I often speak about the important role that academy and multi-academy trust (MAT) leaders play in helping to foster a school-led system that supports better outcomes for pupils, both through their wide range of networks and the spreading of their knowledge, skills and expertise at a local and national level.

One of the ways I see this happening is through the valuable contributions they make to the eight regional headteacher boards (HTB) that support each of our Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs).

When the RSC structure was set up in September 2014, an opportunity was created for leaders to be elected to the new HTBs across the country. When I was commissioner for the South West, the first board represented a strong cross-section of educational expertise.

We were aware that we were at the start of something new, and now these early pioneers are coming to the end of their term of office, as the election process to select the next group of elected board members begins.

Claire Robbins, a member of the north-west London and south-central England board, summed it up, for me, when she described the role as enabling the voice of school leaders to be heard at a local level.

The core role of the boards is to provide advice, scrutiny and challenge to the fundamental academy decisions that commissioners make. This gives academy leaders the opportunity to help inform and shape the school landscape in their area and use their expertise to serve a wider group of children.

A wealth of expertise

Janet Renou, RSC for the North, says that working with the North of England board “has been one of the highlights of my role - they keep me connected to the day-to-day world of schools and bring a wealth of sector expertise and local knowledge.”

The role of board members goes beyond the regular meetings: they also give additional capacity to the RSC, including visiting local schools and speaking at events. In doing so, the role of board members requires a strong understanding of MATs, the ability to judge the effectiveness of school improvement strategies and governance structures presented to the commissioners, and to offer challenges to strategies that look good on paper but might prove to be less effective in reality.

Today (Friday), the Department for Education launches the election process to elect four members to each of the eight boards for the next three-year period. During the elections, academy leaders have the opportunity to vote for the candidates that they would like to advise for their region.

To supplement elected members, two additional members can be co-opted by the commissioners and the board to enhance specific skills or expertise, and another two may be appointed by the commissioners on behalf of the education secretary.

I would encourage eligible academy leaders to have their say in the election process, by either voting or standing for election. Nominations for the next cohort of elected members are open until midnight on Friday 21 July. If you would like to find out more about the work of HTBs and the 2017 elections, I would encourage you to do so at https://pre.ukevote.uk/dfe

Sir David Carter is the national schools commissioner