Governance
In a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT), the Trust is responsible for all of its schools/academies. For the Community Inclusive Trust, governance of our MAT resides with Members, Trustees and Local School Boards.
Members: The members are akin to the shareholders of a company. They have ultimate control over the academy Trust, with the ability to appoint some of the Trustees and the right to amend the Trust’s Articles of Association. View the CIT Articles.
Trustees: The trustees are responsible for the three core areas of governance.
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
- Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the effective and efficient performance management of staff; and
- Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.
CIT’s Members and Trustees oversee the whole organisation and the MAT is the legal Governing Body for all CIT schools, but much of the work of the Trust Board is delegated to the Local School Board. View the CIT Scheme of Delegation.
Local School Boards and Local Governors: Schools have a committed team of Governors who are actively involved in the life of the school. They reflect the community they serve and include parent, community and staff representatives. Governors serve as a key link between the Trust Board, parents/carers and the local community. They monitor the performance of the school, advising the Trustees on what’s going well and of any concerns.
If you want to bring any matters to the attention of the Local School Board, you should email the Governance Professional or address your correspondence to the Chair of Governors at the school address.
The Governors are passionate about the school and are here to make sure that every young person is given the best education, opportunities and experiences possible. Our Governors 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.
Please note that any complaints regarding the school must be raised in line with our complaints policy and cannot be raised with the Local School Board.
Meet our Local School Board
| Community Governors – Appointed by the LSB | |
|---|---|
| J Hoyes (Chair) | September 2022 to August 2026 |
| G McCormack | November 2023 to November 2027 |
| J Keane | November 2024 to November 2028 |
| T Smith | February 2025 to February 2029 |
| Vacancy | |
| Parent Governors - Elected by Parents | |
| C Cutler | October 2024 to October 2028 |
| R Gemmill | March 2025 to March 2029 |
| Headteacher - ex officio | |
| J Smith | |
| Staff Governors – Elected by Staff | |
| A Ellison | November 2020 to November 2028 |
| J Pankhurst | December 2017 to August 2026 |
| Governance Professional | |
| Mrs D Scott | |
| Kesteven & Sleaford High School, Jermyn Street, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, NG34 7RS | |
Governor Biographies
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J Hoyes James is a police officer, having worked in both the Metropolitan Police Service and Lincolnshire Police. He has specialised in roles working with partners, in community safety and safeguarding partnerships. In the latter, he led the Lincolnshire Police Safeguarding Hub, working closely with statutory and non-statutory partners to prevent harm to children and vulnerable adults in the county. James now leads investigators for serious domestic abuse and other offences as a detective chief inspector. James is an Old Carrensian (2003-2010), who had the benefit of a majority of his sixth form education at KSHS, before reading Law and Criminology at the University of Sheffield. He joined the LGT as a Community Governor in September 2022 and was elected Chair in September 2023. Outside of work and volunteering, James' time is predominantly focussed on entertaining two little boys. |
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G McCormack Georgia joined the LGT as Community Governor in November 2023. |
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J Keane Community Governor John is a Chartered Civil Engineer and Project Manager. Having worked in the engineering and construction industry for over 25 years in the UK and overseas, he is now working in the UK. He has two daughters at KSHS and a son at The King’s School. His career highlights include multiple high profile transportation projects, hydro power stations and infrastructure rehabilitation in post-conflict regions. John is most interested in developing the next generation for the challenges that life will throw at them. |
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T Smith Dr Tom Smith is the Academic Director at RAF College Cranwell, working to ensure the college meets rigorous standards set by bodies like OFSTED. With prior experience in UK and international universities, including selecting newly qualified teachers; and supporting teachers in training securing school placements. Dr Smith holds the position of Associate Professor in International Relations at the University of Portsmouth, focusing his research on human rights, terrorism, and Asian conflicts. Outside of work, he enjoys sports, captaining the Sleaford Tennis Club men’s team, and competing in squash and tennis across the county. His daughter joined KSHS in September 2023. |
