The Academy Council works very closely with the Headteacher in a positive and highly effective partnership and has a vital role to play in making sure that each of our learners receives the best possible education.

Statutory information

The Academy Council is a group made up of representatives appointed by the Shaw Education Trust, parents, staff members and the local community. Councillors are appointed for a period of four years and conduct a full meeting at least once a term – specialist sub committees meet at regular intervals.

The Academy Councillors, in conjunction with the Headteacher, ensure that the school’s education provision is dynamic through a process of continuous review. The Academy Council is responsible for addressing the special needs of the school in respect of the buildings and equipment and liaising with the Shaw Education Trust on any issues relating to the conduct of the school.

The Academy Councillors, Headteacher and staff work closely together and the school’s achievements are largely a measure of the dedication and competence of the head teacher and the staff with the commitment and support of the Academy Council.

Academy councillors

Kristy Gardner

Headteacher

Date of appointment: Ex-officio
Business interest: No
Financial interest: No
Governance role in another school: No
Leave date: n/a

Brenda Fairhurst

Co-opted

Date of appointment: 01/04/2019
Area of Responsibility: n/a
Chair of: n/a
Subject Link: Maths
Business interest: No
Financial interest: No
Governance role in other school: No
Leave date: n/a

Ian Gartside

Co-opted

Date of appointment: 31/08/2019
Area of Responsibility: n/a
Chair of: n/a
Subject Link: 
History
Business interest: No
Financial interest: No
Governance role in other school: No
Leave date: n/a

Charles Grosstephen

Parent

Date of appointment: 08/12/2021
Area of Responsibility: n/a
Business interest: No
Financial interest: No
Governance role in other school: No
Leave date: n/a

Amy Perrigo

Support Staff

Date of appointment: 01/02/2019
Area of Responsibility: n/a
Chair of: n/a
Subject Link: Maths
Business interest: No
Financial interest: No
Governance role in other school: No
Leave date: n/a

Maxine Myers

Co-opted

Date of appointment: 08/12/2021
Area of Responsibility: n/a
Business interest: No
Financial interest: No
Governance role in other school: No
Leave date: n/a

Dominique Parnell

Teaching Staff

Date of appointment: 01/02/2019
Area of Responsibility: n/a
Chair of: n/a
Subject Link: Maths
Business interest: No
Financial interest: No
Governance role in other school: No
Leave date: n/a

John Searle

Co-opted

Date of appointment: 01/04/2019
Area of Responsibility: n/a
Chair of: Chair resources
Subject Link: n/a
Business interest: No
Financial interest: No
Governance role in other school: No
Leave date: n/a

Janet Turner

Co-opted and Vice Chair

Date of appointment: 01/04/2019
Areas of Responsibility: Pupil Premium
Chair of: Vice Chair of Academy Council, Chair of Standards, Staff Discipline Appeals Committee, Chair of Exclusions Appeals
Subject Link: Technology & Art
Business interest: No
Financial interest: No
Governance role in other school: No
Leave date: n/a

Chris Trees

Appointed and Chair

Contact: c/o Tottington High School
Date of appointment: 29/03/2021
Area of Responsibility: Pupil Premium
Chair of: Academy Council
Subject Link: English and Languages
Business interest: No
Financial interest: No
Governance role in other school:
Bury College,
Bury Educational Trust
Leave date: n/a

Historic (left within last 12 months)

Abi Clark

Parent

Date of appointment: 08/10/17
Area of Responsibility: Staff & Safeguarding
Chair of: Vice chair resources
Subject Link: PE & Performing Arts
Business interest: No
Financial interest: No
Governance role in other school: No
Leave date: 08/10/21

Neville Kenyon

Co-opted

Date of appointment: 29/03/2021
Area of Responsibility: Schools Forum
Chair of: Staff discipline committee, exclusions committee
Subject Link: Personal Development
Business interest: No
Financial interest: No
Governance role in other school: No
Leave date: 26/01/22

Robert Sloss

Co-opted

Date of appointment: 01/04/2019
Area of Responsibility: Safeguarding & SEN
Chair of: n/a
Subject Link: Computing
Business interest: No
Financial interest: No
Governance role in other school: No
Leave date: 06/06/2022

