Governors

Lansdowne is an academy within a multi-academy trust namely The de Ferrers Trust.

The de Ferrers Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee and as such they are required to comply with charity law and company law.

The Trust is one legal entity with one set of Articles of Association that governs each academy within the Trust.  The Trust has a Master Funding Agreement with the Secretary of State and then each academy has a separate Supplementary Funding Agreement.  All documents referred to throughout this page can be located below.

Our Governance Structure

Governance Structure de Ferrers

The Members

The trust consists of five members who are very similar to shareholders in a normal company.  They are often considered as the custodians of the trust and act as a ‘check and balance’ on the performance of the multi-academy trust.  The members have the power to appoint or remove trustees, amend the articles of association and, if necessary, wind up the multi-academy trust.  To ensure robust accountability within our governance structure the members are independent of the trust board.  The members will meet as often as is necessary to carry out their duties, but at least on an annual basis.

The Trust Board

The trust board has strategic oversight and ultimate responsibility for all of the management decisions within the multi-academy trust.  The board consists of up to  11 trustees, 8 of whom are appointed by the members.  The trustees are appointed purely on a skills basis.  The board’s key responsibilities are to ensure, through their governance structure and leadership team, that the multi-academy trust is making proper and effective use of public funds and for the quality of provision.    The trust board will meet as often as is necessary to carry out their duties, but at least five times per year.

The trust board has established three sub-committees to assist them, namely the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, the Standards Committee and the Resources Committee.  Each committee operates with its own set of terms of reference which can be located at the bottom of this page.  The Finance, Audit and Risk and Standards sub-committees will meet as often as necessary, but at least three times per year.  The Resources Committee will meet as often as necessary, but at least on an annual basis.

The Local Governing Body

The trust board has established one local governing body to oversee both Eton Park junior Academy and Lansdowne Academy.

The LGB carry out the Trust’s vision, policies and priorities and engage with the academy's key stakeholders (our students, parents, staff and members of the community).  They will play a support & challenge role and will seek assurances on behalf of the board in regard to academic performance and quality of care and provision for their academy.  They are responsible for making decisions by way of the powers delegated to them by the trust board in accordance with the terms of reference and scheme of delegation (located at the bottom of this page).

Our Chair of Governors Anne Andrews and she can be contacted via the Clerk to Governors by emailing zmellor@deferrers.com

Our Clerk to the Local Governing Body is Zoe Mellor.  They can be contacted by emailing zmellor@deferrers.com

We currently have governor vacancies.  If you would like to be considered or simply want further information on the role then please contact the Clerk to the Governors or visit The de Ferrers Trust's Website.

Meet our Local Governing Body

Ex-Officio Governor

The Executive Principal of our academy sits on our local governing body as a governor.  She is referred to as an ex-officio governor.  This means that she will remain a governor for as long as she is employed in her role as Executive Principal.

Claire Shaw - Executive Principal

CS picture

Appointed

17th April 2023

Attendance for 2021/2022

LGB Meetings - 0/4

Pay Review - 0/1

Committee Membership 

None

Register of Interests

Employed by the de Ferrers Trust

Bio

I am the Principal at Eton Park and Lansdowne Academies. I believe that all children can achieve excellence in their learning. My philosophy of education is that our children’s emotional well-being, cultural experiences, health and wellbeing are as important as their academic achievements.
I am an experienced primary headteacher, educational consultant and formally Diocesan Director of Education. I have many years’ experience as both a governor and a trustee.

Board Appointed Governors

Governors who are board appointed are appointed by the trust board.  Their term of office is 4 years.  At Eton Park Junior and Lansdowne the governance structure allows for 4 board appointed governors.

Madelaine Burkett

Appointed

03 April 2020

Attendance for 2021/2022

LGB Meetings 4/4

Committee Membership 

None

Register of Interests

Headteacher at Burton Fields School, Burton on Trent. Headteacher Governor at Burton Fields School - a member of Central Co-operative Learning Trust.

Sharon Fox

Appointed

14 July 2020

Attendance for 2021/2022

LGB meetings 2/4

Committee Membership 

None

Register of Interests

Councillor Horninglow and Eton Parish Council

Louise Walker

Appointed

14 July 2020

Attendance for 2021/2022

LGB meetings 1/4

Committee Membership 

None

Register of Interests

Member of East Staffordshire Labour Party. Elected East Staffs Borough Councillor Eton Park Ward - May 2021

  John Widdowson
Appointed 07 December 2021
Attendance for 2021/2022 1/3
Committee Membership None
Register of Interests Employed by Burton Albion Community Trust

We currently have a vacancy for a board appointed governor.  If you would like to be considered or simply want further information on the role then please contact the clerk to the governors.

