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Trustees & Members

Birdwell School Members and Board of Trustees

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

 AppointedStepped Down (where applicable)Relevant business and pecuniary interests
Geoff Mountjoy1st April 2013 
  • Director of GM Consultancy Service
  • Work with Delegated Services
  • Consult for Teaching School Council
  • Employee of Catherdral Schools Trust
Nick Thompson26th September 2019 None noted
Robert Goodwin1st January 2022 None noted
Tabetha Newman1st 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

Mike Wells

6

6

4

4

 -

2

2

Laura Humphreys

6

6

2

2

 -

2

2

Jennifer Haimes

1

6

-

2

 -

Kiera Elston

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Liz Anderson

 5

6

  

2

 -

 

 

 

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