Governance
Local Governing Committee
Our Local Governing Committee (LGC) currently comprises of up to 12 governors and the Headteacher (ex officio governor), representing parents/carers, staff and the local community. The Local Governing Committee has delegated authority from Trustees for governance of the day-to-day running of the school.
In general terms, the LGC is required to:
- Set the strategic direction and ethos for the school; in our case this is carried out in conjunction with the Head of School and Bridge Academy Trust Board.
- Hold the school to account for its actions and achievements by monitoring its performance across a broad range of criteria in conjunction with the Trust Board.
- Act as a ‘critical friend’ to the school, by offering support, guidance, and praise when appropriate and constructive criticism and challenge where necessary.
The LGC currently meets seven times a year.
Some governors take on additional roles to enable the governing body to fulfil its statutory responsibilities in areas such as safeguarding and SEND. We also have ‘links’ to other key areas and make visits to the school to meet staff, watch lessons and support school events. All of these activities allow us to develop a good understanding of how the school is performing, as well as the challenges it faces.
Members of our LGC have a wide range of expertise and experience from many walks of life, and we endeavour to use these skills to help the school whenever possible.
We are also very aware of the ever-changing education environment, and governors attend continuous professional development to ensure that our governance work complies with the latest requirements.
Governors are committed to our primary purpose of ensuring that the school continues to deliver a high standard of education in a safe and secure environment, and in doing so secures the best possible outcomes for each and every one of its students. We also firmly believe that this is best achieved through a close partnership between students, their parents/carers, the school staff and governors.
We hope our students make the most of the many opportunities on offer to them at Notley High School & Braintree Sixth Form and that their time with us is both successful and enjoyable.
We are in the process of recruiting interested persons to sit on the Local Governing Committee. If you are interested please contact The Governance Professional clerk@bridgeacademytrust.org.
Dr Claire Hooks
Chair of Local Governing Committee
Meet our Governors
Headteacher
Mr Mark Barrow
Chair of Governors
Dr Claire Hooks
Governor (Non-Elected)
Appointed: 05/11/2022
End of Term: 04/11/2026 Re-elected until 04/11/2030
To contact the Chair of Governors, please contact Andrew Betts, LGC Clerk - bettsa@bridgeacademytrust.org
Vice Chair of Governors
Mr Neville Prior
Governors (Non-Elected)
Appointed: 05/11/2022
End of Term: 04/11/2026 Re-elected until 03/11/2030
Non-Elected Governors
Mr Matthew Ager
Appointed: 27/09/2024
End of Term: 26/09/2028
Dr Chris Ingate
Appointed: 21/11/2024
End of Term: 20/11/2028
Mr Ken Yap
Appointed: 09/09/2022
End of Term: 08/09/2026 Re-elected until 08/09/2030
Mrs Nichola Goodwin
Governors (Non-Elected)
Appointed: 05/11/2022
End of Term: 04/11/2026
Co-opted Governor:
Parent Governors:
Mr Dan Hodgson
Appointed: 23/09/2024
End of Term: 22/09/2028
Mrs Kavithalaxmi Murugan
Appointed: 01/09/2026
End of Term: 31/08/2030
Staff Governors:
Mrs Laura Cosway
Appointed: 23/09/2024
End of Term: 22/09/2028
Leavers in last 12 months:
Mrs Abbey Hartshorne-Abbott
Appointed: 08/11/2022
End of Term: 31/08/2026
Mrs Jacqueline Foster
Appointed: 12/12/2022
End of Term: 31/08/2026
Governor Roles and Responsibilities
Governor Link Areas and Staff 2026-27
|
Area |
Governor |
Staff link |
Broad focus |
|
CPD, training + Development |
Not currently including |
Paddy Sadler |
Staff and Governor CPD. Mapping against SDP priorities and needs. Evaluating effectiveness/impact. |
|
Safeguarding |
Matt Ager |
Katie Murdoch |
All aspects of safeguarding in line with monitoring form. Named governor for Benedict’s law – check on implementation/compliance. |
|
SEND |
Chris Ingate |
Becky Ketley |
Focus on all aspects of inclusion. PPG strategy/allocation. Disaggregated data by group. Progress against targets. |
|
PPG and LAC (Inclusion) |
|||
|
Careers and PDT |
Dan Hodgson |
Michelle Robb |
Provision in PDT. Cross checking against SDP priorities/culture aspirations. Progress against Gatsby benchmarks. Impact on aspirations/review of impact of approaches and strategies. |
|
Enrichment |
Ken Yap |
Harrison Ruffell |
Progress against DfE benchmarks for enrichment. Cross check against school development priorities. |
|
Stakeholder Engagement - Student voice Parent voice |
Student voice – Colin Yeomans
Parents – Claire Hooks/Nichola |
Student voice – Harrison Ruffell
Parent – Mark Barrow |
Review stakeholder surveys. Support Parent Forums. Undertake student voice forums/groups. Capture sense of belonging work. |
|
Staff wellbeing (combined with Middle Leader catch ups) |
Claire Hooks |
HoFs |
Review staff survey. Staff voice via middle leaders.
