Governance
Trust Level Governance
Folkestone Academy is part of the Turner Schools Multi Academy Trust.
Our Governance Structure ensures there are clear reporting lines and explicit requirements to ensure probity, good governance and outstanding performance.
Members are responsible for determining the governance of the Trust. They approve our Articles of Association and appoint Trustees in accordance with the Articles.
The Board of trustees have collective accountability and responsibility for the academy trust and assuring itself that there is compliance with regulatory, contractual, and statutory requirements. The academy trust board provides:
• Strategic leadership of the academy trust: the board defines the trust vision for high quality and inclusive education in line with its charitable objects. It establishes and fosters the trust’s culture and sets and champions the trust strategy including determining what governance functions are delegated to the local tier
• Accountability and assurance: the board has robust effective oversight of the operations and performance of the academy trust, including the provision of education, pupil welfare, overseeing and ensuring appropriate use of funding and effective financial performance and keeping their estate safe and well maintained
• Engagement: the board has strategic oversight of relationships with stakeholders. The board involves parents, schools and communities so that decision-making is supported by meaningful engagement.
All Members, Trustees and Governors complete an annual declaration of Business Interests and declare any pecuniary interests in meetings.
The Board delegates responsibilities to the school Challenge & Community Board as set out in the Scheme of Delegation.
View our Articles and Memorandum of Association.
Trust Level Governance
Folkestone Academy is part of the Turner Schools Multi Academy Trust.
Our Governance Structure ensures there are clear reporting lines and explicit requirements to ensure probity, good governance and outstanding performance.
Members are responsible for determining the governance of the Trust. They approve our Articles of Association and appoint Trustees in accordance with the Articles.
The Board of trustees have collective accountability and responsibility for the academy trust and assuring itself that there is compliance with regulatory, contractual, and statutory requirements. The academy trust board provides:
• Strategic leadership of the academy trust: the board defines the trust vision for high quality and inclusive education in line with its charitable objects. It establishes and fosters the trust’s culture and sets and champions the trust strategy including determining what governance functions are delegated to the local tier
• Accountability and assurance: the board has robust effective oversight of the operations and performance of the academy trust, including the provision of education, pupil welfare, overseeing and ensuring appropriate use of funding and effective financial performance and keeping their estate safe and well maintained
• Engagement: the board has strategic oversight of relationships with stakeholders. The board involves parents, schools and communities so that decision-making is supported by meaningful engagement.
All Members, Trustees and Governors complete an annual declaration of Business Interests and declare any pecuniary interests in meetings.
The Board delegates responsibilities to the school Challenge & Community Board as set out in the Scheme of Delegation.
View our Articles and Memorandum of Association.
School-level governance:
Governors serve as a key link between the schools, parents/carers and the local community. They monitor the performance of the school, advising the Trustees of any concerns.
We have a committed team of Governors on the school Challenge & Community Board who are actively involved in the life of the school. They reflect the community we serve and include parent representatives.
The Governors are passionate about our School and are here to make sure that every pupil is given the best education, opportunities and experiences possible. They play an important role in overseeing the work of the school, acting as “critical friends” for the Senior Leadership Team and holding the school to account for performance and development.
Challenge and Community Board (CCB) - Our Governors
Chair: Gregory Hunter
To contact the Chair, please email governance@turnerschools.com
CCB Safeguarding Lead: Michael Pearce
CCB SEND Lead: Vacancy
Careers Lead: Rob Roy
Lead Safeguarding Trustee: Dean Jones
Challenge and Community Board
Louise Feaver- co-opted governor
Louise brings expertise in education leadership, school improvement and safeguarding. Louise is passionate about empowering all pupils to succeed.
Date of appointment: 2 September 2020
Term of office: 2 September 2020 – 1 September 2024
Appointed by: Board
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: Principal of Folkestone Primary
Governance roles in other educational institutions: Ex-officio governor of Folkestone Primary
Relationships between other governors or school staff (including spouses, partners and close relatives): None
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2023/2024: 1/4
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2022/2023: 3/4
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2021/2022: 3/4
Gregory Hunter – co-opted governor
Date of appointment: 13 September 2022
Term of office: 13 September 2022 – 12 September 2026
Appointed by: Board
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: None
Governance roles in other educational institutions: None
Relationships between other governors or school staff (including spouses, partners and close relatives): None
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2023/2024: 1/4
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2022/2023: 4/4
Michael Pearce Dip Val Surv MRICS - co-opted governor
Michael has been a school governor since 2004 serving as a local governor and trustee in Folkestone schools. He has a particular interest in safeguarding and achieving the best outcomes for all pupils.
Michael is a Chartered Surveyor and works as Head of Litigation & Technical Policy for the Valuation Office Agency.
