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Trust Governance Arrangements

The Thomas Deacon Education Trust (TDET) is the legal entity which promotes and sponsors Academies within the Group. The Trust has established a clear organisational structure with identified lines of accountability and reporting for all its operations. This includes defining the responsibilities of the Trust Board and those responsibilities delegated to its committees and officers within the Trust.

Thomas Deacon Education Trust - Governance Structure (tdet.education)

Thomas Deacon Education Trust - Statutory Agreements (tdet.education)

Thomas Deacon Education Trust - Annual Reports (tdet.education)

Scheme of Delegation

The responsibilities of the Board and its sub-committees are set out in the Trust’s Scheme of Delegation. The Trust Board has agreed Terms of Reference for each sub-committee.

Academy Committee Body

Each Academy within the Trust has an Academy Committee (AC) that provides oversight at a local level. The remit and terms of reference are established by the Trust Board and meet at least 6 times a year.

The Academy Committee has Three Key Roles
 

To provide a strategic view of where the Academy is heading
To act as a critical friend to the Academy
To hold the Academy to account for the educational standards it achieves and the quality of education it provides

Membership of the AC includes the Academy Principal, parents and other members of the community with skills suited to undertaking the key roles outlined above.

Governance at QKA

The Board of Governors are:

  • Tom Baldwin – Chair of Governors
  • Cherry Crowley - Vice Chair
  • Liz Knight
  • Petr Torak
  • Dawn Bendall
  • Jamie Carter
  • Tony Walton
  • Becky Ford

 

Pen Portraits:

Liz Knight

Liz has been the Academic Director at University Centre Peterborough since 2012. As a Peterborian, she has a passion for improving education in the city and encouraging widening participation and life-long learning. She started her teaching career at Peterborough Regional College, and held positions as Head of Arts and Science. Liz is a qualified teacher and holds higher qualifications in Education and post-graduate research. In her spare time she enjoys gardening and is a member of the National Trust and CAMRA.

Liz Knight

 

Tom Baldwin

I joined the Academy Committee at QKA at the end of 2018. I knew from my early teens that I wanted to share my love of words, literature and the arts in general; I also realised it was important to entertain and not be a bore! So, needing an audience to practise on, a teacher I had to be! I have worked in schools and colleges my entire professional career. After graduation, my first 10 years as a young teacher were spent in Africa and the West Indies. In the UK, I taught in grammar schools, comprehensive schools, colleges and [latterly] at university, teaching teachers.

In my last ten years [before retirement] I taught, lectured, wrote and published.

I have witnessed many changes to UK educational organisation over the years: grammar/secondary modern schools; the comprehensive school revolution; foundation schools; the growth of the academy system. Such seismic changes bring huge logistical and organisational problems. But I believe three essential elements contribute to helping young people learn and achieve their hopes and ambitions: the quality of the teacher; the size of the class; a consistent and fully resourced whole-school approach to learning whether students are streamed or taught in mixed ability groups.

QKA is a vibrant and exciting place to be, reflecting a diverse and talented population which brings a wealth of different life experiences to this area of Peterborough. One of my chief interests has been in the organisation and support of all students in these complex and challenging times. I am impressed with the range and quality of the many strategies QKA has in place for all students, from individual support systems, to an enriched curriculum and the involvement of outside agencies. I look forward to playing my part as QKA develops these strategies.

Tom Baldwin

 

Dawn Bendall

My name is Dawn Bendall and I have been an Academy Committee Member at Queen Katharine Academy for almost 2 years. 

I have two happy children in the school, and I am a strong supporter of the school’s ethos and principles.

I enjoy being part of a team that challenges the school to perform to the best of its ability to ensure that all children leave having reached their full potential.

Dawn Bendall

 

Cherry Crowley

I am a retired secondary school head teacher who currently enjoys supporting Queen Katharine Academy and life with family and friends in London and North Norfolk. I joined QKA as a Academy Committee Member in March 2018.

