Overview
Trust Governance
The academy is part of the Catholic Church and is to be conducted as a Catholic Academy in accordance with Canon Law and the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and in accordance with the Trust Deed of the Diocese of Clifton and in particular:
- Religious education is to be in accordance with the teachings, doctrines, disciplines and general and particular norms of the Catholic Church
- Religious worship is to be in accordance with the rites, practices, discipline and liturgical norms of the Catholic Church; and
- At all times the academy is to serve as a witness to the Catholic faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ
Within an academy Trust there are three tiers of governance
Members - their role includes ensuring the Trust is run as a Catholic educational trust. They also appoint and remove Directors, call an annual general meeting and receiving the annual accounts. The members are: The Diocesan Bishop; the Clifton Catholic Diocesan Education Foundation; the Diocesan Commissioner and the Chief Operating Officer for the Diocese.
Directors - are responsible for the strategic direction and policy development for the Trust. They have governance oversight of both the Trust and its schools. Directors take decisions that are in the best interests the MAT as a whole and are not representative of any one school.
Local Governance Committees – Each local governance committee is responsible for monitoring the educational standards and the ethos and values in each school, alongside monitoring any other areas which are delegated to them by the Directors.
Our Local Governance Committee
As a member of the Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust the school has its own local governance committee. Our Local Governance Committees operates under a Scheme of Delegation which is determined by the Directors. Our local governance committee is responsible for monitoring the educational standards and the ethos and values in the school as well as having specific responsibilities for safeguarding, admissions, health and safety and designated curriculum areas.
Scheme of Delegation
Please follow this link to find the scheme of delegation: Governance | The Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust (thedcet.com)
Up to 10 Governors recruited for their skills, knowledge, and experience in the following categories:
- 6 x Foundation
- 2 x Staff (including Headteacher)
- 2 x Parent
The Local Governing Committee meets six times per year.
Register of Governor Interests 2024-25*
Governor Listed Interest
| Angela Bennett | RE inspector with Clifton Diocese, Member of Diocese Schools and Colleges Committee, Freelance writer for RE curriculum |
| Tom Simmons | None |
| Carolyn Cooper | None |
| Cassie Reis | None |
| Catherine Edwards | Director, Richardson Swift |
| David Leonardi | None |
| Michael Summerfield | None |
| Patrick Weaver | Head of Fundraising, NSPCC |
| Michèle Tayler | None |
| Maria Bowey | None |
| Helen Milbourn | None |
|
Peter MacDonald Andrew Conway
|
Trainee ISI Inspector None
|
* Interests to include: business, pecuniary, governance roles in other education institutions and any material interests arising from relationships between governors or relationships between governors and school staff (including spouses, partners and close relatives).
Current Governing Body
|
Governor |
Position |
Start Date |
End Date |
Appointed by |
|
Mrs Angela Bennett |
Ex Officio Governor |
4 Sept 2017 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Mr Patrick Weaver (Vice Chair) |
Foundation Governor |
1 Jan 2025 (re-appointed) |
31 Dec 2028 |
Clifton Diocese |
|
Mrs Michèle Tayler (Chair) |
Foundation Governor |
30 Oct 2023 (re-appointed) |
29 Oct 2027 |
Clifton Diocese |
|
Mrs Catherine Edwards |
Foundation Governor |
18 July 2022 (reappointed) |
17 July 2026 | Clifton Diocese |
|
Mr Michael Summerfield |
Foundation Governor | 20 Dec 2019 | 19 Dec 2023 | Clifton Diocese |
| Dr Helen Milbourn | Foundation Governor | 13 July 2023 | 12 July 2027 | Clifton Diocese |
|
Carolyn Cooper |
Staff Governor |
1 December 2024 | 30 November 2028 | Staff Body |
|
Peter MacDonald |
Foundation Governor |
28 Sept 2023 | 27 Sept 2027 | Clifton Diocese |
|
Mr David Leonardi |
Parent Governor |
15 October 2025 | 14 October 2029 | Parent Body |
|
Mr Andrew Conway |
Parent Governor |
1 Jan 2024 | 1 Jan 2028 | Parent Body |
Previous Governors
| Governor | Position | Start Date of Term of Office | End Date of Term of Office | Date Stepped Down | Business or Pecuniary Interest |
| Tanya Watts | Staff Governor | 1 July 2022 | 30 June 2026 | 30 July 2024 | None |
|
Maria Bowey |
Parent Governor | 1 June 2021 | 31 May 2025 | 31 May 2025 | |
|
Cassie Reis |
Foundation Governor | 18 July 2022 | 17 July 2026 | 1 July 2025 |