The Trust’s Governance Arrangements
Constitution
The Birdwell School Academy Trust was incorporated on 1 March 2013 and opened as an Academy on 1 April 2013. It is a company limited by guarantee and an exempt charity. The Charitable Company's Memorandum and Articles of Association are the primary governing documents of the Academy Trust. The Members and Trustees of Birdwell School are also the directors of the Charitable Company for the purposes of company law. The Charitable Company operates as Birdwell School.
Method of recruitment and appointment or election of Members and Trustees
The Academy has up to five Members. Founding Members were appointed at the time the Academy Trust was incorporated and others, typically retiring Trustees, have been invited to become Members by the Founding Members. The Members provide independent oversight of the Trust’s activities and work with the Board of Trustees to set strategic direction for the Academy.
The Academy's Board of Trustees comprises the Headteacher, a minimum of 2 Parent Trustees, up to 3 Staff Trustees (providing that the total number of Trustees, including the Headteacher, who are employees of the Academy Trust, does not exceed one third of the total number of Trustees) and up to 8 other Trustees.
Trustees are appointed for a four year period, except that this time limit does not apply to the Headteacher. Subject to remaining eligible to be a particular type of Trustee, any Trustee can be re-appointed or re-elected.
When appointing new Trustees, the Board will give consideration to the skills and experience mix of existing Trustees in order to ensure that the Board has the necessary skills to contribute fully to the Academy's development.
Organisational Structure
The Board of Trustees normally meets once each term. The Board establishes an overall framework for the governance of the Academy and determines membership, terms of reference and procedures of Committees and other groups. It receives reports including policies from its Committees for ratification. It monitors the activities of the Committees through the minutes of their meetings. The Board may from time to time establish Working Groups to perform specific tasks over a limited timescale. There are currently three committees as follows;
Audit and Finance Committee - responsible for monitoring, evaluating and reviewing policy and performance in relation to financial management, compliance with reporting and regulatory requirements and reporting, receiving reports from the internal audit and drafting the annual budget including setting staffing levels. It also incorporates the role of an audit committee
Quality of Education Committee - responsible for monitoring, evaluating and reviewing Academy policy, practice and performance in relation to curriculum planning, communications, target setting and assessment, examinations and all pastoral issues.
Premises, Health and Safety Committee – considers management and development of the Academy premises and site and to gain assurance over safeguarding.
Birdwell School Members
Appointed | Stepped Down (where applicable) | Relevant business and pecuniary interests | |
Geoff Mountjoy | 1st April 2013 |
| |
Nick Thompson | 26th September 2019 | None noted | |
Robert Goodwin | 1st January 2022 | None noted | |
Tabetha Newman | 1st July 2020 | None noted |
Rob Goodwin
Rob joined Birdwell School’s Board of Trustees in 2018. He actively supported both the Finance Committee and Premises, Health and Safety Committees and Chaired the Board of Trustees for a year before joining the Members of Birdwell School in 2022.
Geoff Mountjoy
Geoff works with the Teaching School Council as Regional Governance Lead helping to broker support for schools in the Region who have Leadership and Management issues. He is also works part time as a governance coordinator for the Cathedral School Trust.
Dr Tabetha Newman
Tabetha sat on the Board of Trustees for nine years prior to becoming a Member. Tabetha’s key focus has always been the Curriculum and Standards Committee and supporting staff and pupil wellbeing. Tabetha is an honorary research fellow at the University of Bristol. She moved from academia to science communication, and in 2003 she set up Timmus Limited, a digital research consultancy. She is a mum to two children, both of whom attended Birdwell School.
Nick Thompson
Nick was a Trustee of Birdwell School for four years and was Chair of the Finance Committee for much of that time before being asked to become a member.
