Governance
The Academy is part of the University of Brighton Academies Trust, a multi-academy trust which is sponsored by the University of Brighton.
The trust’s Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for the educational and financial performance of all of the academies in the trust; the trustees are the statutory governors of each academy and the company directors and charitable trustees of the University of Brighton Academies Trust.
Further information about the University of Brighton Academies Trust’s governance arrangements, including its Board of Trustees, Scheme of Delegation, Articles of Association and Funding Agreement, are available on the Trust’s website.
A series of committees, including a Local Governing Body for each academy (or group of academies), supports the Board of Trustees in fulfilling its responsibilities.
The Local Governing Body
Local Governors are volunteers representing different aspects of the academy community including parents/carers, staff and local people. Governors monitor the implementation of the trust’s vision, values and mission in the context of the academy and consider regular strategic reports on many aspects of academy life. They are responsible for keeping the academy at the heart of the community, maintaining strong community links and effective communication with all stakeholders, including the Board of Trustees.
Governors ensure the celebration of staff, pupils and parents and carers is a priority to the academy. They are also responsible for monitoring pupil outcomes, admissions, complaints and concerns.
Local Governing Body members can be contacted through email at office@blackthornsprimaryacademy.org.uk or in writing c/o the academy. Local Governing Body meeting minutes are available on request.
Contribute to education in your community
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Co-opted members nominated by the Local Board: |
Kathryn Smith |
| Parent representatives, elected by the parents of each Academy: |
Jen Naiff |
| Staff representatives, elected by the staff of the Academy: |
Cate Jago |
|
Academy Lead Principal: |
Marcus Still |
| Associate Members |
Chris Jowett Matt King |
| Clerk to the Local Board: | Kathy Jerbi |
Who is on the Local Governing Body?
Our Local Governing Body is made up of people from different groups within our community, including parents, teachers and people from business backgrounds and the local community.
We give direction and focus to life at Blackthorns by performing a vital strategic role as a committee of the University of Brighton Academies Trust Board of Trustees. The day-to-day management of Blackthorns is the responsibility of the Principal. The values and vision for leading our school are shared between the Trust, the local board, the Principal and the senior leadership team.
Governance key documents
How to become a Governor
We always need people who:
- care about and are committed to our children’s learning and well-being
- are keen to help all children in our school make progress
- want to make an important contribution to our local community
- enjoy a challenging but rewarding role.
There are no qualifications, either academic or otherwise, needed to become a Govenor. Govenors have to be over 18 years of age. A Board Member must be a good listener, and someone who is able to read and assimilate information easily.
In addition, a Governor must be able to:
- raise questions and participate in discussion and decision making
- be discrete, open-minded and fair
- be a source of ideas and a good communicator
- be enthusiastic about the work of the school
- be prepared to participate in its life.
If you are interested in becoming a Governor, please contact governance@brightonacademiestrust.org.uk