Directors and Academy Councils
An Academy Trust is a particular type of company, officially called a ‘charitable company limited by guarantee’.
The Trust is registed at Companies’ House with the company number 7542114. Unlike other companies an Academy Trust has no share capital and is required to direct all funds received to achieving the objectives of the Trust.
In the case of the Pegasus Academy Trust, the primary objective – as stated in its articles of association – is ‘to advance for the public benefit education in the United Kingdom’.
Directors of the Trust, like Directors of other companies, are registered at Companies House. Their main duties are described in the Academy Trust handbook as:
- strategic leadership that sets and champions vision, ethos and strategy;
- accountability that drives up educational standards and financial performance;
- people with the right skills, experience, qualities and capacity;
- structures that reinforce clearly defined roles and responsibilities;
- compliance with statutory and contractual requirements;
- evaluation of governance to monitor and improve its quality and impact
You can see minutes and agendas of the Board of Directors on our ‘Statutory Information’ pages here
Company information
We are legally required to file certain documents, including full annual accounts, at Companies House and members of the public may check the information held there by going to their search page and entering our company number – 07542114.
Directors of the Trust
-
Emma Whapham
Chair of Directors. Appointed (co-opted) by Board of Trustees -
Richard Hill
Chair WHINF and WHJUN MACs -
Ian Patterson
Co-opted Director Chair of PAT Finance Committee -
Gary Griffin
Co-opted Director -
Lynne Sampson
Board Representative: Executive Principal, Ex-Officio -
Jolyon Roberts
CEO, Executive Principal, Ex-Officio Director -
Jo Ridge
Chief Financial Officer, Business Strategic Lead Company Secretary -
Nina Pogossova
Co-opted Director -
Shelley Davies
Appointed (co-opted) by academy members -
Fiona Fearon
Academy Council Chair for Beulah Infant School -
Sasha Henry-Crawford
-
Xavier Villers

Emma Whapham
Term of Service started:
13th December 2019
Term of Service ends:
12th December 2023
Responsibilities:
Chair of Directors. Appointed (co-opted) by Board of Trustees
I am a mum of a toddler, a local Croydon resident and a senior HR Professional. I grew up in South East London and moved to the Croydon area in 2018 with an interest to support the local community. I have been able to do so through being a governor. I joined the governing board of Thornton Heath Nursery school in March 2019, becoming the Chair of Governors there later that year. I joined the Board of Directors at Pegasus Academy Trust late 2019. Professionally, over the last 10+ years, I have worked across the full spectrum of Human Resources activities in the Retail industry and now in the Wine and Spirits industry. In my current role I am responsible for Talent and Development.”

Richard Hill
Term of Service started:
1st May 2020
Term of Service ends:
31st August 2023
Responsibilities:
Chair WHINF and WHJUN MACs
Send EmailI graduated from Sheffield University in 1969 with a maths degree and gained a masters degree in computer science from London University in 1972.
I spent most of my career working for BT in their computer system development department retiring in 1996. On leaving BT I worked for the London Borough of Croydon in the Governor Services Team before retiring for the final time in July 2010.
I first became a governor at the Whitehorse Manor Schools in 1994 and was elected as chair of the governing body in 1996. I have been chair of the governing bodies of the schools since that time.
In 2011 I was involved in setting up the Pegasus Academy Trust became a director and was elected as the first chair of the board of directors.
Since 2011 I have been chair of the academy councils of Whitehorse Manor Infant School and Whitehorse Manor Junior School. Between February 2011 and August 2014 I served on the academy council of Ecclesbourne Primary School and since September 2014 I have been a member of the academy council of Beulah Infant School.

Ian Patterson
Term of Service started:
16th December 2016
Term of Service ends:
15th December 2024
Responsibilities:
Co-opted Director Chair of PAT Finance Committee
I spent my entire career working in the finance sector, latterly as a regional director for the south east of England based in Croydon specialising in the SME sector. I have been a director of the Pegasus Academy Trust since December 2016, and chair the Finance Committee. I am also a qualified business mentor and serve as a governor in the secondary sector.

