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Our Governors

Welcome to our Local Academy Committee

              

From left to right: Chris Balderstone (Chair), Emma Satchwell-Graham, Roger Owen, Laura Partridge, Ann-Marie Smith, Toni Sohal, Jess Annison, Linday Grainger and Alison Penwell. Karen Morris is the Executive Headteacher. 

Deanshanger Primary School is part of the Grand Union Partnership Multi Academy Trust. Each school within the Trust has its own Local Academy Committee with a constitution of 10 Governors which includes two parent governors, one staff governor and the Headteacher.

Effective Governance at any level in a Multi Academy Trust should have a focus on:

  • 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.
  • Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.

The Local Academy Committee has a strategic role to provide support and challenge to the operational management of the school by the Headteacher and represents the interests of the local community.  

Governors at Deanshanger Primary School meet twice a term and use these meetings to oversee and monitor school improvement and financial health and providing constructive challenge to school leaders. Governors visit the school regularly to monitor school improvement and the progress that the school is making and to gain assurance that the school is fulfilling its key statutory duties.

Since the school is part of the Grand Union Partnership Multi Academy Trust, governor responsibilities are delegated to them by the Trust Board. Please use the link below to see the Scheme of Delegation the trust adopts:

Grand Union Partnership Multi Academy Trust Governance

All Trustee and Governor roles are voluntary, and we are very grateful for the significant commitment that all of the people involved make at every level of governance across the trust.

If you would like to find out more about any of these roles, we would be delighted to talk with you, please contact Karen Morris in the first instance.

Statutory information

Deanshanger governors, their roles and terms of office are shown below:

Chris Balderstone - Chair of Governors                                                               Term of Office: 25/03/2024 - 24/03/2028

Former governor of a local primary and several multi-academy trust primary and secondary schools. Solicitor since 1988, with experience in leisure retail, house building and education sectors. Chris hopes to bring commercial and technical support to the governors and the school. To contact him, please use the following email address:

ChairofGovernors@deanshanger.northants.sch.uk

Emma Satchwell-Graham – Governor                                                                 Term of Office: 27/09/2022 – 27/09/2026

Emma joined the governing body in July 2022. She is a Celebrant and spent her career working in the catering and hospitality industry, with the last 20 years working within the education sector as both Operations Director and Sales Director. Emma has a vast experience of working with education clients from large universities and colleges to prestigious independent schools and from large secondary schools and MATS to small primary schools, working with all stakeholders including parents, governors, students, staff and management. Emma is a people person with excellent communication skills and understands the importance of policies and procedures and is willing to speak up and challenge the status quo if she believes it needs to be challenged.

Roger Owen – Trust Governor                                                                                 Term of Office: 12/10/2022 – 11/10/2026

Roger has lived in Milton Keynes for nearly forty years. His three children all attended local schools and two of his grandchildren live in Wolverton and also go to local schools.

Roger is now retired, but for the majority of his working life he had a career in secondary education teaching mostly Chemistry and Physics. Since retiring, he has also served on the Governing Body of a Federation of two Milton Keynes primary schools.

Roger is familiar with the duties and responsibilities associated with school governorship and is aware of the numerous expectations placed on teachers and support staff. However, despite the many and various challenges involved in delivering a curriculum that is subject to frequent, and at times speculative, changes, Roger is aware that it is the welfare, wellbeing and development of the children that must be the prime consideration in all aspects of each pupil’s experience of school – including those affected directly or indirectly by actions or decisions taken by the Governing Body.

Laura Partridge – Trust Governor                                                                           Term of Office: 12/10/2022 – 11/10/2026

 I am a primary school teacher employed at New Bradwell School, part of the Grand Union Partnership. I have 19 years’ experience in primary education, and as well as teaching Year 6 full time, I am part of the Senior Management Team of New Bradwell School as team leader for Year 5 and 6, a role I have undertaken for thirteen years.

Subjects of particular interest to me include history and art, and I believe very passionately in a broad and balanced curriculum that seeks to develop the ‘whole child’. I also believe strongly in education that makes links to the local area and community, developing reciprocal relationships with local organisations and providing a sense of cohesion and belonging for all children.

