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Governing Body & Trustees

Local Governing Body

The role of the school Governors:

Governors play a key role in any school. The governors at The Kassia Academy are an important part of the school family and help to ensure the school is supported at every turn.

The key core functions are:

  • Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
  • Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its learners, and the performance management of staff.
  • Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.

Kassia’s governance is overseen by the Governor Hub which oversees both The Kassia and Arbour Academy. All members of the Governing body are appointed by the full committee and agreed by the Trust Board. Community and Associate members are chosen and selected to bring relevant skills to support the school. Staff and Parent members are then approved by the full committee.

 

Local Governing Body

Nigel Spencer - Chair of the Local Governing Body/Safeguarding Governor

Nigel Spencer - Chair of the Local Governing Body/Safeguarding Governor

I became the Chair of Governors at The Kassia Academy in October 2024 and I am very committed to contributing fully to both the Governing Body and the School community.

I live in Westbrook with my wife Caroline and am very active in the local education community.

As well as my role as a Governor at Kassia, I am a Governor at Callands Primary, I am also Chair of Governors at another Warrington Primary School and a co-opted Governor at a third Warrington School. I consult on the e-safety groups for six Warrington Primary Schools and act as Data Protection Officer for another local school.

I have owned and operated EDAC Solutions for almost twenty years, providing ICT support exclusively to Warrington Schools and, through this, I have become deeply involved in the Warrington Education Community with the interests of all our young learners at heart.

I have a very unusual hobby, which the children in our school find fascinating. I keep many of the worlds most venomous snakes, assisting in research into anti-venom for developing and third world countries. This research saves many many lives. 

Amanda Breward - Vice Chair

Amanda Breward - Vice Chair

I work as a Sales & Marketing Manager for a worldwide inspection company where I am responsible for expanding our commercial profile, sales and coverage, both here in the UK and globally.

I graduated from the University of Salford with a BSC Honours Degree in Information Technology, then started work as IT Manager for Pacific Brands UK Limited, before moving into sales and becoming a Senior Sales Executive for Sheridan UK.

I am also a volunteer at Cycling Projects/Wheels for All (a national UK cycling charity which promotes inclusive cycling through a range of successful community engagement programmes that give people the opportunity to cycle on a regular basis; through help, support and guidance). In my spare time I enjoy Travel, Cooking, Reading, Languages, Walking & Fashion/Dressmaking

Michelle Navin - Attendance and SEND Governor

Michelle Navin - Attendance and SEND Governor

I have worked for Oakwood Academy since 2010 and held many positions within this time. I started as a 1.1 worker progressing to Teaching assistant, learning mentor, lead learning mentor and inclusion manager/ Deputy safeguarding lead. I am also the staff governor, representing both staff and pupil voice to all governing bodies.

More recently, alongside my role as Inclusion Manager I have taken up the position of the Director of Trust Safeguarding, working for Kings Academy Trust, overseeing the safeguarding practices and procedures for all trust schools working in collaboration with them to ensure outstanding practice throughout.

From the moment I began my career at Oakwood, I realised my passion for supporting the most vulnerable young people in the community, being an advocate for them and their families to ensure their safety and inclusion, not just within an education environment but for their future lives.

Simon Lennox - Governor

Simon Lennox - Governor

Throughout my teaching career I have worked in large comprehensive 11-16 high schools. My career has taken me from teaching maths in Stockport, through Head of Department in a central Manchester high school, to senior leadership in Tameside and Headteacher in Salford. I have been in my current post since June 2019. I believe that children who have suffered adverse childhood experiences need the highest levels of support and care to help them achieve and participate as active members of their community and that high quality alternative education provision is key to this.

Sinead Mannion - Governor

Sinead Mannion - Governor

I currently work as the Head of English at Oakwood Academy. 

I have a passion for literacy and ensuring our pupils have the greatest opportunities to achieve to their highest potential. 

I have high expectations for all learners and believe that every child has the right to a quality education. 

I have worked at Oakwood Academy for 9 years, after training through St Patrick's and MMU on the school direct programme. 

Prior to training to teach, I worked at St Patrick's RC high school for a year as a Graduate TA. In 2024 I achieved my NPQ in Literacy Leadership. I have been Head of English at Oakwood for the last 4 years and have been part of two Outstanding Ofsted teams. 

I look forward to supporting Arbour and Kassia.

Sangeeta Shakos - Staff Governor

Sangeeta Shakos - Staff Governor

Having become disillusioned from the mainstream education system I moved to The Canterbury Centre (Arbour Academy) in 2014. As well as teaching math's, I am also a certified yoga teacher and hold a further qualification in ‘Teaching Yoga and Mindfulness to Teenagers’.