Birdwell School Trustees
Trustees Name | Specific Role | Appointed by | Appointed | Stepped down (if applicable) | Term of Office | Relevant business and experience |
Clare Sutherland | Chair of Trustees | Board of Trustees | 20 April 2021 |
| 19 April 2025 | Employed by Bath and Wells Multi Academy Trust as an Assistant Director of Education. |
Henry Springate |
| Board of Trustees | 17 January 2022 |
| 16 January 2026 | Teacher at school |
Jennifer Haimes |
| Board of Trustees | 25 June 2023 |
| 24 June 2027 | None noted |
Kevin Davies | Chair of Audit and Audit Committee | Board of Trustees | 10 May 2022 |
| 9 May 2026 | None noted |
Kiera Elston |
| Board of Trustees | 03 October 2024 |
| 2 October 2028 | Support Staff at School |
Laura Humphreys |
| Board of Trustees | 29 August 2023 |
| 28 August 2027 | Employed by South Gloucestershire Council advising schools on health & safety compliance. |
Liz Anderson |
| Board of Trustees | 1 September 2022 |
| 31 August 2026 | None noted |
Michael Wells |
| Board of Trustees | 7 May 2022 |
| 6 May 2026
| None noted |
Paul Sainsbury | Accounting Officer | Board of Trustees | 1 April 2013 |
| Limited by employment | Headteacher of school |
Jennifer Haimes
Jenny is a Montessori trained teacher specialising in Early Years. She worked previously for a Montessori preschool in Bristol for children aged 2-5, for over 8 years, taking the lead with their outdoor provision; with a keen interest in the benefits of children having regular, long-term access to woodland or the natural environment. Jenny currently works part-time for a new Montessori preschool in Bristol. She has three children of her own who are all in secondary school. Jenny is a member of the Quality of Education committee as part of her role as Trustee for Birdwell School.
Laura Humphreys
Laura is a Senior Corporate Health & Safety Advisor for a local authority and carries out monitoring visits and offers advice & support to maintained schools, she is a Chartered Member of Institute of Occupational Safety & Health. Laura has two children that attend Birdwell School, and is also the Communications Manager for Birdwell School PTA.
Liz Anderson
Liz is a resident of Long Ashton. Through her work with the council, Liz co-ordinates the Long Ashton Memory and the Community Choir and was previously a Parish Councillor. Until recently, Liz was a lecturer in medical education at Bristol University and holds a doctorate in education. Although her career has focused on Higher Education, the themes of inclusion, students as partners, social accountability and citizenship are common across all sectors.
Kevin Davies
Kevin is an Audit Director at a top 7 accountancy firm and a Chartered Accountant with over 15 years’ experience. He also has two children who attend Birdwell School.
Paul Sainsbury
Paul is the Headteacher of the school.
Henry Springate
Henry is a class teacher at Birdwell School.
Clare Sutherland
Clare is Chair of the Board of Trustees. Clare works within school improvement as her day job. She has a wealth of school leadership experience both as a Deputy Headteacher and Headteacher of three primary schools in Inner London and Bristol. Clare has worked as a system leader within a federation, supporting schools in the group and beyond with curriculum development, data and assessment as well as mentoring new senior and middle leaders.
Michael Wells
Michael is a Crown Servant working in Logistics and is also CIMA qualified (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants). Alongside this, Michael undertakes charity work with the RN Rugby Union as Treasurer and is a fitness coach to LAFC U10s. Michael is also a parent helper at Beavers/Cub Scouts and has two children at Birdwell School.
Trustee attendance at Board and Committee Meetings during academic year 2023-24
| Full Board of Trustee Meetings | Audit and Finance Committee | Quality of Education Working Group | Premises, Health and Safety Committee | ||||
| Attended | Out of Possible | Attended | Out of Possible | Attendance | Out of Possible | Attendance | Out of Possible |
Kevin Davies | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | - | - | ||
Paul Sainsbury | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
Henry Springate | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | ||||
Claire Sutherland | 6 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | ||
Mike Wells | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | - | - | 2 | 2 |
Laura Humphreys | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 2 | 2 |
Jennifer Haimes | 1 | 6 | - | - | 2 | 2 | - | - |
Kiera Elston | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Liz Anderson | 5 | 6 | 2 | 3 | - | - |