Skip to content
Back
Clerking

Demystifying the role and responsibilities of the company secretary in academy trusts

Book your place
Training & development
11/03/2027
9:30-11:00am
Zoom
Event date
11/03/2027
Time
9:30-11:00am
Location
Zoom

about this course

Dates for this course

11 March 2027, 9:30-11:00 am

Company secretaries are far more than the organiser of board meetings—they are the guardians of good governance, trusted advisers to the board and executive, and key contributors to an effective, compliant and well-led academy trust. This engaging 90-minute course explores the company secretary role and how its impact can be strengthened, supporting governance across the trust and becoming an indispensable strategic partner to trustees and executive leaders.

Book your place
Decorative

At a glance

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Build productive, professional relationships with trustees, the Chair, CEO and executive leaders while maintaining appropriate independence.
Influence stronger governance by providing timely advice, facilitating robust decision-making and promoting high standards of accountability.
Create a practical action plan to increase the strategic impact, visibility and value of the company secretary role within their own trust.
Champion the company secretary's role as the guardian of good governance, integrity and effective board practice.
Navigate the statutory, regulatory and governance responsibilities that underpin the role within an academy trust.
Build productive, professional relationships with trustees, the Chair, CEO and executive leaders while maintaining appropriate independence.

about this course

Who is this suitable for?

  • Governance leads in multi academy trusts
  • Governance professionals working with single and multi-academy trusts
  • Company secretaries of single and multiple academy trusts
  • Other governance professionals with an interest in the company secretary role

about this course

What are the benefits?

  • Increase your strategic influence by becoming a trusted governance adviser to the board, Chair and executive leaders.
  • Strengthen governance and compliance with greater confidence in the company secretary's statutory and governance responsibilities.
  • Build stronger board relationships that support effective decision-making, accountability and high-performing governance.
  • Add greater value to your trust driving continuous improvement and championing governance excellence.

about this course

How will you learn?

The workshop blends facilitator-led discussion with real-world scenarios and examples of good practice.

You’ll be able to share challenges you and your peers face in fulfilling the company secretarial role and explore sensible solutions and tried and tested approaches.

To help with next steps you’ll receive a resource toolkit and ready-to-use templates.

Costs for members

£90
per person

Group discounts

£80
2-4 people
£70
5+ people
Book your place

Costs for non-members

£110
per person

Group discounts

£95
2-4 people
£85
5+ people
Book your place

Meet the trainer

Ruth Agnew MBE

Ruth has over twenty years’ experience of governance in both the maintained and academy trust sectors, as a governance professional, as a self-employed consultant and trainer, and most recently as Head of Governance for a large multi-academy trust supporting all layers of governance including members, trustees and local governors to be effective. Ruth is also an experienced governor and chair, and a former National Leader of Governance and NLG Advocate. As NGA Strategic Lead for Governance Professionals, Ruth oversees the organisation’s offer to governance professionals, including the development and delivery of professional development programmes, publications and the management of network meetings and conferences.