Governance

Strong governance ensures that we are held to account by all our stakeholders – representatives of the learners, colleagues and communities served by our academies. You can read more about our approach to governance in our Governance Scheme of Delegation, below.

 

Governance Scheme of Delegation can be viewed in our Policy Viewer

Governance Structure

Our Members, Trustees and local Governors are committed to our vision and values. We’re thankful that they volunteer their time to oversee our work and help us improve.

Our mission to transform lives is enhanced by a governance team from a diverse range of professional, social and cultural backgrounds. If you’re interested in joining our Trust as a Governor in one of our academies, you can contact our Head of Governance, Michelle Eaves, at michelle.eaves@attrust.org.uk  and follow us on facebook at ATT Governors, and check out our LinkedIn Showcase page.

NameDate of AppointmentTerm of OfficeDate Stepped DownDeclarations of Interests
Matthew McDonagh18 January 20184 years-Senior Quantity Surveyor at Kier Construction Ltd since 2017; Director at MMcD Construction Ltd since 2016
Louise Jones19 April 20224 years-Chief Finance Officer at Dudley College of Technology since 2021; Chair of the Bobbington Parish Council since 2008; Trustee on Finance & Business Committee at Dudley Academies Trust since 2022; Trustee at the Black Country Living Museum since 2022
Jessica Heale22 December 20234 years-Chair of Trustees at Invictus Education Trust since 2022; employee at Lapley, Stretton and Wheaton Aston Parish Councils 2022, employee at Capita: Entrust Governance Services 2022; Chair of Governors at South Staffordshire Learning Partnership since 2016; Trustee at St Chad’s PTFA since 2010.
Diane Elleman26 April 20244 years-Employee of Brooke Weston Trust since 2022
Tania Craig12 June 20244 years-Executive Headteacher of New Horizons Learning Centre since 2010; Treasurer & National Committee Member at Engage in Their Future since 2018, Trustee at Leaf Trust Primary MAT since 2023; National Safeguarding Lead for Welsh Fencing since 2019; Vice President of Chartered College of Teaching since 2023
Gurpreet Bhatia DL24 August 20204 years13 March 2024Executive Member at Sant Nirankari Mission since 2013; Board Member at Centre for Sikh & Panjab Studies since 2018; Trustee at the Commonwealth Sports Foundation since 2021; Trustee at the Legacy West Midlands since 2018
Patricia Mary Beanland OBE1 June 20164 years31 May 2024Chair of Governors at Moseley Secondary School since 2016
Tracy Campbell24 August 20204 years22 August 2024None
NameDate of AppointmentTerm of OfficeDate Stepped DownTerm ExpiresAppointed byDeclarations of InterestsBoard Meetings Attended 2023-24Possible Board Meetings 2023-24
Patricia Mary Beanland OBE22 Nov 2020 (previously appointed 22 Nov 2016) Next term agreed from 22 Nov 20244 years-22 Nov 2024Member AppointedChair of Governors at Moseley Secondary School since 201677
Tom Clark CBE1 Nov 2022 (previously appointed 1 Nov 2018)4 years-1 Nov 2026Member AppointedNational Ambassador for FED (Foundation for Education Development) Trustee for City Learning Trust since March 2023 Consultant Adviser to Association of Education Advisers since February 2023 Performance Management Consultant for Alpha Academy Trust since November 202267
Alistair Milne18 Aug 2023 (previously appointed 19 Aug 2019)4 years-18 Aug 2027Member AppointedDirector & 90% shareholder at Transformation Through People Ltd (appointment to Trust) since 201877
Elaine Bonar SEND Link Trustee30 September 20214 years-30 September 2025Member AppointedNone67
Mark Gill Safeguarding Link Trustee6 January 20224 years-6 January 2026Member AppointedDirector at Analysis, Research and Communications Ltd (since 2011) and Libertatum Ltd (since 2013), Co-founder and Director a\t Woodnewton Associates Ltd (2006-2014) Executive Director at Magna Carta Trust (since 2020) Member at World Association for Public Opinion Research (since 2005)77
Louise Jones28 March 20224 years-28 March 2026Co-opted by BoardChief Finance Officer at Dudley College of Technology since 2021; Chair of the Bobbington Parish Council since 2008; Trustee on Finance & Business Committee at Dudley Academies Trust since 2022; Trustee at the Black Country Living Museum since 202247
Joanne Dawson24 July 20234 Years24 July 2027Member AppointedChief Financial Officer at Ormiston Academies Trust since 2019; Chair of Trustees at St Albans Academy Trust since 2014; Chair of Governors at ARK St Albans Academy since 2013.47
Gavin Hawkins Cyber Security Link Trustee25 September 20234 years24 September 2027Co-opted by BoardChair of Trustees at Elston Hall Learning Trust since 2019 Trustee of NAACE – The Education Technology Association since 2019 Co-opted Governor at Long Knowle Primary School since 2017 Member at SHINE Academies Trust since 2021 Member at Ignite Learning Partnership since 2018 CEO of Squirrel Learning Limited since May 2018 Director and Shareholder of Engagedu CIC since 2021 Director and Shareholder of Online Behaviours Limited since 202056
Geoff Stokes9 January 20244 years9 January 2028Co-opted by BoardVolunteer at Age UK (since 2021) Sharon Taylor, (complimentary Therapist), owner of own business (since 2006) Rachel Stokes, (daughter), Pastoral Manager at Woodlands School (since 2017)44
CommitteePositionName
Audit and Risk CommitteeChairMark Gill
MemberAlistair Milne, Geoff Stokes
Finance and Resources CommitteeChairLouise Jones
MemberAlistair Milne, Joanne Dawson
Standards and Outcomes CommitteeChairPatricia Beanland
MemberTom Clark, Elaine Bonar, Gavin Hawkins
Remunerations CommitteeChairPatricia Beanland
MemberPatricia Beanland, Mark Gill, Louise Jones, Alistair Milne
Remunerations Committee (appeals)ChairThe Chair is elected by the committee when it convenes
MemberTom Clark & one other Trustee not involved in the Remunerations Committee

