Closing the gap: how MAT boards support pupils facing disadvantage

Over the past decade, NGA’s expert consultants have carried out extensive external reviews of governance (ERGs) across multi academy trusts (MATs), revealing important sector-wide patterns. One key area of focus is how trust boards oversee and assess support for pupils facing disadvantage. This article shares valuable lessons from our reviews and offers practical guidance to help trust boards enhance their approach.

Maturity and size can make a difference

Over the past decade, the MAT sector has evolved significantly, with a rise in medium-sized MATs. As a result, our ERGs now increasingly support MATs with six to 20 academies.

Our ERG findings show that as trusts expand, their governance practices become more Mature, with a stronger emphasis on culture and strategy. In practice, this means trustees take a proactive role in shaping and championing a clear, trust-wide strategy that aligns with the needs of each school and the communities they serve.

Why does this matter?

A clear strategic direction—shaped by an inclusive culture and a deep understanding of the communities served—is crucial for MATs to maximise their impact on disadvantaged pupils.

Our ERG work shows that in smaller MATs (up to five schools), trust boards often need to strengthen their involvement in trust-wide strategy development. However, with the right support, this typically improves quickly. At the same time, smaller MATs tend to have a strong connection with their communities and a deep understanding of local needs.

In contrast, trustees in larger MATs (ten schools or more) may not always have the same level of familiarity with individual schools and their communities. This gap can be bridged through well-structured board reports and school visits, which provide trustees with essential insights into local contexts and the challenges faced by disadvantaged pupils.

Regardless of size, our reviews suggest that many trust boards could benefit from deeper discussions and a more strategic approach to supporting disadvantaged pupils.

Delegation, not abdication

Clear, consistent processes and standardisation are essential to ensure all governance duties are effectively managed within a MAT. As trusts grow their scheme of delegation and local governance structures must be reviewed to ensure they remain fit for purpose.

However, we often hear from trusts struggling with local governance. It’s crucial to remember that trustees remain responsible for ensuring that any delegated responsibilities are effectively carried out. This requires careful alignment of the scheme of delegation, terms of reference, agenda plans, and board reports, alongside ongoing support and training to strengthen governance skills and knowledge.

In most MATs, it is expected that academy committees will review the pupil premium strategy, but we encourage all trust boards to extend this oversight and consider:

Is the scheme of delegation clear that academy committees are responsible for monitoring the impact of the pupil premium on standards, attendance and behaviour, as well as personal development for all pupils who may be at an educational disadvantage?
Is there a role description and monitoring guidance for a pupil premium link governor or equivalent?
Is there a standing agenda item to review the impact of the pupil premium strategy?
Does the headteachers’ report or data dashboard include breakdowns of attainment, progress, behaviour, attendance and engagement data for pupil groups who might be considered to be at a disadvantage?
Are there mechanisms for the trust board to be reassured that academy committees are focusing on support for disadvantaged pupils?

At trust board level it can be easy to focus on trust averages and summary data for schools and lose the view of how well the trust supports pupils facing disadvantage. Trustees should play a key role in rigorous evaluation: understanding whether the strategies in place are working, not proving that they are.

Getting beyond the ‘disadvantaged’ label

Schools and trusts serving communities with high levels of deprivation recognise the complex challenges that disadvantage can create for individual pupils. Strong trusts take a proactive approach, setting out clear strategies to support pupils and families facing difficult circumstances—going beyond pupil premium eligibility.

All governing boards should consider the full spectrum of challenges that may put a pupil at a disadvantage or make them vulnerable, including:

Poverty
Being in care
Homelessness
Young carers
A social worker in their lives
Other family circumstances – long term and short term
Mental health needs
Special educational needs

Pupils experiencing disadvantage are not a homogeneous group; like the wider pupil population, they have diverse abilities and needs. Effective strategies for tackling educational disadvantage should be driven by identified needs rather than labels or official definitions.

Strong trust boards develop a deep understanding of their communities and harness the collective strength of their academies to assess the impact of disadvantage on learning.

For example, did you know:

Lower-income pupils are less likely to report feeling safe at school and having a sense of belonging at school than their peers. (DfE, 2022)
Children who experience poverty are more likely to experience mental health issues. (Mental Health Foundation)
Pupils eligible for free school meals are more likely to report being a victim of bullying than their peers. (DfE, 2022)

Most governors and trustees are aware of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pupils and how this was amplified for disadvantaged children. We know that attainment gaps have grown since the pandemic, and so supporting disadvantaged pupils should be a priority.

National audit office: Improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. June 2024

From strategy to action
Throughout the DfE Trust Quality Descriptions, culture is highlighted as a vital element of each of the five pillars. The high-quality and inclusive education pillar descriptor for culture states that a strong trust:

“Creates a culture in all its schools that is motivating and ambitious for all, including disadvantaged children and children with SEND, so that all students can achieve their full potential.”

So, what does this look like from a governance perspective? Here are some areas we look at during an ERG:

Does the board champion a clear strategy for the trust, covering all pillars of trust quality that includes supporting pupils who are at a disadvantage?
Are there clear success criteria and KPIs defined and agreed by the board to monitor progress against the strategy?
Does the scheme of delegation cover responsibilities and accountabilities for disadvantaged pupils across the trust?
Are terms of reference for committees (e.g. board standards committee and academy committees) aligned with the scheme of delegation, giving sufficient detail on responsibilities for disadvantaged pupils?
Are agendas and board papers aligned with terms of reference, and do they include appropriate coverage of disadvantaged pupils?
Does data at local and trust board level enable governors and trustees to assure themselves of the effectiveness of provision for disadvantaged pupils?
Are the trust board and academy committees monitoring progress against strategies that impact disadvantaged pupils?
Is there monitoring and triangulation relating to disadvantaged pupils, such as local governor visits and reports, and third-party reviews of support for disadvantaged pupils across the trust to the trust board?
Is there sufficient knowledge and skill across the trust board and academy committees to evaluate the impact of the strategies in place to address disadvantage?
How does the trust board know that the academy committees are delivering on their delegated responsibilities? Is there guidance and support to ensure consistency?

Governing boards play a pivotal role in ensuring disadvantaged pupils receive the support they need to thrive. Our ERG findings highlight key opportunities for boards to strengthen their impact in this vital area.

Use our checklist to spark discussions on how your trust oversees strategies for supporting disadvantaged pupils. Our guidance and toolkits will help you explore what disadvantage means in your specific context.

For an objective, supportive evaluation of your governance practices, talk to us about commissioning an external review of governance.