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Academy Council Information

  • Sharon Russell

    Staff Member: Head of School, Ex-Officio

  • Lynne Sampson

    Executive Principal. School leadership, HR Director role, Recruitment, Governance, Ofsted, Safeguarding lead, Admissions

  • Rachel Wildblood

    Community Member

  • Sean Dyer

    Community Member

  • Carlos Cruz Mosquera

    Parent Member

  • Katherine Vik

    Parent member

  • Simone Hinds-Tucker

    Parent Member

  • Amber Staniforth

    Staff Member

  • Celina Nolan

    Chair

  • Andrew Gee

    Parent Member

  • Stephanie Larkman

    Teacher Member

Sharon Russell

Responsibilities:

Staff Member: Head of School, Ex-Officio

Lynne Sampson

Responsibilities:

Executive Principal. School leadership, HR Director role, Recruitment, Governance, Ofsted, Safeguarding lead, Admissions

Lynne has been working in education since 1986, starting her career in the London Borough of Bexley. After teaching at two schools in three key stages she moved to Whitehorse Manor Infants becoming the deputy in 1992 and the head in 1997.  In 2007 the school was judged to be outstanding and following that she was asked by the DfE to become a Local Leader in Education and support schools in difficulty.

In 2010 she was a founding Executive Principal setting up The Pegasus Academy Trust with Whitehorse Infants, Whitehorse Juniors and Ecclesbourne Primary School as the first schools in the Trust.

Rachel Wildblood

Term of Service ends:

October 2024

Responsibilities:

Community Member

Sean Dyer

Term of Service ends:

October 2024

Responsibilities:

Community Member

Carlos Cruz Mosquera

Term of Service ends:

October 2024

Responsibilities:

Parent Member

Katherine Vik

Responsibilities:

Parent member

Simone Hinds-Tucker

Term of Service ends:

February 2024

Responsibilities:

Parent Member

Amber Staniforth

Responsibilities:

Staff Member

Celina Nolan

Term of Service started:

July 2021

Term of Service ends:

July 2025

Responsibilities:

Chair

Andrew Gee

Term of Service started:

October 2022

Term of Service ends:

October 2026

Responsibilities:

Parent Member

Stephanie Larkman

Term of Service ends:

October 2026

Responsibilities:

Teacher Member

Frequently asked questions about Academy Councils

Pegasus is a Multi Academy Trust (MAT), governed overall by a Board of Directors and then a separate Academy Council for each school.

What is a MAC?
The three letters stand for ‘Member of the Academy Council’

What is the Academy Council?
The Academy Council consists of:

  1. Up to 5 x Community MACs
  2. 2 x Staff MACs
  3. Heads of School
  4. Up to 4 x Parent MACs
  5. Up to 2 x Board Representatives.

Alongside the heads of School the Academy Council is responsible for monitoring key aspects of each school’s performance – specifically:

  1. Outcomes for children and learners;
  2. Quality of teaching, learning and assessment;
  3. Behaviour and welfare (including safeguarding)

What does a MAC do?
A Member of the Academy Council (MAC) acts as a school governor, though there are differences: For example, in the Pegasus Academy Trust MACs don’t have any financial responsibilities as the executive group have this responsibility. MACs act as ‘critical friend’ to the school, supporting governance and strategy. Parent MACs specifically represent the parents of the school. A MAC may have responsibility for a particular year group and area, for example Pupil Premium or Safeguarding.

How do I become a MAC?
Parent MACs are elected for a four year period and fresh elections take place whenever terms expire.  Community MACs are appointed by the Academy Council themselves and may be local councillors etc. (not normally parents).  Staff elect their own representatives.

How can I contact a MAC?
You can contact MACs via the school e-mail address marked ‘For attention of [name of governor] or speak to any of us (photos above) on the playgrounds before or after school

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ACADEMY COUNCIL

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 10th July, 2017 and modified 9th March, 2023

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