DARTMOUTH ACADEMY Interim Advisory Committee

MORE ABOUT ACADEMIES SOUTHWEST

The Board of the Academies South West MAT (Multi Academy Trust) is made up of people from across the local area, some with a background in education and others who are independent people with appropriate experience.

A sharper focus for Governance: message from David Arnold, Chairman of Academies South West

The Board of Academies South West (ASW) met earlier this week to review governance arrangements. The Board recognised the substantial progress that had already been made by the new Acting Principal, Tina Graham. The ASW Board decided that to support the Acting Principal and embed improvement it would appoint a highly qualified Advisory Committee. ASW is committed to making sure that Dartmouth has a thriving and successful school to serve the needs of our community. In order to support that process of rapid improvement, governance has been streamlined and focused on the key priority of raising standards to an outstanding level. A new Interim Advisory Committee is being formed under the chairmanship of Bob Mitchell, who has been Principal of two outstanding secondary schools, and the Vice-Chair, Mel Easter, who led her primary school in Brixham to outstanding. They will be joined by parent and community members and will provide the challenge and support that will help on our journey towards becoming a good and then outstanding Academy.

Interim Advisory Committee members

Bob Mitchell – Chair

Bob Mitchell had a successful career of 25 years in Senior Leadership, including 18 years in Headship, running two schools. His first Headship culminated in an ‘Outstanding’ judgement from OFSTED and was reported as one of the top 100 schools Inspected in that year. His second Headship was a large 11-18 Comprehensive School which also gained an ‘Outstanding’ judgement. Bob is an LLE and works with the NCTL on succession planning for ‘Aspiring Head teachers’ and other programmes: he is also an Education Consultant working with a range of organisations in Devon and Cornwall on school improvement; a ‘School Improvement Partner’ for secondary schools and is the Strategic Director of Leading Schools South West [LSSW].

Mel Easter – Vice Chair

I moved to Dartmouth 30 years ago and have taught and held leadership roles in both the South Hams and Torbay.

Recently retired as Head of a Brixham Primary School judged “outstanding” in its last Inspection.

Currently acting as an Independent Educational consultant working with

University of Plymouth Natural Connections research Project
Assessor for Basic skills Quality Mark
School Improvement support for individual schools

Previous Experience includes

DEVON Local Authority - Primary Advisory Teacher

TORBAY Unitary authority - Early Years / Primary Phase Advisor

National College Teaching and Leadership -Support for Newly qualified Head teachers and Local Leader in Education.

Governor of Brixham College

Alex Clark – Parent

I have a background in higher education and I am particularly interested in the policy agenda and the aim of raising academic standards. Prior to taking early retirement I was a Curriculum and Quality Manager at the University of Highlands and Islands. I have taught on early year’s degree degrees and postgraduate Master's degree in management and leadership. I live in Dartmouth and have a son at Dartmouth Academy in Year 8.'

Kellie Knott – Parent

Kellie Knott moved to Dartmouth in 2009 and currently lives in Townstal. She has 2 children, aged 4 and 11, who both attend Dartmouth Academy and understands how important it is for parent/carers to feel confident about where their children go to school. Kellie put herself forward to become a school governor in March 2015, in order to make a difference for the children and young people in the local community, ensuring they reach their full life potential.

Kellie currently works as a Project Change Manager for Devon County Council and has spent the last 6 years working in Children and Young Peoples Services, successfully delivering changes in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), Early Help for vulnerable families and preparing for adulthood for young people who require care and support post 18.

Welcome

DARTMOUTH ACADEMY Interim Advisory Committee