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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 07542114.  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 and policies 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.

Members of the Trust

  • Geraldine Vassell

  • Patricia Salami

  • Richard Hill

    Chair of Directors

  • Fiona Fearon

    Academy Council Chair for Beulah Infant School

  • Ian Patterson

    Co-opted Director Chair of PAT Finance Committee

Geraldine Vassell

Term of Service started:

1st September 2017

Patricia Salami

Term of Service started:

28th March 2017

Richard Hill

Responsibilities:

Chair of Directors

Fiona Fearon

Term of Service started:

15th December 2017

Term of Service ends:

14th December 2024

Responsibilities:

Academy Council Chair for 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.

Directors of the Trust

  • Richard Hill

    Chair of Directors

  • Gary Griffin

    Co-opted Director

  • Nina Pogossova

    Co-opted Director Member of PAT finance committee

  • Xavier Villers

    Co-opted Director Member of PAT finance Committee

  • Marnie Hayward

  • Tracey Markham

  • Katy Bennett

Richard Hill

Responsibilities:

Chair of Directors

Gary Griffin

Term of Service started:

12th March 2019

Term of Service ends:

12th March 2023

Responsibilities:

Co-opted Director

Gary was until very recently Head Master at Immanuel College, Bushey.  He is currently a Governor at Chelsea Academy with particular responsibility for Staff Welfare and Pupil Personal development & Inclusion and a member of the Students & Curriculum Committee.  Also a Trustee on the Board of Management at the Royal Alexandra and Albert School in Reigate.

Gary has over thirty years expertise in school leadership.  During this time he led on school management, current educational developments and policies, governance and safeguarding.

Nina Pogossova

Term of Service started:

16th December 2016

Term of Service ends:

15th December 2024

Responsibilities:

Co-opted Director Member of PAT finance committee

Nina’s experience lies in International strategy and business development having been a start-up executive across multiple industries.
Nina is a Cambridge Enterprise mentor, an angel investor and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.  She has a BSc in Economics and Philosophy from City University and BSc in International Economic Relations from The Finance Academy.
Having been born in the Soviet Union, Nina is a strong believer in equal access to education and is delighted to contribute to the development of the Trust.

Xavier Villers

Term of Service started:

1st September 2021

Term of Service ends:

31st August 2024

Responsibilities:

Co-opted Director Member of PAT finance Committee

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.

Marnie Hayward

Tracey Markham

Katy Bennett

Structure

The Trust is currently organised according to the following structure:

Members:

Geri Vassell, Patricia Salami, Richard Hill, Fiona Fearon

Trustees (Directors):

See current list in block above.

Committees:

  • Full Directors: Chair – Richard Hill;
  • Finance, Remuneration & Resources: Chair – Xavier Villers

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.

 

First published on 28th July, 2017 and modified 3rd December, 2024

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