I am a parent myself to two boys, aged 9 and 13. My weekends are often spent cheering enthusiastically from the side of a muddy football pitch, or in the kitchen cooking and baking with my family; homemade pizza is a favourite!

As SEND governor of Deanshanger Primary School, I hope to offer support to the headteacher and existing governing body through my experience working in primary education and more specifically within the Grand Union Partnership, and help to ensure successful outcomes for all pupils.

Ann-Marie Smith – Trust Governor                                                                           Term of Office: 05/03/2024 – 04/03/2028

I have 17 years’ experience teaching in secondary schools in Luton and Milton Keynes and am currently an Assistant Headteacher at The Radcliffe School in Wolverton, having been there for the past 10  years. I am passionate about developing equity and community relationships within education and firmly believe in schools working with their community to provide all children with the opportunities for success. 

I am a mother of two boys, with one of them still attending New Bradwell school. We are an active family who enjoy athletics and hiking and often spend time conquering the peaks in North Wales, Scotland, or The Lake District.  

Jess Annison - Parent Governor                                                                          Term of Office: 08/11/2024 – 07/11/2028 

I’m mum to a child in Year 2 and am keen to play my part as a parent governor, to help create the brilliant and happy school our children deserve. There’s clearly a great deal of resolve and energy (from teachers, the MAT and parents) to help the school improve and – ultimately – flourish. I will work to ensure that the school is helping every child achieve their potential (whatever their starting point), whilst getting the right balance between academic success and all-important social, life and wellbeing skills. I will encourage greater engagement from the governing body to parents on the stuff that really matters, including visibility of key statistics (whilst recognising they only paint part of the picture).

I’m a self-employed leadership coach, mainly supporting public sector leaders and teams. Previously I’ve had a 15-year career in organisational change and major projects, in the Civil Service and education sectors. I’ve also been a community governor (i.e. non-parent) at a local primary school and am honoured to now play a similar role for my own child’s school.

Alison Penwell – Staff Governor                                                                           Term of Office: 01/09/2024 – 31/08/2028

Toni Sohal - Parent Governor                                                                                 Term of Office: 08/11/2024 - 07/11/2025

I am a mum to a child in Foundation and am very excited and passionate about my role as a Parent Governor. I believe that every child has the right to succeed and be offered an inclusive education which gives them every chance to succeed and be able to achieve to their fullest potential. I am a firm believer in children experiencing a broad and balanced curriculum to cater for all talents and areas of interest. Among our children at Deanshanger Primary we may have the next musical composer, ground-breaking scientist, astronaut or prime minister and ensuring the children have a range of experiences and opportunities to grow these dreams is important to me. 

I have been a primary school teacher in Milton Keynes for over 15 years and am currently an Assistant Headteacher at Giffard Park Primary School. I am a strong advocate for all stakeholders working collaboratively to make a school the best possible place it can be. Working closely with staff, parents and other governors with respect and trust is vital to allowing the school and our children to thrive. 

Lindsay Grainger - Trust Governor                                                                           Term of Office: 05/02/2025 - 04/02/2029

I am a qualified Primary school teacher with almost 13 years’ experience teaching in a variety of classrooms, from mainstream to a Pupil Referral Unit and Special Needs schools. During my time teaching I have worked with mainstream schools to give support for children with additional needs and worked with teachers on behaviour strategies. I have also worked with children with a range of additional needs moderate learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning disabilities as well as children with Autism and ADHD.

I am a mum of 2 who are both adopted. When we adopted our oldest I gave up teaching to be a stay at home parent and this gives me precious time to watch them grow and help in their development. As a parent of a child with additional needs I have been able to use my knowledge in order to get him the right support as early as possible. My son started at Deanshanger Primary in September and I feel this is my chance to give something back and support him in a different way. We are from a neighbouring village but I chose Deanshanger for him as I could see all the opportunities he would have here. It is an amazing school with so many facilities that will support children to thrive. As a parent governor, I feel privileged to have the chance to work alongside and support the wonderfully passionate staff and leaders at Deanshanger Primary School.