Governance – Local Academy Committee
About Our Governance
Our school is part of the Mighty Oaks Academy Trust, a Multi Academy Trust responsible for the strategic direction, financial oversight and overall performance of all its schools.
Governance operates at three levels:
Members
Members sit above the Trust Board and play a crucial role in ensuring strong governance across the Trust.
Their key responsibilities include:
- Appointing and removing Trustees
- Holding the Trust Board to account for the effective governance of the Trust
- Ensuring the Trust remains true to its charitable objectives and vision
Members provide an important layer of oversight and accountability, similar to shareholders in a company, but focused on public benefit and education.
Trust Board
The Trust Board has overall responsibility for:
- Strategic leadership of all schools within the Trust
- Financial accountability and compliance
- Educational performance and standards
The Board delegates some responsibilities to Local Academy Committees to ensure effective local governance.
Local Academy Committee (LAC)
The Local Academy Committee (LAC) provides local oversight and works closely with school leaders to support and challenge the school in delivering high standards.
Operating under the Trust’s Scheme of Delegation and Terms of Reference, the LAC is responsible for:
- Promoting and upholding the Trust’s vision, values and strategic priorities
- Supporting and constructively challenging school leaders
- Monitoring progress against key performance targets
- Ensuring statutory policies and Trust procedures are implemented
- Contributing to and reviewing the School Development Plan
- Reporting to the Trust Board on school performance and effectiveness
Committee Structure and Responsibilities
The Local Academy Committee is made up of governors with a range of skills and experience.
The committee operates through a structure that may include focused roles or link responsibilities in key areas such as:
- Safeguarding
- Pupil outcomes
- Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
- Looked After Children (LAC)
- Health and Safety
Where appropriate, specific responsibilities are delegated to individual governors to monitor and report back to the committee.
Local Academy Committee Members
Below is a list of governors who have served within the last 12 months:
| Full name | Mrs Becky Brewer |
| Role (e.g. Chair, Parent Governor) | Staff Governor – Priorslee |
| Appointed by (Trust, parents, etc.) | Trust |
| Date of appointment | Appointed November 2024 |
| Date stepped down (if applicable) | N/A |
| Full name | Mr Gareth Kibby |
| Role (e.g. Chair, Parent Governor) | Parent Governor – Priorslee |
| Appointed by (Trust, parents, etc.) | Parents |
| Date of appointment | November 2022 |
| Date stepped down (if applicable) | N/A |
| Full name | Mrs Katie Handy |
| Role (e.g. Chair, Parent Governor) | Parent Governor – Priorslee |
| Appointed by (Trust, parents, etc.) | Parents |
| Date of appointment | November 2024 |
| Date stepped down (if applicable) | N/A |
| Full name | Mrs Gaynor Simmons |
| Role (e.g. Chair, Parent Governor) | Chair of LAC |
| Appointed by (Trust, parents, etc.) | Trust |
| Date of appointment | November 2024 |
| Date stepped down (if applicable) | N/A |
| Full name | Mr Glen Robson |
| Role (e.g. Chair, Parent Governor) | Staff Governor – Buildwas |
| Appointed by (Trust, parents, etc.) | Trust |
| Date of appointment | November 2024 |
| Date stepped down (if applicable) | N/A |
| Full name | Emily Mondon |
| Role (e.g. Chair, Parent Governor) | Parent Governor – Buildwas |
| Appointed by (Trust, parents, etc.) | Parents |
| Date of appointment | 2025 |
| Date stepped down (if applicable) | N/A |
| Full name | Joy Sutton |
| Role (e.g. Chair, Parent Governor) | Parent Governor – Buildwas |
| Appointed by (Trust, parents, etc.) | Parents |
| Date of appointment | 2025 |
| Date stepped down (if applicable) | N/A |
Attendance Record
Governors are expected to attend meetings regularly to fulfil their duties effectively.
Register of Interests
To ensure transparency and accountability, all governors declare any:
- Business interests
- Financial interests
- Governance roles in other organisations
- Relationships with other governors or school staff
The governor with delegated responsibility for this board is Gaynor Simmons, who chairs this aspect of the LAC’s work. Gaynor is an active member of our school community and works closely with leaders to ensure that pupils receive the support they need to thrive both academically and emotionally.
Financial Transparency
In line with statutory requirements, you can view our school’s financial benchmarking information on our Trust website:
Home – Mighty Oaks Academy Trust
Further Governance Information
Full details of governance across the Trust, including:
- Trustees
- Members
- Trust governance structure
can be found on the Mighty Oaks Academy Trust website:
Governance – Mighty Oaks Academy Trust
Contacting the Governing Body
If you would like to contact the Local Academy Committee, please do so via the school office:
01952 387 927
admin.priorslee@taw.org.uk
Marked for the attention of the Chair of the Local Academy Committee.
