Governance

Local Governance Committee

The Local Governance Committee support the Trustees to fulfil their responsibility for oversight of each school within the Trust, acting as the eyes and ears of the board at local level. Their role is more focused than that of a traditional school governing body. The SAST central team manages – finance, HR, Estates, IT, and others.

The Governors’ responsibility is to monitor and scrutinise teaching and learning, welfare, and safeguarding issues. They provide challenge and support to the Headteachers and senior leadership team, and represent the Trust to local stakeholders – parents, students, staff and the community. Two representatives of each Local Governance Committee are elected from among that school’s parents, while a further representative will be elected by the staff. The Headteacher is ex officio. The remaining representatives are appointed by the Trustees following recommendation from the Governors and Headteacher, based on skills and experience, or in our Church of England academies, the Diocese of Salisbury and the Diocese of Bath & Wells receive and consider nominations and appoint. Ex ‘VA’ schools must have a majority of foundation representatives and ex ‘VC’ 25% of representatives must be foundation. Each Governor is appointed for a term of four years, after which time, Governor representatives, with agreement from the Diocese or Trustees, may agree to renewal of further term(s).

The Local Governance Committee will meet at the beginning of each full term (three times a year), plus an additional meeting to review published exam performance. Typically, this additional meeting will take place during the summer term for primary schools, once the SATS results have been published, whereas for secondary schools, this meeting will take place during the autumn term.

Local Governance Committee 2025/2026:

The clerk to the Governors is Caz Earley and she can be contacted at caz.earley@sast.org.uk.

Local Governance Committee Members:
Yvonne Bright – Chair/Foundation Governor/SEND Governor
Sarah Darlington – Vice Chair/Trust Appointed Governor/School Improvement Governor
Jim Gower – Headteacher
Natalie Adams – Trust Appointed Governor/Safeguarding Governor
Sally Palmer – Trust Appointed – Parent Governor
Gemma Stunt – Trust Appointed – Parent Governor
Tom Crassweller – Trust Appointed – Staff Governor
Leigh Fisher – Foundation Governor/Careers Governor
Neil Grenyer  – Foundation Governor
Julia Massey – Foundation Governor/Community Governor
Cath Moore – Trust Appointed Governor
Julie Philpin – Trust Appointed Governor
Matthew Punch – Trust Appointed Governor

Meeting dates for 2026/2027:

17.09.2026
12.11.2026
04.03.2027
24.06.2027

Documents:

Register of Attendance at Academy Committee Meetings 2025-26Download Register of Business Interests and Terms of Office 2026-27Download

“Governors integrate the Christian vision into excellent management of all aspects of the school.” – SIAMS – 2022