Now welcoming all young people with the extension of our successful co-educational provision.
Come along to our Open Day on Saturday 11th October 2025, from 9am - 1pm.
(No booking required)
Why not see our school in action during one of our Open Morning tours?
Running from Monday 6th October to Thursday 16th October 2025, 9:00am to 10:00am.
There is limited availability so please secure you space by completing this form.
Essentially, there are three elements to the governance of the TSAT academies; local governance which is delivered via the Academy Governing Board (AGB), a Regional Review and Assurance Board (RAB) which ensures local governance is effective, and the Thinking Schools Academy Trust Board of Directors.
There is an Academy Governing Board for each school (or small cluster of schools) which consists of a group 8-11 governors made up of the Headteacher, Parents, Staff, Trust link staff and Community members who are appointed with the skills needed to fulfil the responsibilities of the AGB. Governors are elected for a term of 4 years and meet a minimum of 6 times a year.
The key responsibilities of the Academy Governing Body are to:
• Hold Academy leadership to account for schools’ academic performance, quality of care and provision;
• Ensure the Trust’s vision, policies and priorities are delivered within the Academy;
• Oversee and monitor the effectiveness of local strategies and implementation of the School Improvement Plan
• Ensure consideration is given to stakeholder voices in strategic decision making and policy setting
• Have involvement in the performance management of the Headteacher via the AGB Chair’s inclusion in annual professional growth reviews.
| Member | Governor Type | Link Role | Start of Term | Length of Term | Appointed By | Business Interest | End of Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Preston | Headteacher | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Jo Allen | Chair | Safeguard and Attendance, Risk and compliance, TTTT & A levels | 1 September 2024 | 4 Years | Board of Directors | None | 31 August 2028 |
| James Sheppard | Community Member | Safeguard and Attendance, Recruitment, Diversity, workload, wellbeing | 1 September 2024 | 4 Years | Board of Directors | None | 31 August 2028 |
| Adedayo Ajakaiye | Community Member | STEM, Careers and Digital | 1 September 2024 | 4 Years | Board of Directors | None | 31 August 2028 |
| Ben Taylor | Community Member | Pupil Premium | 1 September 2024 | 4 Years | Board of Directors | None | 31 August 2028 |
| Naomi Sheppard | Parent Member | 18 March 2025 | 4 Years | Board of Directors | None | 17 March 2029 | |
| Emma Fox | Staff Member | Pupil Premium | 1 September 2024 | 4 Years | Board of Directors | TSAT Employee (Holcombe Grammar School) | 31 August 2028 |
| Giles Phillips | Staff Member | Curriculum and Enrichment | 1 September 2024 | 4 Years | Board of Directors | TSAT Employee (Holcombe Grammar School) | 31 August 2028 |
| Peter Harris | Staff Member | STEM, Careers and Digital | 1 September 2024 | 4 Years | Board of Directors | TSAT Employee (Holcombe Grammar School) | 31 August 2028 |
To explore Governor vacancies available within the Thinking Schools Academy Trust, please visit our recruitment website or email governance@tsatrust.org.uk.
| Name | Meetings Attended | Out of a Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Lee Preston | 6 | 6 |
| Jo Allen | 6 | 6 |
| James Sheppard | 5 | 6 |
| Adedayo Ajakaiye | 4 | 6 |
| Ben Taylor | 4 | 6 |
| Naomi Sheppard | 3 | 3 |
| Emma Fox | 5 | 6 |
| Giles Phillips | 4 | 6 |
| Peter Harris | 3 | 6 |
More information about the AGB and governance across the Thinking School Academy Trust can be found at:
http://www.tsatrust.org.uk/about/governance/