Devin Cassidy

Co-opted

Date of appointment: 22/01/2020
Area of Responsibility: n/a
Chair of: n/a
Subject Link: Science & Geography
Business interest: No
Financial interest: No
Governance role in other school: No
Leave date: n/a

Karen Ralph

Co-opted

Date of appointment: 08/10/17
Area of Responsibility: n/a
Chair of: Vice chair standards
Subject Link: n/a
Business interest: No
Financial interest: No
Governance role in other school: No
Leave date: 13/07/2022

Committee Members

Finance, Audit, Risk & Resources Committee

John Searle (Chair)
Ella Brett
Janet Turner
Brenda Fairhurst
Chris Trees
Robert Sloss
Amy Perrigo
Devin Cassidy

Education Standards & Performance Committee

Janet Turner (Chair)
Ella Brett
Brenda Fairhurst
Chris Trees
Iain Gartside
Dominque Parnell
Devin Cassidy

Staff Discipline Committee

Chris Trees (Chair)
Plus 2 non-staff Councillors

Staff Discipline Appeals Committee

Janet Turner (Chair)
Plus 2 non-staff Councillors

Exclusions Panel

Chris Trees (Chair)
Plus 2 non-staff Councillors

Exclusions Appeal Panel

Janet Turner (Chair)
Plus 2 non-staff Councillors

Pay Committee

Chris Trees (Chair)
Ella Brett

Complaints Committee

Chris Trees (Chair)
Plus 2 other Councillors

Complaints Appeal Committee

Janet Turner (Chair)
Plus 2 other Councillors

Representative Councillors

Pupil Premium Councillor: Janet Turner
Safeguarding Children’s Councillor: Robert Sloss
SEN Liaison Councillor: Chris Trees
Web Site Statutory Content: Chris Trees
Racial Equality Councillor: Janet Turner
BGA Link Councillor: Janet Turner
Pupil Premium Link Councillor: Janet Turner

Attendance at Meetings

Full Council 2021-22

01.11.21

Present: Devin Cassidy, Brenda Fairhurst, Amy Hare, Neville Kenyon, Dominique Parnell, Karen Ralph, John Searle, Robert Sloss, Chris Trees (Chair), Janet Turner (Vice Chair), Ella Brett (Headteacher), Kristy Gardner, Ian Withers

Academy Council Attendance

Attendance

Term of office started

Term of office started

Ella Brett (Headteacher) Present 1/4/20 31/3/23
Devin Cassidy Apologies 22/1/21 1/2/24
Brenda Fairhurst Present 1/4/19 31/3/23
Amy Hare Present 1/2/19 31/1/23
Neville Kenyon Present 29/3/21 31/3/23
John Searle Present 1/4/19 31/3/23
Robert Sloss Present 7/12/15 6/12/23
Chris Trees (Chair, Academy Council) Present 29/3/21 31/3/23
Janet Turner Present 1/4/19 31/3/23
Dominique Parnell Present 1/2/19 31/1/23
Iain Gartside Present 1/7/15 31/8/23

Alaso in attendance

Liz Athey (Entrust Clerk) Present    
Heather Parker (Entrust Clerk) Present    
Kristy Gardner (Deputy Headteacher) Present    
Ian Withers (Deputy Headteacher) Present    
Hayley Rodgers (Shaw Edn Trust) Present (via Teams)    
Maxine Myers (Observer, prospective governor) Present    
Kay Cowie (Observer, prospective governor) Present    
Karen Ralph (Observer, prospective governor) Present    
Charles Grostephen (Observer, prospective governor) Present    
Louise McCool (Head of Y11) Present    
6 x Y11 students (for their presentation only) Present    

Above was for full council 8/12/21

Below resources committee 26/1/22

Present

Ella Brett (Principal)
John Searle (Chair, Resources Committee)
Chris Trees (Chair, Academy Council)
Janet Turner (Vice Chair, Academy Council)

Also in attendance

Liz Athey (Entrust Clerk)
Heather Parker (Entrust Clerk)
Hayley Rodgers  (SET Finance Business Partner) joined remotely
Nilam Raji (HR Manager)

Below standards com 26/1/22

Present

Ella Brett (Headteacher) 
Iain Gartside (Co-opted Governor) 
Charles Grosstephan (Parent Governor) 
Dominique Parnell (Staff Governor) 
Karen Ralph (Co-opted Governor) 
Chris Trees (Chair, Academy Council) 
Janet Turner (Co-opted Governor and Chair, Standards Committee) 

