About Us

The 1590 Trust is a multi-academy trust of six schools, serving the Stockton on Tees area. There are strong links between all six schools and a shared set of values and ethos. Together we feel we can do more for our local communities, students, pupils, parents and staff.

The history of the Trust

Conyers School was first founded in 1590 to serve the community of Yarm and surrounding areas. It has a long and rich tradition of providing a first class education and playing a full role in the wider life of the town.

Conyers Trust was created on 1st November 2016, changing from an Academy Trust founded in 2013 to a Multi Academy Trust (MAT). Multi-academy trusts have different governance arrangements because they are established to oversee and manage more than one academy.

The Trust expanded during 2018 with local primary schools Kirklevington and Layfield joining with Conyers School and Bader Primary school. Levendale Primary joined the Trust from April 2019 and Bewley Primary School came on board in September 2019.

With the expansion of the Trust, the Trustees felt it was appropriate to have a new name to reflect the changes. Inspired by the first school in Stockton, the Trust changed its name to The 1590 Trust in September 2018.

How the Trust operates

There are three levels to the Trust.  Members, Trustees and Governors. The details of how this works are in the Articles and Memorandum of association which are published here.

The Members are the subscribers to the trust’s memorandum of association, and any other individuals permitted to become Members under its articles of association. Members have an overview of the governance arrangements of the trust, have the power to appoint and remove trustees/directors and can amend the trusts’ articles of association.

The Trustees are the charity trustees (within the terms of section 177(1) of the Charities Act 2011) and are responsible for the general control and management of the administration of the trust in accordance with the provisions set out in the memorandum and articles of association. They have responsibility for directing its affairs, and for ensuring that it is solvent, well-run, and delivering the trust’s (charitable) outcomes for the benefit of the public. The trustees form the board of trustees, which is the decision making body for the Trust.

The Governors are those persons who sit on the Local Governing Bodies for each school. Parent and staff governors are elected and community governors are appointed, often from former parent governors, for a term of four years. The role of governors is to serve the interests of the school and wider community. The Board of Trustees has set out the powers it has delegated to each Local Governing Body and these are published on the individual school websites.