Primary Advocacy Board - Tor Committee | Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust

Primary Advocacy Board – Tor Committee

The Primary Advocacy Board – Tor Committee covers 6 of our smaller primary schools.

The board meetings 4 times a year and receives reports submitted from the Primary Advocates three times a year that include information around safeguarding and SEND but most importantly the focus is to triangulate the lived experience of our stakeholders, ensuring that information is shared with the board and the trustees on the committee will ensure that the appropriate action is taken and respond accordingly to the issues / concerns raised.

It is crucial for Trustees to know that strategic decisions are working in a positive direction, strengthening local education and providing every child with the life opportunities articulated within the Trust vision.

Whilst data and professional audit can evidence academic progress it is less effective in evidencing how that performance is working in a community context. Trustees must rely on local primary advocates to provide the evidenced assurance around the whole community ‘lived experience’ and this will differ in every school.

In order to underpin and enable sound decision making, the committee will need to be able to see evidence of:

What it feels like to entrust a school with your child’s education and day-to-day wellbeing
What it feels like to attend the school
What it’s like to work in the school
What value the local community places on the school
What makes this school distinct and special
What are the particular risks and challenges for this school, in this community.

The purpose of the Primary Advocacy Boards are to ensure that Trustees are an active part of the communication circle and are able to hear local voice through the governance model.

If you would like to contact the Governance Professional for the committee please email