Also in attendance

Katy Arnold (Head of English) 
Liz Athey (Supervising Clerk) 
Kristy Gardner (Deputy Headteacher) 
Mike Hardman (Head of Science) 
Heather Parker (Entrust Clerk) 
Paul Wilkinson (Head of Maths) 
Ian Withers (Deputy Headteacher) 

Full AC  24 March 2022

Ella Brett Ex-Officio 
Devin Cassidy Co-opted g
Brenda Fairhurst Co-opted governor Present (partial) 
Iain Gartside Co-opted governor 31.8.19 30.8.23
Charles Grosstephan Parent governor Apology Received & Accepted 8.12.21 7.12.25
Amy Perrigo Staff (Support) Governor Present 1.2.19 31.1.23
Maxine Myers Co-opted governor Present 8.12.21 7.12.25
Dominique Parnell Staff (Teaching) Governor Apology received & Accepted 1.2.19 31.1.23
Karen Ralph Co-opted governor Apology received & Accepted 812 21 7.12.25
John Searle Parent governor Apology received & Accepted 1.4.19 31.3.23
Robert Sloss Co-opted governor Present 1.4.19 31.3.23
Melanie Smith Entrust Lead Clerk Present
Chris Trees Co-opted governor Present 29.3.21 28.3.25 Chair of Academy Council
Janet Turner Co-opted governor Apology received & Accepted 1.4.19 31.3.23 Vice Chair of Academy Council
Also in attendance:
Joe Burgoyne (AHT) presenting on Reading Recovery
Jacqui Postle (AHT) presenting on Pupil Premium and Intervention
Ian Withers (DHT) presenting on Safeguarding
Louise McCool
Y9 Students Georgia and Ellis

18th May Standards 2022

18.5.22
Time: 5pm
Venue: School
Committee Membership
Janet Turner Chair of Committee Present
Ella Brett Headteacher Present
Devin Cassidy Apology received and accepted
Brenda Fairhurst Present
Iain Gartside No apology received
Charles Grosstephan Present
Dominique Parnell Apology received and accepted
Robert Sloss No apology received
Chris Trees Apology received and accepted
Clerk: Melanie Smith Additional Attendees: Kristy Gardner - Senior Deputy Headteacher (Curriculum, Data & Assessment) Amy Perrigo – Academy Councillor Maxine Myers – Academy Councillor

18th May 2022 Resources

John Searle - Chair Present
Ella Brett - Headteacher Present
Devin Cassidy Apology received and accepted
Brenda Fairhurst Present
Amy Perrigo Present
Robert Sloss Apology received and accepted
Chris Trees Apology received and accepted
Janet Turner Present
Clerk: Melanie Smith Additional Attendee Maxine Myers

Full AC 13/7/22

Ella Brett EB Ex Officio Present
Amy Perrigo AP 01 Feb 2019 01 Feb 2019 31 Jan 2023 Present
Dominique Parnell DP 01 Feb 2019 01 Feb 2019 31 Jan 2023 Apology Received & Accepted
Charles Grosstephan CG 08 Dec 2021 08 Dec 2021 07 Dec 2025 Present (partial)
John Searle JS 01 Apr 2019 01 Apr 2019 31 Mar 2023 Presento
Co-opted governors
Devin Cassidy DC 22 Jan 2021 22 Jan 2021 01 Feb 2024 Apology Received & Accepted
Brenda Fairhurst BF 01 Apr 2019 31 Mar 2023 Present
Iain Gartside IG 31 Aug 2019 31 Aug 2019 30 Aug 2023 Not Present No Apology Received
Maxine Myers MM 08 Dec 2021 08 Dec 2021 07 Dec 2025 Apology Received & Accepted
Karen Ralph KR 08 Dec 2021 08 Dec 2021 07 Dec 2025 Resigned
Chris Trees CT 29 Mar 2021 29 Mar 2021 28 Mar 2025 Present
Janet Turner JT 01 Apr 2019 01 Apr 2019 31 Mar 2023 Present
Also in attendance:
Melanie Smith – Entrust Lead Clerk (attended virtually via TEAMs)
Jane Vosper – (attended partially and virtually via TEAMs)
Julie Yarwood – SET National Director of Education
Jackie Postle
Chris Stretton - partial