Congratulations to Sarah Roads in Portsmouth, as well as Richard Holdsworth and Mike Baker in Kent for achieving the Governor of the Year Award within their regions, and to Peter Martin for his Lifetime Service recognition. The governors across our trust work together to ensure that our schools provide a high-quality education for all students. They hold our leadership teams to account and ensure the good work continues to support young people in being their best selves.
Sarah Roads, who was delighted to receive an award says it is a pleasure to find time to volunteer as a governor despite having a busy life. She said: “Sometimes you wonder what you’re doing it all for whilst managing life and kids, but it truly brings me joy and I love that I am upskilling myself and learning more and more about the education system and the struggles it faces but also being a part of the triumphs.” Richard Holdsworth, who has been a governor since 2017 at The Victory Academy, said: “The highlight of being a governor for me are the visits I make to the school and the opportunity to see for myself the impact it has on students' lives on a daily basis.”
School governors meet as a team for each school within the Thinking Schools Academy Trust up to six times a year to understand and support the ongoing improvement of the school. Many governors have a link role, which relates to an area of their expertise to support the school’s operations best. From supporting teachers with developing an engaging curriculum to looking at parental and pupil engagement, Academy Advisory Boards help in numerous ways. Peter Martin, who is a Governor for New Horizons Children's Academy and Rochester Grammar School - and also on the Board of Directors in Kent - received the Lifetime Service Award. He said: “It has been an honour and a privilege to serve and help the Trust through its growth over the past few years. I have learnt so much about educational matters and the workings of the DfE. “One of the biggest pleasures over the last years has been the people. The Trust has wonderful, dedicated, and committed staff who have children and young people at the heart of what they do, day in and day out. “I do feel that I have made a difference. I would like to thank the people who have nominated me for this honour.”