Governors

The Role of the Governors

As a Single Academy Trust, West Town Lane Academy has 2 levels of governance. A group of 3-5 Members and a Governing Board, also known as a Board of Trustees. In an academy, Trustees are both the charity trustees and company directors of the academy trust.

The Governing Board exists to provide strategic direction for the school, and to ensure, through monitoring, that the school is providing the appropriate high standards of education for all its pupils. Governors have 3 core functions:

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and planning the strategic direction of the school.

• Overseeing financial performance of the school, ensuring money is well spent.

• Holding the Headteacher and school leadership to account for the educational performance of the school, its pupils, and the performance management of staff.

Governors are not involved in the day to day running of the school. They strategically support the school as it works towards its aims and priorities.

Governors are unpaid volunteers who act in what they believe to be the best interests of the school and its students - they do not ‘represent’ a particular group. The Full Governing Board (FGB) meets six times a year and there are two committees that also meet.

The Governing Board can comprise:

Parent Governors - elected by Parents
Community Governors - appointed by the Governing Board on the basis of their expertise within the community
Staff Governors - elected by teaching and non-teaching staff
The Headteacher

What do Governors do?

Monitor the performance of the school
Oversee the budget
Oversee the school curriculum
Sit on staff recruitment panels
Advise on school policies and procedures
Sit on complaint and grievance panels in accordance with school policies
Provide a vital means for parents and the community to get their views heard by the governing board as a whole

If you would like any further information about the Governing Board, or have any matters you would like to raise with Governors, please contact the Chair of Governors, Louisa Dixon, at chairofgovernors@wtlacademy.bristol.sch.uk or the Clerk, Leanne Simpson at clerk@wtlacademy.bristol.sch.uk

Governing Body

Trustees

Louisa Dixon (Chair of Trustees)

Neil Prosser (Vice Chair)

Adrian Robbins (Headteacher)

Ellie Whiddington

Joe Coyne

Dan Rhodes

Angela Driscoll

Katy Nehammer

Eugen Pitrop

Fatima Hemming

Leanne Simpson (Clerk to Trustees)

Sub-committees:

Finance & Audit

Joe Coyne

Neil Prosser (Chair)

Louisa Dixon

Fatima Hemming

Curriculum & Achievement

Dan Rhodes (Chair)

Ellie Whiddington

Angela Driscoll

Katy Nehammer

Eugen Pitrop

Health & Safety Governor - Neil Prosser

Safeguarding Governor - Dan Rhodes

SEND Governor- Louisa Dixon

Children in Care Governor - Katy Nehammer

Pupil Premium -Joe Coyne

West Town Lane Academy

Membership

Name	Governor Type	Term From	Term To	Member	Business Interests
Ellie Whiddington	Staff governor	11-Dec-20	10-Dec-24		None
Marianne Croft	Community governor	24-Jun-18	31 Aug-24	Y	None
Cath Morgan	Community governor	11-Dec-20	29th Sep-24		None
Neil Prosser	Community governor	06-Jul-22	05-Jul-26		None
Adrian Robbins	Headteacher				None
Louisa Dixon	Community governor	22-May-19	21-May-27		None
Matt Eldin	Parent Governor	03-May-22	09-Feb-24		None
Elaine Wilson	Parent Governor	04-Sept-23	31-Aug-24		None
Michelle Young	Community Governor	19-May-23	29th Sep-24		None
Dan Rhodes	Community Governor	04 Sept 23	03 Sept 27		NTP Tutor
Angela Driscoll	Staff Governor	04 Sept 23	03 Sept 27		None
Joe Coyne	Parent Governor	12th Jul 24	11th July 28		none
Katy Nehammer	Parent Governor	12th Jul 24	11th July 28		none
Fatima Hemming	Parent Governor	2^nd March 25	28^th March 29		None
Eugen Pitrop	Community Governor	24^th Jan 25	23^rd Jan 29		None