Gary Griffin
Term of Service started:
12th March 2019
Term of Service ends:
12th March 2023
Responsibilities:
Co-opted Director

Lynne Sampson
Responsibilities:
Board Representative: Executive Principal, Ex-Officio

Jolyon Roberts
Term of Service started:
1st April 2011
Responsibilities:
CEO, Executive Principal, Ex-Officio Director
Jolyon began working in London schools when he graduated in 1989 and since then has worked continuously in the capital in the London Boroughs of Lewisham, Wandsworth and now Croydon. He joined Whitehorse Manor Junior School as Headteacher in 2004 and was instrumental in setting up the Pegasus Academy Trust in 2011 – the first primary MAT in Croydon – where he became one of the founding Executive Principals. Jolyon worked for London Challenge as a consultant and as part of this very successful project was able to work with school leaders to improve primary schools all over South London. He is the primary school leader on the Croydon Headteachers’ Association and has Chaired Croydon School’s Forum for a decade.

Jo Ridge
Responsibilities:
Chief Financial Officer, Business Strategic Lead Company Secretary
Send Email
Nina Pogossova
Term of Service started:
16th December 2016
Term of Service ends:
15th December 2024
Responsibilities:
Co-opted Director

Shelley Davies
Term of Service started:
14th May 2019
Term of Service ends:
14th May 2023
Responsibilities:
Appointed (co-opted) by academy members

Fiona Fearon
Term of Service started:
15th December 2017
Term of Service ends:
14th December 2021
Responsibilities:
Academy Council Chair for Beulah Infant School

Sasha Henry-Crawford
Term of Service started:
1 September 2021
Term of Service ends:
31 August 2024
Over the past two decades, I’ve worked in marketing and commercial roles ranging from financial services to my current industry transport and logistics, where I lead a broad product portfolio. I’ve also led community-based organisations and charities across the UK with a key focus on education, health and minority ethnic groups.
I’m currently an Advisor to ‘NoTurningBack2020’ – which seeks to increase representation of black, Asian and minority ethnic groups in the marketing and communications industry. I hold a BSc. in International Relations and Economics and two postgraduate degrees in Marketing. I’m currently undertaking a professional doctorate degree in Business Administration.

Xavier Villers
Term of Service started:
1st September 2021
Term of Service ends:
31st August 2024
I graduated from Oxford University in 1980, and spent my working career in the insurance industry in the City of London specialising in the marine sector, and extreme risks. I now hold a number of non-executive roles in finance, charity, and education. I have been a non-executive director for four years of a company which runs two independent, not for profit, primary schools in London prior to joining the board of Pegasus Academy Trust. I have also resumed my own education, and recently completed a master’s degree in historical studies focusing on seventeenth century English history.
Structure
The Trust is currently organised according to the following structure:
Members: Geri Vassell, Patricia Salami, Richard Hill
Trustees (Directors): See current list in block above.
Committees:
- Full Directors: Chair – Richard Hill;
- Finance, Remuneration & Resources: Chair – Ian Patterson
Other committees such as:
- Disciplinary Committee;
- Appeals Committee;
- Complaints Committee
… are convened from members of the Board of Directors and/or MACs as required.
Board of Directors Attendance & Pecuniary Interests
Academy Councils
Each school in the Trust has its own Academy Council. The Academy Council is responsible for monitoring key aspects of each school’s performance namely:
- Outcomes for children and learners;
- Quality of teaching, learning and assessment;
- Behaviour and welfare (including safeguarding);
- Ethos and values (and how they match the Trust’s overall values statements)
Members of the Academy Councils (MACs) are expected to establish for themselves what is happening in their schools and to ensure that they receive evidence on these key aspects from a variety of sources. A budget is set aside by Directors so that, when required, Academy Councils may commission their own consultants to give an independent view on areas of concern.
Academy Councils (sometimes known as ‘Local Governing Bodies’) are vital to Directors in ensuring that local voices are properly heard and the have the right to escalate matters to Directors if they vote to do so. Since the formation of the Trust at least one Director has attended each Academy Council so that a quick response can be given where required.