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Governance & Comunity champions

Strengthening local voice and community engagement

Cornwall Education Learning Trust (CELT) launched its NextGen Governance Local Tier model in 2025/26, following consultation earlier in 2025.

The model strengthens local accountability, builds stronger connections with our communities and ensures that local knowledge and lived experience help shape the work of our schools.

At Brannel School, our Local Tier is made up of Community Champions who work alongside the Headteacher and staff to provide local insight, feedback and assurance, helping us understand what matters most to our learners, families, staff and wider community.

Our Trust Governance

The CELT Board of Trustees has three key responsibilities:

  • Strategic leadership – setting the overall direction of the Trust and its schools

  • Accountability and assurance – ensuring the Trust fulfils its responsibilities and delivers effectively

  • Engagement – maintaining strong relationships with the communities and stakeholders we serve

The Board of Trustees is the legally responsible and accountable body for every academy within CELT. While the Board may delegate functions to the Executive Team or committees, it retains overall accountability for those responsibilities.

As many governance functions are supported by CELT's central team and professional services, the Local Tier has been designed to provide a different form of local involvement.

What are Community Champions?

Community Champions are volunteers who bring their local knowledge, experience and perspective to support our school.

Rather than acting as traditional governors, Community Champions provide local feedback, assurance and connection. They help us understand the lived experience of our learners, families, staff and community and identify what matters most locally.

The roles are designed to be flexible and fit around work, family and other commitments. Just a few hours each term can make a meaningful contribution to our school community.

Our Local Tier

Our Community Champions focus on particular areas of school life, helping us continually listen, learn and improve.

Community & Civic Champion

Helping strengthen our relationships with local organisations, groups and the wider community.

Inclusion & SEND Champion

Providing local insight into inclusion and the experiences of learners with special educational needs and disabilities.

Parent & Carer Champion

Helping us understand the experiences, views and priorities of parents and carers.

Safeguarding Champion

Supporting local awareness and connection around safeguarding and the wellbeing of our learners.

Learner Champion

Ensuring that the views and experiences of learners are reflected in our understanding of school life.

Staff Champion

Providing insight into the experiences and perspectives of our staff community.

Sustainability Champion

Supporting our commitment to sustainability and understanding how environmental priorities connect with our school and community.

Working Together

Our Community Champions work in partnership with the Headteacher and staff to help Brannel School provide the best possible education and opportunities for every learner.

The Local Tier provides an important link between the school and the community, helping CELT understand local priorities and ensuring that the voices of those who know our school best are heard.

The model was piloted in selected CELT schools during the autumn term. The pilot has helped the Trust to:

  • Test and refine the Local Tier model

  • Gather feedback from schools, Community Champions and stakeholders

  • Ensure the roles reflect the diversity of our communities

  • Develop meaningful opportunities for local feedback, assurance and engagement

Interested in becoming a Community Champion?

CELT is currently recruiting Community Champions across its schools.

If you are passionate about your local community and would like to contribute your experience, knowledge and perspective to the future of our schools, we would be pleased to hear from you.

The roles are voluntary and designed to be flexible, with just a few hours each term able to make a meaningful difference.

Find out more:
governance@gov.celtrust.org

Understanding the Local Tier

Local Tier Community Champions are local advisory committees, not local governing boards.

Community Champions are not governors in the traditional sense. They are not relied upon to provide scrutiny of educational performance, policy or compliance. Instead, their role is to provide local feedback, assurance and connection and to reflect the lived experience of learners, parents and carers, staff and the wider community.

This approach allows governance responsibilities to remain appropriately managed at Trust level while creating meaningful opportunities for local voices to contribute to the development and improvement of our schools.

Trust Governance

Information about Cornwall Education Learning Trust and its governance arrangements is available on the CELT website.

This includes:

  • Annual reports

  • Annual audited accounts

  • Memorandum and Articles of Association

  • Details of trustees and members

  • Trust funding agreement

  • Information about Trust governance

Contact the Governance Team

If you require further information or would like any governance information in another format, please contact the CELT Governance Team.

The Tevi Building
Brannel School
Rectory Road
St Stephen
St Austell
Cornwall
PL26 7RN

Telephone: 01726 216650
Email: governance@gov.celtrust.org

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