Local Governance

The Trust's Academy Councils advise the Trust Board, through the Standards Committee, on matters relating to individual academy provision and achievement.

Academy Council (Complex Needs) - Abbey Hill Academy & Sixth Form

Membership is as follows:

Category Name Term of office Appointed by
Staff governor Catherine Jackson 01.09.24-31.08.25 Board of Trustees
Parent governor Jamie Yarker 25.04.24-24.04.27 Parents
Parent Governor Ed Jones 27.11.24-26.11.27 Parents
Co-opted governor Ray Murphy 31.01.24-30.01.27 Board of Trustees
Co-opted governor Chris Aitkin 25.04.24-24.04.27 Board of Trustees
There is currently a vacancy for one Co-opted Governor
  • The Principals of Abbey Hill Academy and Abbey Hill Academy Sixth Form attend meetings in an advisory capacity
  • The Chair of the Academy Council is Chris Aitkin.

Governor resignations over the past 12 months -  Stan Glover, Co-opted Governor, resigned wef 17.11.23 (term of office 25.02.22-17.11.23).  Stan had declared the following business and pecuniary interests - Tees Valley Collaborative Trust, Governor, commenced 2015, Galileo Academy Trust, Governor, commenced 2016; family relationship within the Trust - daughter is Principal of Mo Mowlam Academy.  Dawn Dacombe, Parent governor, resigned wef 03.09.24 (term of office 07.11.22-03.09.23).  Dawn had declared the following business and pecuniary interest - employee of Learning with Parents, Educational Resources from 02.01.24.

Academy Council (Archway) - Archway Academy

Membership is as follows:

Category Name Term of office Appointed by
Parent governor Teresa Bonner 08.11.24-07.11.27 Parents
Staff governor Christine Newton 01.09.24-31.08.25 Board of Trustees
Co-opted governor Andrew Woolf 01.09.23-31.08.25 Board of Trustees
Co-opted governor Andrew Parsons 01.09.23-31.08.25 Board of Trustees
Co-opted governor Sophie Ascough 21.03.23-20.03.25 Board of Trustees
Challenge governor Steve Thomas 26.04.24-25.04.25 Board of Trustees

There is currently a vacancy for one parent governor.

  • The Principal of Archway Academy attends meetings in an advisory capacity
  • Chair of the Academy Council - Andrew Woolf

Governor resignations over the past 12 months -  

Academy Council (SEMH - Primary) - Green Gates Academy & Mo Mowlam Academy (Primary)

Membership is as follows:

Category Name Term of office Appointed by
Staff governor Sarah Pritchard 11.01.24-10.01.25 Board of Trustees
Co-opted governor Jason Murgatroyd 01.01.23-31.12.26 Board of Trustees
Co-opted governor Helen Dyson 01.10.23-30.09.25 Board of Trustees
Parent governor Jade Bahrani 25.04.24-24.04.27 Board of Trustees
Parent governor Jane Beattie 25.04.24-24.04.27 Parents

There is currently one co-opted governor vacancy

  • The Principals of Green Gates Academy and Mo Mowlam Academy (primary) attend meetings in an advisory capacity
  • Chair of the Academy Council - Helen Dyson 

Governor resignations over the past 12 months - Bryony McAnelly (Staff Governor) - term of office came to an end on 31.12.23 (term of office 01.01.23-31.12.23) had declared no personal or pecuniary interests. 

Academy Council (SEMH - Secondary) - Hollis Academy, Mo Mowlam Academy (Secondary) & Westlands Academy

Membership is as follows:

Category Name Term of office Appointed by
Parent governor Joanne Mowbray 15.11.22-14.11.25 Board of Trustees
Parent governor Sarah Rule 31.01.24-30.01.27 Board of Trustees
Staff governor Clare McCarthy 22.09.24-21.09.25 Board of Trustees
Co-opted governor Mary Denham 01.09.23-31.08.25 Board of Trustees
Co-opted governor Alexa Lang 01.01.23-31.12.26 Board of Trustees
Challenge governor

Kathryn Thompson 

01.09.24-31.08.25 Board of Trustees

There is currently a vacancy for one co-opted governor.

  • The Executive Principal and Principals of Hollis, Mo Mowlam (secondary) and Westlands Academies attend meetings in an advisory capacity
  • Chair of the Academy Council - Alexa Lang

Academy Council (Woodlands) - The Woodlands Academy 

Category Name Term of office Appointed by
Parent governor Matthew Davies 07.05.24-06.05.27 Board of Trustees
Staff governor Mark Harrison 10.05.24-09.05.25 Board of Trustees
Co-opted governor Liz Hobson 01.05.23-30.04.25 Board of Trustees
Co-opted governor Julie Sheppard 21.10.24-20.10.27 Board of Trustees
Challenge governor David Penny 10.05.24-09.05.25 Board of Trustees

There are currently two vacancies - 1 x co-opted governor and 1 x parent governor.

  • The Principal of The Woodlands Academy attends meetings in an advisory capacity
  • Chair of the Academy Council - Julie Sheppard

Governor resignations over the past 12 months -  Al Thompson (Co-opted Governor) resigned wef 30.09.24) term of office (01.05.23-30.09.24)).  Al had declared the following business and pecuniary interests - Impower Consulting Ltd, employer, October 2010; Kipawa Trust International, charity, independent examiner, April 2014.

Governance Professional - local governance

Amanda Porteous Mockler, Governance Officer.  Contact: 01642 677113 / Abbey Hill Academy, Ketton Road, Stockton on Tees, TS19 8BU

Academy Council Terms of Reference  

As detailed in the Board of Trustees' Terms of Reference, the remit of the Academy Councils is as follows:

  1. An obligation to ensure high standards in all academies.
  2. Through Link Governor visits, and supported by the Trust’s Safeguarding Lead / Deputy, review individual academy safeguarding audits on an annual basis and report back to relevant Academy Council.
  3. Contribute to ensuring systems are in place to ensure quality, safety and good practice.
  4. To evaluate, monitor and challenge academy standards and outcomes.
  5. To evaluate, monitor and challenge Academy Improvement Plans.
  6. To evaluate, monitor and challenge the SEFs.
  7. To receive Link Governor updates.
  8. To evaluate, monitor and challenge outcomes at each Academy level – this includes KPI updates in relation to safeguarding, ie attendance, suspension/exclusion, racial incidents, SHOSASV, severe absenteeism; parent/student questionnaires and progress data.
  9. To evaluate and monitor quality assurance information.
  10. To evaluate, monitor and challenge implementation of the curriculum.
  11. To evaluate, monitor and challenge learners’ experience in one or more academies.
  12. To receive verbal updates on School Development Partner visits for one or more academies.
  13. To ensure academy website compliance.
  14. To review the Pupil Premium Strategy Statements and make recommendation to the Standards Committee for approval
  15. Monitor and ensure effective use of/impact of specific targeted resources, eg Pupil Premium.
  16. To attend training as appropriate.
Contact
Archway Academy
Learning Lane, The Avenue
Middlesbrough
Cleveland
TS6 0BE

Email: archway@horizonstrust.org.uk
Tel: 01642440225

Information

Horizons Specialist Academy Trust is a company limited by guarantee (Company No 08608287) and exempt charity registered in England and Wales.

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