ARC Meeting Attendance

NameMeeting 1Meeting 2Meeting 3
21-Sep-202329-Feb-202426-Jun-2024% Attended
Alistair MilneAttendedAttendedAttended100%
Geoff Stokes-AttendedAttended100%
Mark GillAttendedAttendedAttended100%
Tom Clark CBEAttended--100%

FRC Meeting Attendance

NameMeeting 1Meeting 2Meeting 3
28-Nov-202321-Mar-202420-Jun-2024% Attended
Alistair MilneAttendedAttendedAttended100%
Joanne DawsonAttendedMissedAttended67%
Louise JonesAttendedAttendedAttended100%

SOC Meeting Attendance

NameMeeting 1Meeting 2Meeting 3
13-Dec-20236-Mar-202416-Jul-2024% Attended
Elaine BonarApologiesAttendedAttended67%
Gavin HawkinsAttendedAttendedAttended100%
Pat BeanlandAttendedAttendedAttended100%
Tom Clark CBEAttendedAttendedApologies67%

Please visit academy websites for details of governor attendance and more information about the work of our Local Governing Bodies.

AcademyPositionName
Beck Row Primary & Great Heath Primary ClusterChairSteve Shore
Vice ChairJane Seaney
Bristnall Hall & Pool Hayes Academy ClusterChairAntoinette Jackson
Vice ChairRicky Byrnes
Caldmore Primary & North Walsall Primary ClusterChairRachel Paskin
Vice ChairTarra Simmons
Iceni & The Nicholas Hamond Academy ClusterChairSimon Connor
Vice ChairJacob Morton
Jubilee Academy Mossley & Phoenix Academy ClusterChairKimm Atkins
Vice ChairSophia Kapcia
Kingsmoor & Ravens Academy ClusterChairAnita Thornberry
Vice ChairVacant
Mildenhall College AcademyChairSteve Shore
Vice ChairHelen Self
Star Academy Sandyford & Sun Academy Bradwell ClusterChairIain MacDonald
Vice ChairChris Routledge
Sutton AcademyChairPete Edwards
Vice ChairGlen Roberts
The Dukeries AcademyChairDavid McLuckie
Vice ChairVacant
The Hathaway AcademyChairPat Beanland
Vice ChairLisa McGregor
The Queen Elizabeth AcademyChairAnn Webb
Vice ChairCraig Bird
Westbourne AcademyChairPaul Arch
Vice ChairAimee Haynes
ATT Further EducationChairMartin Rigley OBE
Vice ChairShaun Pollard

Nick Weller (CEO) since 01 November 2022

Declaration Of Interests

Trustees and Governors can click here to log into the Governor Virtual Office: GVO 

Our Trustees

Gavin Hawkins

Gavin Hawkins

Louise Jones

Louise Jones

Mark Gill BEM

Mark Gill BEM

Elaine Bonar

Elaine Bonar

Tom Clark CBE

Tom Clark CBE

Our Local Governing Boards

Academies need a diverse, passionate range of individuals to build a strong governance structure that supports their improvement. We rely on the support of enthusiastic volunteers in our local communities to contribute to our academies’ improvement.

Joining a local governing body is a simple but effective way to support your community and make a difference in your local area. If you’re interested in education, you may find it particularly interesting and rewarding to serve as a school governor.

 

What is a Local Governing Body?

Our Local Governing Bodies, known as LGBs, are localised committees in each of our academies that form the base of our governance structure. These LGBs are made up of volunteers from the academy’s local area, who meet regularly to review the school’s progress.

Our LGBs are the local branches of our governance structure. They are made up of Staff, Parent and Community Governors.

One Staff Governor is elected by academy colleagues to serve on the board, which helps to represent the interest and viewpoints of colleagues in meetings. At least two Governors will be parents of children who are currently attending the academy. The rest of the board is made up of Community Governors, who we aim to recruit from a a broad range of professional backgrounds. Their range of experience helps the board to provide effective oversight of all the varied aspects of running a school.

Our local governors are accountable to ATT’s Trustees. LGB Chairs feed back to the Board of Trustees about their academy’s performance and progress. The Trustees are accountable to the Members, who provide the highest level of non-executive oversight in our Trust.

What does an LGB Do?

The role of a Local Governing Body (LGB) is to oversee the work that academy leadership undertake to improve the school. Individual Governors usually take on a specific area of focus, such as safeguarding or special educational needs, and work closely with the relevant school leader to learn more about the academy’s strategies to ensure success in that aspect. They report their findings back to the rest of the LGB, who ask challenging questions of leaders to establish and develop areas for improvement.

Responsibilies- What Governors Do

  • Look into the details to provide strategic oversight of the curriculum, staffing structure, expenditure, and other operational procedures. The input of Governors helps keep a school running efficiently.
  • Help set goals by contributing to the vision, ethos, and strategic direction of the school. The input of Governors helps academy leaders to aim higher and identify priorities for improvement.
  • Approve documents such as policies and procedures to ensure that the academy’s processes are effective, efficient and fair. Each governor provides a unique perspective that helps
    ensure all viewpoints and possibilites are covered.
  • Attend meetings four times a year and commit time to tour the school, meet students, and
    discuss the academy’s progress strategies with members of the leadership team.

 

Misconceptions- What Governors Don’t Do

  • Write school policies or make decisions on behalf of the academy’s leadership team
  • Undertake audits or fundraising activities
  • Have much interaction with pupils or observe teaching