Governing Body | Kedington Primary Academy

Welcome to our Governing Body

Meet the Governors

	Kathryn Umande I have been a Parent Governor since April 2021. I have two children at Kedington Primary Academy, one who has just started in Reception and one who is about to leave Year 6. I am an Operations Finance Manager at Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute which is a department within the University of Cambridge. My team, along with the grants team, are responsible for the smooth running of the Institute's diverse portfolio of funding held within our scientific research community. We moved to the area 7 years ago and have always really enjoyed the community feel within Kedington Primary Academy. I am very excited to become part of the team of Governors supporting such a wonderful school. In my spare time I like to do all things creative, including baking, papercrafts, interior design and upscaling furniture.
	Dan Betson I have been a Community Governor since January 2022. I’ve always held a keen interest in education and learning, and I’m a qualified Primary School Teacher with a degree in education. I’m currently working as an ‘Educational Resource Designer’ for Mindsets (UK) LTD, a company based in Saffron Walden, where I create both physical resources and digital content for students and teachers alike. Being a Governor is something that I had considered doing for a number of years, so naturally I jumped at the opportunity when it arose. I hope to become a useful asset to both the School and the Governing Body. My partner and I moved to Kedington in 2017, with our two black cats, Nala and Simba. We also now have a daughter who will be ready to join the school in a few years. Outside of work, I enjoy many different hobbies, ranging from painting, to cooking, to playing various musical instruments.
	Gideon Kamya-Lukoda CEng MCIHT I have been a Community Governor since January 2020, and have since taken on a specialist role as the Health & Safety Governor. I am an Associate Director at a London based global management consultancy firm, with a focus on the engineering, technology and construction sector. We have lived in the village of Kedington since late 2018, with three of our four children all attending school at Kedington Primary Academy - and the fourth a few years away from joining the school as well. I always hoped to contribute to society as a School Governor, and I am lucky to have been given the opportunity to contribute to the Academy's success in the years to come. My interests are largely in sports, and I have played rugby both at an amateur and semi-professional level in the national leagues, as well as holding the Rugby Union Level 2 coaching certification. However, weekend activities for the little ones, and work commitments during the working week, have reduced my involvement in sport in recent years.
	Katrina Feakes I joined the Kedington Primary Academy Governing Body as a Parent Governor in April 2021. Currently, I have a son in year three and a daughter due to start at Kedington in September. We moved to Kedington in 2014 and absolutely love being in the village and part of the community. One of the reasons why we chose to move to Kedington was because of the school and it’s positive reputation. I am a year 5/6 class teacher and PHSEE lead at at local village primary school. Having taught for eighteen years, mainly in Haverhill at primary and middle schools, I have seen lots of changes in education and within the town and local area. As a teacher, I have held many roles such as SENCO, Assistant Head and Alternate Designated Safeguarding Lead and have taught children from the age of eight through to thirteen. I am hoping that some of my own knowledge will help and support during my term as Parent Governor. I am excited and feel privileged to be part of the Kedington team.

	Vicky Doherty Headteacher and Staff Governor
	Emma Tolley Teacher and Staff Governor
	Andy Hunter Headteacher at Samuel Ward Academy

Kedington Primary Academy is part of the Unity Schools Partnership multi-academy trust. Information about the trust’s members and board of directors can be found on the trust’s website.

Kedington Primary Academy Local Governing Board.

Composition

Kedington Primary Academy local governing body (LGB) has 9 members. It is appointed by the academy trust board and is a committee of the trust board. The LGB includes:

2 elected Parent Governors
2 Staff Governors, one of which is the Principal/Headteacher and the other elected,
5 Community governors appointed by the trust, 1 of which is identified by the Trust from the wider MAT community.

Responsibilities

The Department for Education states that governing bodies have three core strategic functions. For an academy within the trust, these three core functions will be shared with the trust as follows:

Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;

The trust is responsible for setting the vision for the whole trust and the academies within it.

Each LGB is responsible for ensuring implementation of the vision and ethos within their own academy. The ethos should reflect the Trust values. The Academy Improvement Plan should reflect impact of the trust strategic direction within the academy.

Holding the Principal/Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the academy and its pupils;

This is a shared responsibility. The LGB is responsible for assisting with the recruitment and selection of the principal with the employer; the trust board having final approval. The board expects the Chief Executive and her/his team to work with the LGB on appointments.

Similarly, the LGB is responsible for assisting the Chief Executive in the performance management of the principal.

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

The LGB is responsible for recommendations about the academy’s annual budget and monitoring expenditure against the agreed budget. Some financial decisions will be recommended by the LGB and need board approval. These are set out in the schedule of delegation.

The Trust's scheme of delegation can be found on the Trust's website by clicking here.