Strategic Risk Governance in Modern MATs: Health, Safety & Fire as Board-Level Priorities

Each year, thousands of reportable injuries occur across the education sector, with slips and trips still the leading cause, while violence against staff and fire enforcement action continue to rise. These are no longer isolated school issues; they are trust-level governance risks with implications for reputation, growth and board assurance. 

As MATs expand, complexity, inconsistency and fragmented reporting increase exposure, and the expectations set by the Academy Trust Handbook make clear that oversight and risk maturity sit firmly at board level.

This session will examine why H&S and Fire must be owned strategically across the trust, what the latest sector data is revealing, how culture and risk registers can either protect or expose leadership, and what MATs must prepare for next. In a tightening regulatory and insurance landscape, this is a conversation trust leaders cannot afford to miss.

This session will cover:

• Why Heath, Safety and Fire Safety must be seen at MAT level
• The latest HSE statistics and what they reveal about the education sector
• Trust-wide safety culture: what it is, why it fails, how MATs build it
• Risk management and trust registers
• Horizon scanning: What MATs need to prepare for 

Let us introduce you to this week's professional speakers

Isthar Pearce

Isthar Pearce is the Head of the Health, Safety and Fire Safety team, with twenty years of experience on an advisory and management level within the private and public sectors. Her last eight years have been primarily focused on the education sector.  She firmly believes that people’s health, safety, and well-being are intrinsically linked to an organisation’s success. She enjoys assisting clients with strategic planning, developing H&S procedures and empowering clients to make informed H&S decisions. Her responsibilities also include supporting the H&S team and developing and delivering various courses.