Governance Overview

We have been part of the NEAT Academy Trust family of schools since 1 April 2017.

The levels of governance in NEAT include:

Members
Non-executive directors/trustees
Local governing committees

Our NEAT Board and committee role overview shows the relationship between the different levels of governance.

Constitution

Our local governing committee has:

Two parent members (elected by parents of pupils at the school)
One staff member (elected by staff of the school)
Headteacher member (ex-officio)
Eight members approved by the NEAT board of directors.

The terms of office of all members are four years, except:

Any co-opted members where the term of office is one year
Ex-officio appointments which are based on the person holding a particular office and continue as long as the person remains in post.

Current Local Governing Committee Members

We also publish profiles of our local governing committee members.

Peter Carter

Trust Member (LGC Chair)

Appointed by NEAT Trust Board: 02.10.17

Re-appointed: 02.10.20

Term of office ends: 01.10.24

Declared interests: Trustee and member – Trinity Academy since August 2017; Director – Blue Flames Conference and Leisure Centre since December 2012

Kelly English

Parent Member

Elected by parents of West Walker Primary School: 16.12.22

Term of office ends: 15.12.26

Declared interests: Employee – NEAT Academy Trust, West Walker Primary School since 01.09.22

Stephen Gittins

Executive Headteacher

Ex-officio position based on role as Headteacher from 01.09.24

Declared interests: tbc

Connor Lawson

Trust Member

Appointed by NEAT Trust Board: 24.07.24

Term of office ends: 23.07.28

Declared interests: Employee – NEAT Academy Trust since 05.01.23

Nicola Lawson

Staff Member

Appointed by West Walker Primary School staff on: 12.12.23

Term of office ends: 11.12.27

Declared interests: Employee – NEAT Academy Trust since 01.09.23

Melanie McEwen

Trust Member

Appointed by NEAT Trust Board: 24.07.24

Term of office ends: 23.07.28

Declared interests: Employee – Hadrian Park Primary School since 02.09.23

Amanda Parry

Trust Member (LGC Co-Vice Chair)

Appointed by NEAT Trust Board: 18.07.23

Term of office ends: 17.07.27

Declared interests: Employee – NHS Business Services Authority; Non-Executive Director – EveryDay Care and Support since 01.08.23

Karen Reiling

Trust Member (LGC Co-Vice Chair)

Appointed by NEAT Trust Board: 24.07.24

Term of office ends: 23.07.28

Declared interests: Employee – Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust since 21.05.21

Former LGC Members in the last 12 months

Angela Campbell

Trust Member (LGC Vice-Chair)

Appointed by NEAT Trust Board: 02.10.17

Re-appointed: 02.10.20

Term of office ended: 01.10.24

Declared interests: Employee – Northumbria University since September 2014; Governor – Beech Hill Primary School since September 2012

Nichola Draper

Headteacher

Ex-officio position based on role as Headteacher from 01.04.17

Term of office ended: 31.08.24

Declared interests: Employee – NEAT Academy Trust, West Walker Primary School since 01.04.17

Claire Fiddes

Parent Member

Appointed by NEAT Trust Board: 11.11.21

Resigned: 03.06.24

Declared interests: Employee – Sam’s Coffee Shop since January 2020

Shayan Gazerani

Trust Member

Appointed by NEAT Trust Board: 02.11.21

Resigned: 24.05.24

Declared interests: Employee – NUFC Foundation since September 2014

Jade Martin

Co-opted Member

Appointed by West Walker LGC: 28.11.23

Resigned: 24.04.24

Declared interests: Governor – Walkergate Community School since 12.07.23; Governor – Hadrian Park Primary School since 04.09.18

Carly Dobson

Trust Member

Appointed by NEAT Trust Board: 02.10.17

Re-appointed: 02.10.20

Resigned: 16.02.24

Declared interests: Employee – Barnados since September 2004

Local Governing Committee Meetings

The Scheme of Delegation of Governance sets out the role and responisibilities of each school’s local governing committee and decisions that the NEAT Board of Directors has delegated to it.