Governance

Local Governor Committee

The Local Governors support the Trustees to fulfil their responsibility for oversight of each school within the Trust, acting as the eyes and ears of the Board at local level. Their role is more focused than that of a traditional school governing body. The SAST central team manages – finance, HR, Estates, IT, and others.

The LGs responsibility is to monitor and scrutinise teaching and learning, welfare, and safeguarding issues. The LGs provide challenge and support to the Headteachers and senior leadership team, and represent the Trust to local stakeholders – parents, students, staff and the community. Two representatives of each LG is elected from among that school’s parents, while a further representative will be elected by the staff. The Headteacher is ex officio. The remaining representatives are appointed by the Trustees following recommendation from the LG and Headteacher, based on skills and experience. Ex ‘VA’ schools must have a majority of foundation representatives and ex ‘LG’ 25% of representatives must be foundation. Each LG is appointed for a term of four years, after which time, LG representatives, with agreement from the Diocese or Trustees, may agree to renewal of further term(s).

The LG will meet at the beginning of each full term (three times a year), plus an additional meeting to review published exam performance. Typically, this additional meeting will take place during the summer term for primary schools, once the SATS results have been published.

Local Governors:

Paul Carling (Chair & Safeguarding Governor)

Louise Sandy (Vice Chair)

Ruth Adler

Ian Bartle (Primary Advisor)

Natalia Dymek

Jon Fletcher

Felicity Griffiths (Head)

Bethan Moore

Ash Philpin

Shirley Hyde (Staff)

The clerk to the governors is Jenny Kellaway who can be contacted via the school office.

The Local Governing Body acts in conjunction with and is answerable to the Board of Trustees of the Academy, SAST (Sherborne Area Schools Trust) of which we became a founding member in June 2017.