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C Cutler I am a New Zealander by birth and moved to the UK when I was 34 years old. Currently, my wife and I reside in Lincoln, with our 13 year old twins, who attend Carre's Grammar & KSHS respectively . In the last 10 years I have requalified and established my own Financial Planning company. Prior to this I worked as a professionally trained chef working onboard Superyachts. This role lasted for 14 years and involved extensive global travelling and being employed by some very demanding individuals. When fortunate to get any spare time, I like to spend it with my family, watch the twins indulge in their pastimes and not surprisingly, I still enjoy cooking for family & friends. I care about the importance of education in society and how it is delivered. For this reason, I have been drawn to this role and I look forward to working alongside the fellow Governors at KSHS. |
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R Gemmill I have been working in education since completing my training in 2007 to be a secondary school art teacher. For the first five years of my career I worked in a specialist setting in Wales, where I lived at the time, teaching students with Autism. When I then moved to Lincolnshire, I taught in a large mainstream secondary school for 11 years, the last six of which I was SENDCO. I left working as a teacher to complete a MSc in Psychology so that I can ultimately train to be an Educational Psychologist. Currently, I work for the Integrated Children's Disability Services at Notts County Council as a manager in the EHCP assessment team. I have a daughter in KSHS and enjoy walking, reading and mountain biking in my limited spare time |
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A Ellison Amy, hailing from South Yorkshire originally, joined KSHS in 2012 as a Newly Qualified Teacher and has worked as a Head of Year and Subject Leader of French at the school. Before completing teacher training, she worked in Italy teaching English as a foreign language and as a teaching assistant in the SEN department of a large and diverse secondary school in Sheffield. Amy is now a Teacher of French following the birth of her little girl and is adoring the whirlwind that comes with parenthood. A keen linguist and traveller, Amy also enjoys reading. |
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J Pankhurst Julie is one of the KSHS Staff Governors. She is Subject Leader of Design and Technology at KSHS, specialist Food Teacher and also Head of Year looking after Year 8 this year. Julie has been teaching at the school for 15 years. She is married with 2 grown up children and has a passion for fitness and exercise. |
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D Scott Governance Professional |
Governor Resignations
| L Rooke | Resigned - September 2015 to November 2020 |
| D Roberts | Resigned - February 2020 to November 2021 |
| S Oakden | Resigned – September 2015 to March 2022 |
| S Ray | Resigned – September 2022 to March 2023 |
| A Barker | Resigned – September 2022 to May 2023 |
| C Nel | Resigned - January 2020 to June 2023 |
| C Johnson | Converted to Community Governor - September 2022 to August 2023 |
| N Gibbons | Resigned - September 2015 to August 2023 |
| K Musgrove | Resigned - September 2023 to December 2023 |
| J Lawson | Converted to Community Governor - September 2023 to March 2024 |
| J Lawson | Resigned - March 2024 to October 2024 |
| J Robinson | Resigned - January 2020 to December 2024 |
| T Smith | Converted to Community Governor - September 2023 to February 2025 |
| C Johnson | Resigned - September 2023 to February 2025 |
Local Governor Vacancies
You might never have thought about being a school governor, but it can be rewarding voluntary work and the Robert Carre Trust and its schools are keen to have members of the local community to act as a link between the school and the community, ensuring that the school's vision and goals align with the needs and expectations of the community. Governors on our Local Governance Tier (LGT) work with the Headteacher and senior leadership team to develop the school's vision and long-term goals. They provide strategic oversight to ensure the school remains focused on its core mission and objectives and support and challenge the Headteacher and senior leaders to ensure they have the resources and support needed to lead the school effectively. They monitor and evaluate the school's performance, including academic results, and are involved in setting policies and making decisions about staffing to support the school's educational goals.
Being a school governor is a commitment, but it's also a rewarding way to contribute to the education and development of children in your community. If you would like any further information, please contact Debbie Scott, Governance Professional, or contact James Hoyes, the Chair of the KSHS Local Governance Tier.