Governance (non-executives)

The Palladian non-executive

We are proud to work with a motivated and skilled non-executive of over 100 volunteers to ensure our Trust is well-governed and focused on the key priorities that will make a difference for our children.  The non-executive are supported by an experienced team of governance professionals to support them in their role and in evidencing the difference they make.

Trust Members

The Members are the guardians of the governance of the Trust.  They appoint the majority of Trustees and receive the annual accounts and other assurances that the governance of the Trust is effective.

Claire Price (ex-officio as Chair of Trustees)

Russell Franks

Suzanne McDonald, Corporate Member for Diocese of Bath and Wells

Fergus Stewart, Corporate Member for Diocese of Salisbury

Ruth Balch

Our volunteer board of trustees manages the business of the academy trust. They act as Directors in terms of Company Law, Trustees in terms of Charity Law and Governors in terms of Education Legislation.  As a mixed MAT, the Trust Board lead on the responsibilities to maintain the Christian Distinctiveness of our church schools in line with the SIAMs framework and to preserve the non-religious nature of our community schools.

In trusts, the purpose of governance is to provide:

• strategic leadership
• accountability and assurance
• strategic engagement

The board has collective accountability and strategic responsibility for the trust. It has a focus on ensuring the trust delivers an excellent education to pupils while maintaining effective financial management and must ensure compliance with:

• the trust’s charitable objects
• regulatory, contractual and statutory requirements
• their funding agreement

The board also has:

• strategic and statutory responsibility for safeguarding and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) arrangements within (and across) the academy trust ensuring the promotion of pupil welfare and for keeping their estates safe and well-maintained
• a role in making sure that it delivers its commitment to other schools and academies, however it is done

Board of Trustees

• Claire Price, Chair of Trustees
• Donna Tandy, Chief Executive Officer
• Ian McLaughlin
• Richard Bullard                                                                                                                       
• Rob Dallison                                                                                                                           
• Irene Garcia Sacedon                                                                                                                    
• Mike Robbins                                                                                                                                  
• Sarah Wilton-Rhead                                                                                                                      
• Mark West, Vice Chair
• Alan Neale
• John Rendel    
• Gayle Willmott
• Joy Cranham

Biographies of our Trustees can be viewed:

Trustee bios Website LIVE                                                                                             

The Board can convene committees to support its work as it sees fit:

Trust-Wide Committees

These sub-committees of the Trust Board scrutinise in greater detail key areas of the organisation: Finance and Resources, Audit, Risk and HR and Quality of Education, and hold the Central Team executive to account for actions taken to ensure the smooth running of the organisation and that the support given to school is effective.

The full detail of our non-exec membership and the scheme of delegation can be found in the governance section on the Key information Page. A diagram of the structure can be seen in the image below.

Local Governance Committees (LGCs)

Local Governance Committees (LGCs) are also sub-committees of the Trust Board and have delegated responsibilities to ensure and assure that actions taken by the school means that safeguarding is effective, a well-delivered, inclusive, broad and balanced curriculum is leading to the best possible outcomes for all children and that the school is engaged with its wider community and the views of stakeholders are taken into account.

Chairs of Governors:

• Sally Divall, Ralph Allen School
• Alex Barnett, The Oldfield Park Schools
• Justin O'Byrne, Widcombe Infant School
• Richard Cross and Katie Payne, St Martin’s Garden Primary School
• Katharine Blackwell, Widcombe CofE Junior School
• Jerram Bird, Combe Down CofE Primary School
• Jane West, Winsley CofE Primary School                                                                
• Andy Pilsworth, Fitzmaurice Primary School and Westwood with Iford Primary School
• Guy Davies, Westbury Leigh Primary School
• Ed Latimer-Sayer, Churchfields the Village School

On occasion, where it is felt that a school would benefit from closer working with the Board and Central Executive the Board may decide to put in place an Interim Executive Board instead of a Local Governance Committee.  Currently this is the case at St Philip's CofE Primary School and the Chair of the Committee is Jack Wiggins.

Visit school websites via our schools for information about individual Local Governance/Interim Executive Committees. 

If you have queries about our Trust Governance please email Binky Clark, our Governance Lead:

b.clark@palladianacademytrust.com