|
|
Attendance |
Nichola Goodwin and Kavi Murugan |
Kerri Wilmore/ Siobhan Howells |
Review in depth attendance data termly. Check compliance with reporting. Review impact of strategies and approaches. |
|
Key Curriculum areas (maths and science) |
Neville – Science Chris/Claire - Maths |
Science – Beth Pett/Joe Woodley Maths – David Chadwick |
|
|
Sixth Form |
Neville Prior |
Ed Sainsbury |
|
Governor Meeting Attendance
| 2025-26 | 07/10/2025 | 09/12/2025 | 17/03/2026 | 07/07/2026 | No of meetings attended | % of meetings attended |
| Dr C Hooks | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 4/4 | 100% |
| Mr M Barrow | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 4/4 | 100% |
| Mrs N Goodwin | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 4/4 | 100% |
| Mr K Yap | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 4/4 | 100% |
| Mr M Ager | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 4/4 | 100% |
| Mrs A Hartshorne-Abbott | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | 2/4 | 50% |
| Dr C Ingate | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | 3/4 | 75% |
| Mrs J Foster | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 3/4 | 75% |
| Mr D Hodgson | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | 3/4 | 75% |
| Mrs L Cosway |
✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 3/4 | 75% |
| Dr N Prior | N/A | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 3/3 | 100% |
2024-25 |
23/9/24 | 08/10/24 | 10/12/24 | 28/01/25 | 18/03/25 | 13/05/25 | 08/07/25 | Attendance | |
| Dr C Hooks | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 7/7 | 100% |
| Mr M Barrow | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 7/7 | 100% |
| Mrs N Goodwin | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | 4/7 | 57% |
| Mr K Yap | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 6/7 | 86% |
| Mr M Ager | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 6/7 | 86% |
| Mrs A Hartshorne-Abbott | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 7/7 | 100% |
| Dr C Ingate | - | - | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | 4/5 | 80% |
| Mrs J Foster | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 7/7 | 100% |
| Mr D Hodgson | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | 6/7 | 86% |
| Mrs M Steadman | - | ❌ | - | - | - | - | - | 0/1 | 0% |
| Mrs L Cosway | - | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 5/6 | 83% |
2023-24 |
5/10/23 | 7/11/23 | 5/12/23 | 6/2/24 | 19/3/24 | 7/5/24 | 2/7/24 | Attendance | |
| Dr C Hooks | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 6/7 | 86% |
| Ms M Ryan | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | 6/7 | 86% |
| Mrs N Goodwin | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 5/7 | 71% |
| Mr K Yap | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 7/7 | 100% |
| Mr M Ager | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 6/7 | 86% |
| Mrs A Hartshorne-Abbott | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 6/7 | 86% |
| Mrs J Foster | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 7/7 | 100% |
| Miss A Lennox | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | 5/7 | 71% |
2022-23 |
20/09/22 | 2/11/22 | 6/12/22 | 7/2/23 | 21/3/23 | 9/5/23 | 22/6/23 Postponed |
Attendance | |
| Dr C Hooks | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | - | 6/6 | 100% |
| Ms M Ryan | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | - | 6/6 | 100% |
| Ms Ha Cole | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | - | 3/6 | 50% |
| Mrs N Goodwin | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | - | 5/6 | 85% |
| Mr K Yap | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | - | 5/6 | 85% |
| Mr M Ager | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | - | 5/6 | 85% |
| Mr N Bridgewater | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | - | 3/6 | 50% |
| Mrs A Jezzard | ✔️ | – | – | – | – | – | - | 1/1 | 100% |
| Mr C Freeman | – | – | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | - | 4/4 | 100% |
| Mrs A Hartshorne-Abbott | – | – | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | - | 3/4 | 75% |
| Mrs J Foster | – | – | – | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | - | 3/3 | 100% |
| Miss A Lennox | – | – | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | - | 3/4 | 75% |
2021-22 |
28/09/21 | 02/12/21 | 30/03/22 | 25/05/22 | 28/06/22 | Attendance | |
| Dr C Hooks | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 4/5 | 80% |
| Ms Ha Cole | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 4/5 | 80% |
| Dr C Cusick | ✔️ | ✔️ | – | – | – | 2/2 | 100% |
| Mrs N Goodwin | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 3/5 | 60% |
| Ms M Ryan | – | – | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 3/3 | 100% |
| Mr T Parrott | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 4/5 | 80% |
| Mr P Redhead | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | 2/5 | 40% |
| Mr K Yap | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | 4/5 | 80% |
| Mrs A Jezzard | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | 4/5 | 80% |
| Mr N Bridgewater | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | 2/5 | 40% |
| Mr M Ager | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | 5/5 | 100% |
| Mrs S Sanctuary | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | 3/5 | 60% |
Governors’ Register of Business Interests
Governing bodies are under a duty to publish on their website their register of interests.
The register sets out the relevant business interests of governors and details of any other educational establishments they govern. In addition register it sets out any relationships between governors and members of the school staff including spouses, partners and relatives.
The current register of interests for Notley High School & Braintree Sixth Form is available below.
Trust Governance Info
Notley High School & Braintree Sixth Form joined Bridge Academy Trust on 1 April 2021.
Please visit the Trust Governance Area to view:
- Memorandum of Association
- Articles of Association
- Names of trust members and trustees
- Relevant business and financial interests of members, trustees and accounting officer(s)
- Funding Agreement
- Governance arrangements
- Board Diversity Data
- Executive Pay
- Staff Gender Pay Gap
- Annual Accounts