I believe that having a diverse range of views an essential part of making up a successful management committee, and look forward to this exciting opportunity  to set a strategic direction where we can embed an ambitious curriculum, invest in CPD for staff and hold leaders to account for the academic and social outcomes of our pupils.

Governor Details

Current Members
Previous Members
Name Role/Type Term of Office Subcommittee membership register Signed business committees Pecuniary Interests
Nigel Spencer Chair of Governors 20.10.24 - 19.10.28

Curriculum & Pupil
Welfare – Chair,
Finance, Staffing,
Premises & H&S – Chair

   
Amanda Breward Vice Chair 02.09.24 - 01.09.28

Standards and Effectiveness

   
Simon
Lennox
Community 25.03.21 - 24.03.25

Standards and Effectiveness,

Pupil Premium

Yes None declared
Sangeeta
Shakos
Staff 12.05.23 - 11.05.27 Staff and Pupil Welfare Yes None declared
Sinead Mannion Governor 02.09.24 - 01.09.28 Standards and Effectiveness    
Michelle Navin Governor 26.10.24 to 25.10.28 Attendance and SEND    
Name Role/Type Term of Office Subcommittee membership register Signed business committees Pecuniary Interests
Miss Jacqui
Hughes

Community (Chair/
Safeguarding)

(Resigned)

05.01.21 -
04.01.24
Appeals
Committee,
Curriculum & Pupil
Welfare – Chair,
Finance, Staffing,
Premises & H&S
Yes Trustee on Oakwood
Academy Trust Board
Ms Rachel Knight

Community Governor

(Resigned)

11.07.22 - 13.03.24 Standards and Effectiveness Yes None declared
Mr Lee Darwin

Parent Governor 

(Resigned)

17.02.23 - 13.09.23 Staff and Pupil Welfare Yes None declared
Mr John Leonard 

Community Governor

(Resgined)

25.03.21 -06.07.23 Staff and Pupil Welfare, Safeguarding- Kassia Yes None declared
Mrs Jacqueline Bowen

Community Governor

(Resigned)

15.03.24 - 13.06.24 Standards and Effectiveness, Attendance Yes None declared
Miss Heather Burke

Staff Governor

(Resigned)

18.04.23 - 30.09.24 Staff and Pupil Welfare Yes None declared
Mr Jacob Bond

Chair/Safeguarding Governor

(Resigned)

24.02.21 - 23.02.25 Staff & Pupil Welfare, Safeguarding for Kassia Academy, Careers, Health & Safety Yes Trustee Greater Manchester West Country Scout Council, Employee Great Academies Education Trust, Trustee Ellesmere District Scout Council
Mrs Julia Chapman

Community Governor

(Resigned)

01.01.24 to 31.12.28 Standards & Effectiveness, SEND Yes None declared
Mrs Paula Kearney

Staff Governor

(Resigned)

04.03.24 to 05.11.24 Staff and Pupil Welfare Yes None declared
Mrs Louise Atkin

Community Governor

(Resigned)

13.12.23 to 28.10.24 Staff and Pupil Welfare Yes None declared

Governor Attendance at Meetings

Meeting Attendance 2023-24

Name Local Governing 
Body Meeting
Date: TBC
Staff & Pupil
Welfare Committee
Date: TBC
Standards & Effectiveness Committee
Date: TBC
Jacob Bond      
Heather  Burke      
Julia Chapman      
Lee Darwin      
Donna Hindley      
Jacqui Hughes      
Rachel Knight      
Simon Lennox      
John Leonard      
Julie Owen      
Lindsay Regan      
Sangeeta Shakos      

Meeting Attendance 2022-23

Name Local Governing
Body Meeting
Date: 10.5.23
Staff & Pupil
Welfare Committee
Date: 13.6.23
Standards & Effectiveness Committee
Date: 20.6.23
Jacob Bond Attended Attended N/A
Heather Burke Apologies Accepted N/A Attended
Julia Chapman Apologies Accepted N/A Apologies Accepted
Lee Darwin Apologies Accepted Apologies not Accepted N/A
Donna Hindley N/A Attended Attended
Jacqui Hughes Attended Attended N/A
Rachel Knight Apologies Accepted N/A N/A
Simon Lennox Attended N/A Attended
John Leonard Apologies Accepted Apologies not Accepted  
Julie Owen Attended Attended Attended
Lindsay Regan Attended Attended Attended
Sangeeta Shakos N/A Attended N/A