-Trust believes that involving governors, staff, parents and children is the best means of ensuring engagement and involvement with the local community.
- Focus-Trust Board’s intention is to reflect the various governance arrangements across the trust and apply a differentiated approach to individual academies within the scheme of delegation dependent on performance and capacity.
- Link to scheme of delegation: Scheme of Delegation
Become a Governor
Governors play an important role in our aim to create great schools at the heart of our communities.
We want our Governing Bodies to be inclusive and reflective of the local communities we serve. We welcome governors from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences and with a broad range of skills and knowledge. There are no set qualifications for becoming a governor and you will receive all the training and support needed to fulfil the role. We ask for a commitment to attend six meetings a year plus a few school visits and to abide by our Governor Code of Conduct, based on the seven principles of public life.
If you are passionate about making a difference for children and want to play a part in creating great schools at the heart of the local community then we want to hear from you.
If you are interested in becoming a governor for Coppice please contact coppice@focus-trust.co.uk