Strong governance is the difference between schools that simply function and those that strive for the good of every child and their future.
Through our work with leaders, trustees and board chairs across the education sector, we see every day how much thought, care and responsibility trustees bring to their roles. Their experiences offer valuable insight into what makes governance meaningful and effective.
An effective MAT trustee is not the loudest voice at the table or someone who arrives with all the answers. The most impactful trustees lead with curiosity, humility and a genuine desire to learn. They listen before speaking, ask thoughtful questions and use their experience to challenge constructively and support meaningfully.
In a sector as complex and fast-changing as education, this balance of inquiry, respect and strategic oversight underpins effective governance:
“Effective trustees take time to get to know a MAT and the education sector, through visits and training. Initially, upon appointment, they may listen more than they speak, and seek to enquire in order to have an informed view.”
This principle of listening before leading provides a foundation for the qualities that make trustees effective. So what other qualities define an effective MAT trustee?
It starts with purpose
At its heart, a trustee’s role is about serving the public good. Education, especially in the state-funded sector, is a moral undertaking. Trustees are not there to manage schools on a day-to-day basis, but to safeguard the mission of the trust and ensure its work remains true to its charitable purpose.
As one long-standing MAT trustee and former Chair puts it:
“Trustees are required to lead with integrity, act in the organisation’s best interests, and hold each other to account. All decisions must be in the interests of our beneficiaries, which encompass pupils, parents and the communities we serve.”
For every effective MAT trustee, purpose sits at the centre of every discussion and decision. Every paper, meeting and conversation should connect back to one question: what is best for our children and young people?
That clarity of purpose is what guides strategy, shapes culture and builds trust across the board.
Focusing on strategy over operations
One of the most common challenges for trustees is knowing where their role ends and the executive’s begins. This is especially understandable in education, where trustees often feel the weight of moral purpose and want to “help” beyond their remit. Yet, great governance requires discipline:
“While many trustees bring valuable professional experience to board considerations, it’s important for us to resist the temptation to dig into the proverbial operational ‘weeds’.”
The distinction is crucial. Trustees contribute insight, but they do so strategically by focusing on long-term outcomes, risk, sustainability and impact. They avoid blurring boundaries by directing staff or second-guessing management decisions.
When boards respect this line, CEOs and executive teams feel trusted and supported rather than micromanaged. The balance of rigorous scrutiny paired with genuine trust is what allows an effective MAT trustee to contribute real value to governance.
Building relationships based on trust
Good governance is a collective effort built on openness, respect and shared accountability. The most effective boards create a culture where trustees can speak honestly, listen carefully and disagree well:
“Positive trustee relationships are critically dependent on creating and sustaining a culture of trust, openness and transparency… whilst we may not always agree, our engagement with each other must be based on mutual respect and a willingness to listen.”
The fiduciary duty requires a great deal from trustees, but it also presents a genuine opportunity to act in the best interests of others and make a valuable contribution to society. It’s important that the values of trustees, or potential trustees, align with those of the organisation. Vision and strategy will – and should – develop over time, but boards are most effective where there is a strong and positive cultural alignment among trustees.
Ultimately, good trustees leave ego at the door. They prepare properly by reading papers, they show up consistently, and they ask challenging questions with empathy.
They support leadership teams in both good times and tough ones.
Working together with shared responsibility
Effective governance depends on teamwork. Trustees are not lone voices; they share collective responsibility for ensuring that the trust stays true to its mission and delivers for the communities it serves:
“Trustees need to recognise joint accountability for remaining true to our charitable objectives… All of which requires a genuinely collegiate approach.”
That sense of collegiality is more than politeness. It means standing alongside the Chair and chief executive, offering both challenge and support. It means investing time in training, reflection and shared learning so that everyone understands their role and how they contribute to the bigger picture.
Trustees who are strong team players and able to bring their distinct thinking, professional expertise, curiosity and constructive challenge to the matter at hand are of great value to any board, leading to successful decision-making.
Strong boards also take time to understand the lived experience within their schools and wider communities:
“Effective trustees work to collectively understand the culture of the MAT, and the experience of pupils and their parents/carers, and the broader communities served by the Trust.”
Without this lived understanding, governance risks becoming detached. Trustees need to see beyond data to the reality of school life, recognising that numbers on a page represent children, families and futures.
Why effective trusteeship matters
Trusteeship in a multi-academy trust shapes how schools grow, how leaders make choices and how children experience their education. When trustees are thoughtful, consistent and values-led, their influence reaches deep into communities:
“Important qualities for effective trusteeship in purpose-driven organisations include equity of authority and esteem; mutual respect and boundary management; creating and sustaining trust.”
The issues facing education today – from funding pressures and attendance challenges to the SEND crisis – require trustees who can be both clear-eyed and values-driven. It is not an easy role, but it is one of immense significance.
An effective MAT trustee helps keep the trust steady in difficult times and focused on what matters most. They protect resources, build confidence and make decisions that shape better futures for children and young people.
What effective MAT trustees have in common
So, what makes an effective MAT trustee? Integrity, values-driven decision-making and critical thinking, yes – but also humility, curiosity and the ability to work as part of a collegiate team.
Effective trustees are not there to run schools. They are there to hold a mirror to leadership, to shape strategy and to ensure that the organisation remains true to its purpose. They are learners, challengers and stewards – people who recognise that governance is not about them, but about the children and communities they serve.
If you are considering trusteeship, or if your MAT is thinking about how to strengthen its board, remember this: the most effective governance happens where values align, where respect is mutual and where every trustee shows up with the commitment to act in the best interests of others.
At Peridot, we’re passionate about supporting MATs to build boards with these qualities at their core. Whether you are exploring trusteeship for the first time or looking to diversify your board with strategic, values-led leaders, we’d love to support you. Eddie Caveziel Cox is Peridot’s Head of Schools & Academy Trusts Appointments. Having delivered hundreds of senior leadership and non-executive appointments to education providers, Eddie is an expert in finding leaders who make a tangible impact on communities. You can connect with him on Linkedin or send him an email to learn more.