I spent ten years as head teacher of Flegg High School in Norfolk during which time the school enjoyed success for outstanding pastoral care, enrichment and student leadership. Flegg High was Child Line’s training school for East Anglia and won acclaim for its peer support and anti- bullying strategies. Keen to pursue work that developed resilience in young people, I set up my own charity after taking early retirement in 2009. I led visits to Kenya for Norfolk teenagers where they engaged in community work and took part in student leadership training. Approximately 500 Norfolk teenagers benefitted from the charity during six years.

I am impressed by the creativity and warmth of QKA and stimulated by the rich and diverse intake the academy nurtures. I enjoy working with the staff at QKA to develop further their teaching and student initiatives.

Cherry Crowley

 

Jamie Carter I attended school here back when it was Walton Comprehensive. Straight after leaving school in 2002, I joined the Army and served with the 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment for 5 years. I deployed to Basra, Iraq in 2005 and Helmand Province, Afghanistan   in 2007. I made it as far as Lance Corporal and was sniper in my last role.
          
In 2008, I left the Army but had to re-enlist following the financial crash and subsequent difficulty in finding stable work. I realised at this time that I would need to get my head back in the books and study. I spent the next 8 years working at RAF Wittering and Merville Barracks in Colchester, where I worked in armed security and studied my degree in English through the Open University.
          
After graduating from University, I worked in the Passport Office in Peterborough. I was accepted on the civil service graduate programme called the Fast Stream which aims to place people with potential into senior management roles.  
          
Whilst on the Fast Stream, I have worked at the Department for Education as the Deputy Lead of the Strategic Workforce Planning Team. I was loaned out to the Department for International Trade to help deliver a new Wellbeing Plan to help keep our negotiators   around the world happy and engaged in the run up to Brexit. I am now working from Peterborough Magistrates Court as a HR Business Partner providing strategic assistance to the National Probation Service across three counties..
          
I decided that it was time for me to give something back. My own experience has shown me the importance and value of a good education. It made sense for me to give up my spare time to help govern the school my two children are attending.

 

Petr Torak

Petr Torák MBE is a Czech-British honorary consul of the Czech Republic in the United Kingdom and a former police officer. He is of Roma origin. His police work was centred on Czech and Slovak Roma people, the issues they face, and wider questions arising from their migration to England. In 2015, Torák was appointed MBE for "services to the Roma community".

Petr Torak

 

Tony Walton    
Becky Ford Becky is Headteacher of Warboys Academy and has overall leadership & management of the school including strategic planning and development. 

Becky Ford

 

 

 


Name

D Bendall

T Walton

C Crowley

B Ford

T Baldwin

P Torak

L Knight

Term of Office

13 Dec 2024

 

 13 Dec 2025

4 Jul 2026

 

13 Dec 2025

 

5 Dec 2026

 

7 Feb 2026

24 May 2025

 

Date of Appointment

13 Dec 2018

 

14 Dec 2021

 

01 May 2018

 

14 Dec 2021

 

 01 Dec 2018

08 Feb 2022

 

25 May 2021

 

Date they stepped down (where applicable)

 N/A

Ongoing

 N/A 

Ongoing

 N/A 

Ongoing

 N/A 

Ongoing

 N/A 

Ongoing

 N/A 

Ongoing

 N/A 

Ongoing

Appointed by

ACM

ACM

TDET  

 TDET 

ACM

ACM

ACM

Nature of Business Interest

Parent

Manufacturing

Education

Education

Education

Charity

Education

Status

Committee Member

Committee Member

Vice Chair of Governors

Committee Member

Chair of Governors

Committee Member

Committee Member

 

 

Ex-Officio: Jane Driver

 

Chair of Governors: Mr Tom Baldwin

Address: 

Queen Katharine Academy
Mountsteven Ave
Walton
Peterborough
Cambridgeshire
PE4 6HX

Email: info@qka.education

Tel: 01733 383888

 

Clerk Contact details: isabel.clark@peterborough.gov.uk

TDET Register of Interests: Thomas Deacon Education Trust - Register of Interest (tdet.education)