Date of appointment: 1 December 2017
Term of office: 1 December 2017 – 30 November 2021
Appointed by: Board
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: Trustee of Friends of Folkestone Academy
Governance roles in other educational institutions: None
Relationships between other governors or school staff (including spouses, partners and close relatives): None
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2023/2024: 1/4
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2022/2023: 1/4
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2021/2022: 4/4
Robert Roy - co-opted governor
Rob is the Deputy Principal of Folkestone College and brings expertise of post-16 education.
Date of appointment: 27 September 2021
Term of office: 27 September 2021 – 26 September 2025
Appointed by: Board
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: None
Governance roles in other educational institutions: None
Relationships between other governors or school staff (including spouses, partners and close relatives): None
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2023/2024: 1/4
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2022/2023: 4/4
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2021/2022: 3/3
Steven Shaw - ex-officio governor
Steven is Head of School and ex-officio governor by virtue of this position.
Date of appointment: September 2020
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: None
Governance roles in other educational institutions: governor, Folkestone Primary, Birchwood School (September 2021)
Relationships between other governors or school staff (including spouses, partners and close relatives): Wife is a teacher in the Sixth (September 2021)
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2023/2024: 1/4
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2022/2023: 4/4
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2021/2022: 4/4
Pete Talbot - co-opted governor
Pete is a Head Teacher who brings a knowledge of the local community and expertise in education and governance.
Date of appointment: 08 March 2022
Term of office: 08 March 2022 - 7 March 2026
Appointed by: Board
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: None
Governance roles in other educational institutions: Trustee of DEALT Academy Trust (Sep 2019)
Relationships between other governors or school staff (including spouses, partners and close relatives): None
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2023/2024: 1/4
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2022/2023: 1/4
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2021/2022: 2/2
Sophie Waddell – co-opted governor
Date of appointment: 28 March 2023
Term of office: 28 March 2023 – 27 March 2027
Appointed by: Board
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: None
Governance roles in other educational institutions: None
Relationships between other governors or school staff (including spouses, partners and close relatives): None
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2023/2024: 1/4
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2022/2023: 1/2
Governors who have left in the past 12 months
Sophia Jackson – parent governor
Date of appointment: 28 March 2023
Date of leaving: 20 September 2023
Term of office: 28 March 2023 – 27 March 2027
Appointed by: Parent governor appointed by GB/Board due to no election candidates
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: None
Governance roles in other educational institutions: None
Relationships between other governors or school staff (including spouses, partners and close relatives): Parent
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2023/2024: 0/4
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2022/2023: 1/2
Tracy Luke BA (Hons) - co-opted governor
Tracy has 35 years experience as a teacher and leader within schools. She has served at all levels within a range of comprehensive, selective and boarding schools. She has been a Head of Department, Head of Year, Assistant Head, Deputy Head, Principal and Executive Principal.
In addition Tracy has been a National Leader of Education and an Ofsted Inspector. Tracy has experience as a Governor at an independent school, a Pupil Referral Unit and at a number of secondary schools. Tracy is a Trustee of Turner Schools.
Date of appointment: 1 December 2017
Date of Leaving: 31st August 2023
Term of office: 1 December 2017 – 30 November 2021
Appointed by: Board
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: Trustee of the Friends of Folkestone Academy
Governance roles in other educational institutions: Trustee of Turner Schools, co-opted governor of Turner Free School, Member of Folkestone Grammar School for Girls Trust from September 2020
Relationships between other governors or school staff (including spouses, partners and close relatives): None
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2022/2023: 4/4
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2021/2022: 3/4
Christine Gammons – parent governor
Christine has a keen interest in education and has been a teacher at a local Primary school since 2015.
Christine strongly believes in schools being at the heart of the community and delivering a creative curriculum that inspires children to succeed, not only academically but for the whole child during their school journey.
Date of appointment: 14 December 2020
Date of Leaving: 31st August 2023
Term of office: 14 December 2020 – 13 December 2024
Appointed by: Parent governor appointed by GB/Board due to no election candidates
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: None
Governance roles in other educational institutions: None
Relationships between other governors or school staff (including spouses, partners and close relatives): Parent
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2022/2023: 1/4
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2021/2022: 3/4
Aisling Yusuf - co-opted governor
Aisling is a local resident and English teacher. She taught in Dover and Ashford before leaving the classroom to work in a financial services firm across multiple roles including Learning and Development, Graduate Recruitment and Social Mobility.
She is now self-employed, developing an English revision website. She passionately believes all pupils should have access to quality, free, and caring education.
Date of appointment: 20 July 2021
Date of Leaving: 30 September 2022
Term of office: 20 July 2021 - 19 July 2025
Appointed by: Board
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: Temporary role, one day per week in school from January 22.
Governance roles in other educational institutions: None
Relationships between other governors or school staff (including spouses, partners and close relatives): None
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2022/2023: 0/1
Attendance at Challenge and Community Board meetings 2021/2022: 3/4