Parent Governors

Parent governors are elected by the parents/guardians of the students who attend Eton Park Junior and Lansdowne.  When a parent governor vacancy occurs, nominations are requested from all registered parents and guardians and an election takes place.  Their term of office is four years.  At Eton Park Junior and Lansdowne the governance structure allows for 2 parent governors.

Muhalb Alsaffar

Appointed

03 September 2018

 Resigned 2nd September 2022

Attendance for 2021/2022

LGB Meetings - 2/4

Committee Membership 

None

Register of Interests

Employed by Avanade. Parent of a child within the Trust.

Joanne Quinn

Appointed

31 January 2019 - Resigned:  22 March 2022

Attendance for 2021/2022

LGB Meetings - 0/2

Committee Membership 

None

Register of Interests

Grandparent of children within the Trust.

                                                           

Staff Governors

The Staff Governors are elected by the staff based at Eton Park Junior or Lansdowne.    Our governance structure allows for two staff governors and we try to ensure we have a staff representative from each academy.  When a staff governor vacancy occurs, nominations are requested from all members of staff based at either Eton Park Junior and Lansdowne, depending on where the vacancy arises, and an election takes place.  Their term of office is four years. 

Emma Mason

Appointed

Reappointed

03 September 2018     
                                                
03 September 2022

Attendance for 2021/2022

LGB Meetings - 4/4

Committee Membership 

None

Register of Interests

Employed by The de Ferrers Trust at Eton Park Junior

Bio

I am a teacher at Eton Park and enjoy every moment of it along with my role on the governing body.  At Eton Park I am responsible for the provision for Pupil Premium children alongside being responsible for the computing curriculum. I have also recently begun to lead reading in the School.  This year I am about to take on a distance part-time masters degree in education with Edge Hill University.

Jane Casey

Appointed

03 September 2018          

Resigned 2nd September 2022                                            

Attendance for 2021/2022

LGB Meetings  - 3/4

Committee Membership 

None

Register of Interests

Employed by The de Ferrers Trust at Lansdowne Academy.

Mandy Carvell

Appointed

02 September 2022

Resigned May 2023

Attendance for 2022/23

 

Committee Membership

None

Register of Interest

Ex - Employee of Lansdowne Academy

   
 

 

 

Co-Opted Governors

At Eton Park Junior and Lansdowne the governance structure allows for the local governors listed above to co-opt up to four further local governors to the local governing body in order to bring a specific skill set that will add value to the academies, making local governance more efficient and effective.  Co-opted governors have a term of office of four years.

Anne Andrews – Chair of Governors

Appointed 

Re-appointed

03/09/2018

08 July 2022       

                                            

Attendance for 2021/2022

LGB Meetings – 3/4

Pay Review - 1/1

Committee Membership 

None

Register of Interests

Secretary of the Local Performing Arts Committee  (Burton Competitive Vocal Festival)

Bio

I have recently retired from post in the Academy where the job included administering the HR and Finance for the site.  I had been employed within schools for 18 years and am a qualified HLTA with extensive classroom experience, specialising in ICT delivery.  In jobs prior to this I was the Managing Director of a group of nine Staffordshire Vocational Training centres; moderator/assessor for an Awarding Body and PA to a Personal Director at a Local Brewery.  I have lived and worked in Burton for the last 37 years.  I am actively involved in local performing arts organisations.  My child received an excellent education within the Trust and I aspire to help other children to believe they can achieve their maximum potential.

Steve Plumb

Appointed

Re-appointed

03/09/2018

08 July 2022                                                  

Attendance for 2021/2022

LGB Meetings – 3/4

Committee Membership 

None

Register of Interests

Scout Association Assistant Director, Eagles Nest Mentor, The Community Church - Occasional Youth Worker.  Employed by Leicestershire Constabulary.

Bio

Born in Burton I was educated at Richard Wakefield and the Forest of Needwood High School.  After a brief period living in London, I returned to my home town.  I currently work in a training environment in Leicester.  Spare time interests include running, fitness and watch most sports.  Along with being a Governor I am Assistant District Commissioner for the Scout Association involved in the cub scout section.  I am also a mentor for a local charity (Eagles Nest) which helps and supports disadvantaged children.

 

Carolione Fotheringham

Appointed 20th January 2022

Attendance

2021/2022

3/3
Committee Membership None
Register of Interests Employed by SARAC
 

 

Documents

Page Downloads Date  
Code of Conduct 2022 27th Sep 2022 Download
Finance Audit Risk Terms of Reference 2022 2023 27th Sep 2022 Download
LGB Terms of Reference 2022 2023 27th Sep 2022 Download
Resources Committee Terms of Reference 2022 2023 27th Sep 2022 Download
Standards Committee Terms of Reference 2022 2023 27th Sep 2022 Download
Articles of Association 08th Dec 2022 Download
Scheme of Delegation December 2022 16th Dec 2022 Download