Governors
The local governing board (LGB) exists to provide strong strategic leadership to a school, ensuring accountability for its educational performance. The Board is made up of members of our community, parents, staff and local businesses. Some functions of the LGB include:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
- Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the performance management of staff.
Our Trustees ensure that Oak Learning Partnership Trust is operating in accordance with the provisions of the Articles of Association and the Scheme of Delegation.
The Board of Trustees is the accountable body for the performance of all schools within the Oak Learning Partnership Trust.
Trustees:
- Ensure that the Trust has a firm strategic direction, well-defined aims and objectives, and a strong ethos.
- Ensure that the CEO accounts to them for the educational performance of the schools and their pupils, and for staff performance.
- Scrutinise the financial performance of the Trust, ensuring financial probity and value for money.
The Local Governing Body at Elms Bank
Our model is the same as the other schools across the Oak Learning Partnership. Members of this board are appointed by the CEO and the Executive Team and all appointments are ratified by Trustees. The local governors support our Headteachers and report to Trustees.
The local governors have a specific focus on the quality of education at each school. They support the Executive Headteacher and leadership team to devise and monitor the priorities for school improvement as laid down in the School Development Plan.
Across the school year the local governors board meet five times and focus on the following areas:
· Quality of the curriculum, teaching and pupil outcomes
· Quality of pupil behaviour and personal development
· Attendance
· Quality of leadership and management
· Safeguarding
· Pupil premium strategy
· Stakeholder engagement
Meeting dates:
6 October 2025
2 February 2026
18 May 2026
29 June 2026
Governing Body
Mr James Franklin-Smith - Chief Executive Officer
Name: Mr James Franklin-Smith
Governor Type: Associated Member
Position: Chief Executive Officer
Start of Term of Office: 01 September 2021
End of Term of Office: N/A
Date Became a Governor: 01 September 2021
Appointed by: The Trust
Voting Rights: N/A
Business interests: CEO of OAK LP
Relationships with school staff including spouses, partners and relatives: No
Any other educational establishments governed: Yes
Mrs Catherine Dent - Acting Headteacher
Name: Mrs Catherine Dent
Governor Type: Acting Headteacher
Position: Acting Headteacher
Start of Term of Office: 01 July 2025
End of Term of Office:
Date Became a Governor: 01 July 2025
Appointed by: The Trust
Voting Rights: N/A
Business interests: Acting Headteacher
Relationships with school staff including spouses, partners and relatives:
Any other educational establishments governed:
Mrs Orienne Langley-Sadler - Executive Director of Education
Name: Mrs Orienne Langley-Sadler
Governor Type: Associate Member
Position: Executive Director of Education
Start of Term of Office: N/A
End of Term of Office: N/A
Date Became a Governor: 06 January 2014
Appointed by: N/A
Voting Rights: N/A
Business interests: Director of Education OAK LP
Relationships with school staff including spouses, partners and relatives: No
Any other educational establishments governed: No
Mrs Yvette Sullivan - Chair of Governors
Name: Mrs Yvette Sullivan
Governor Type: Co-opted Governor
Position: Chair of Governors
Start of Term of Office: 6 May 2022
End of Term of Office: 6 May 2026
Date Became a Governor: 6 May 2022
Appointed by: The Trust
Voting Rights: Full
Business interests: Work with Bright Futures for NPQs with Best Practice and Teach First. - potential conflict Executive headteacher of Norland and St Mary’s primary schools
Relationships with school staff including spouses, partners and relatives: No
Any other educational establishments governed: Yes
Mrs Mary Freeman - Governor
Name: Mrs Mary Freeman
Governor Type: Co-opted Governor
Position: Governor
Start of Term of Office: 01 September 2015
End of Term of Office: 31 March 2025
Date Became a Governor: 01 June 2014
Appointed by: Governing Body
Voting Rights: Full
Business interests: None
Relationships with school staff including spouses, partners and relatives: No
Any other educational establishments governed: No
Mrs Elaine Cairns - Safeguarding Governor
Name: Mrs Elaine Cairns
Governor Type: Co-opted Governor
Position: Safeguarding Governor
Start of Term of Office: 1 September 2022
End of Term of Office: 1 September 2026
Date Became a Governor: 1 September 2022
Appointed by: The Trust
Voting Rights: Full
Business interests: Teacher at Hazel Wood High School
Relationships with school staff including spouses, partners and relatives: No
Any other educational establishments governed: No
Mrs Emma Lashbrook - Parent Governor
Name: Mrs Emma Lashbrook
Governor Type: Parent Governor
Position: Parent Governor
Start of Term of Office: 23 January 2023
End of Term of Office: 23 January 2027
Date Became a Governor: 23 January 2023
Appointed by: The Parents
Voting Rights: Full
Business interests: None
Relationships with school staff including spouses, partners and relatives: Parent Governor
Any other educational establishments governed:
Mrs Caroline Hirst - Staff Governor
Name: Mrs Caroline Hirst
Governor Type: Staff Governor
Position: Staff Governor
Start of Term of Office: 13 February 2024
End of Term of Office: 13 February 2028
Date Became a Governor: 13 February 2024
Appointed by: The Staff
Voting Rights: Full
Business interests: Staff member
Relationships with school staff including spouses, partners and relatives: Staff Governor
Any other educational establishments governed: No
Mr Adam Sowman - Governor
Name: Mr Adam Sowman
Governor Type: Co-opted Governor
Position: Governor
Start of Term of Office: 18 June 2025
End of Term of Office: 18 June 2029
Date Became a Governor: 18 June 2025
Appointed by: The Trust
Voting Rights: Full
Business interests: None
Relationships with school staff including spouses, partners and relatives:
Any other educational establishments governed: No
Meeting Attendance
| Name | 13 May 2024 | 17 June 2024 | 30 September 2024 | 3 February 2025 | 19 May 2025 | 30 June 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Franklin-Smith | ||||||
| Orienne Langley-Sadler | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Gemma Parkes | Attended | Attended | Attended | |||
| Yvette Sullivan | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | |
| Mary Freeman | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Nick Jones | Attended | Attended | ||||
| Huzma Khan | Attended | Attended | ||||
| Elaine Cairns | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Christine Reynolds | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | ||
| Emma Lashbrook | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | |
| John Cannon | ||||||
| Amanda Darbyshire | Attended | |||||
| Caroline Hirst | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | ||
| Adam Sowman | Attended | |||||
| Catherine Dent | Attended |
Lead Governors
| Lead Governor on | Name | Contact in School |
|---|---|---|
| Governor Safeguarding Lead (GSL) | Mrs E Cairns | K Cass |
| Engagement including behaviour, attendance and anti-bullying | Mrs M Freeman | K Cass |
| Curriculum including CEIAG and Community Links | E Farnworth and C Dent | |
| Wellbeing | Mrs E Lashbrook | K Cass |
| Wellbeing | Mrs C Hirst | K Cass |
| Curriculum including CEIAG | A Morrell, E Farnworth and C Dent |