Governance

Governors are one of the largest volunteer forces in the country and have an important part to play in raising standards in schools.

At our academy, and across the Co-op Academies Trust, governors are known as Community Council Members (CCMs) who make up the Academy Community Council (ACC). Our CCMs include representatives of staff, parents, our sponsor The Co-op and members of the community.

Could you join us as a parent or community CCM?

Please complete the expression of interest form here and our Governance Team will contact you to talk more about the role.

Introduction to our Academy Community Council

We are a part of the Co-op Academies Trust, which is a multi academy trust. Our Trust Board is legally responsible for the effective running of the whole Trust. To learn more about trust-level governance, please visit our Trust’s central website here.
Our Academy Community Council (ACC) is made up of our Community Council Members (CCMs) who are responsible for ensuring a high-quality student experience that meets the needs of our local community. Learn more about them below.

How our Academy Community Council is organised

The Academy Community Council (ACC) consists of 8 to 12 Community Council Members (CCMs), of which between 2 and 4 are appointed by the sponsor. In addition, the ACC includes 2 staff CCMs, 2 parent CCMs and the Headteacher. The ACC can then appoint a number of community CCMs to be representative of the local community, provide insight into local partnership links, or bring a particular set of skills.

Contacting Community Council Members

Community Council Members can be contacted by writing to the Governance Officer for the academy at:

Lynda Podmore

Co-op Academy of Stoke-on-Trent
Westport Road
Tunstall
Stoke-on-Trent
ST6 4LD

lynda.podmore@coopacademies.co.uk

Our Community Council Members

Helen Oakley (Chair of the ACC)

Having joined the Co-op Group in August 2020, I currently work as Financial Controller of Nisa, the Co-op’s Wholesale business. After completing a Modern Language degree, I trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant and have since pursued a career in business, mostly in the retail sector, leading teams across finance, warehousing, and logistics.

I have always been passionate about helping young people fulfil their potential. I volunteer as a mentor and trustee of ‘The Gettalife Project’, a small charity enabling high-quality apprenticeship opportunities across the North West, and in 2017 was a founder trustee of a charity supporting looked after children and foster families.

I have served as a high school governor for the past 11 years; first as finance link governor in a newly created academy and then as a member of the school improvement board of an inner-city academy in Greater Manchester. I hope to draw on that experience to lead the Academy Community Council and to support and challenge the Senior Leadership team at this already highly successful school.

Full Name	Helen Oakley
Date of appointment	17/03/2022
Term of office	4 years
Category of CCM	Sponsor; Chair of the ACC
Appointed by	Appointed by the sponsor
Subcommittee membership (2024-2025)	None
Declarations of Interest	Employee of the Co-op Group Ltd since 20 April 2021
Attendance at Academy Community Council meetings (2024-2025)	3/3
Attendance at subcommittee meetings (2024-2025)	n/a

Andy Greenhough

I’m the Director of Employer Engagement at Stoke-on-Trent College and I’ve been a Governor at the Academy since May 2014. I’ve lived in the north of the City all my life and I’m passionate about the impact that the Academy can have on our community. I’m eager to use the knowledge I’ve gained from 17 years working in employment, education and training to help the Academy to be innovative whilst maintaining the highest standards. Like everyone involved in the Academy I want our students to achieve in a safe, aspirational and supportive environment.

Full Name	Andy Greenough
Date of appointment	01/09/2024 (Reappointment)
Term of office	4 years
Category of CCM	Community
Appointed by	Appointed by the Academy Community Council
Subcommittee membership (2024-2025)	None
Declarations of interest	None
Attendance at Academy Community Council meetings (2024-2025)	3/3
Attendance at subcommittee meetings (2024-2025)	n/a

Jayne Crowe

Full Name	Jayne Crowe
Date of appointment	22/10/2022
Term of office	4 years
Category of CCM	Sponsor
Appointed by	Appointed by the sponsor
Subcommittee membership (2024-2025)	None
Declarations of Interest	None
Attendance at Academy Community Council meetings (2024-2025)	3/3
Attendance at subcommittee meetings (2024-2025)	n/a

Adrian Rowley

Full Name	Adrian Rowley
Date of appointment	09/03/2020
Term of office	4 years
Category of CCM	Sponsor
Appointed by	Appointed by the sponsor
Subcommittee membership (2024-2025)	None
Declarations of Interest	None
Attendance at Academy Community Council meetings (2024-2025)	1/3
Attendance at subcommittee meetings (2024-2025)	n/a

Shane Richardson

Full Name	Shane Richardson
Date of appointment	22/06/2020
Term of office	n/a
Category of CCM	Ex-officio
Appointed by	By virtue of appointment as Headteacher
Subcommittee membership (2024-2025)	None
Declarations of Interest	None
Attendance at Academy Community Council meetings (2024-2025)	3/3
Attendance at subcommittee meetings (2024-2025)	n/a

Tom Hutchinson

Full Name	Tom Hutchinson
Date of appointment	27/01/2022
Term of office	4 years
Category of CCM	Community
Appointed by	Appointed by the Academy Community Council
Subcommittee membership (2024-2025)	None
Declarations of Interest	None
Attendance at Academy Community Council meetings (2024-2025)	2/3
Attendance at subcommittee meetings (2024-2025)	n/a

James Eagney

Full Name	James Eagney
Date of appointment	21/06/2022
Term of office	4 years
Category of CCM	Community
Appointed by	Appointed by the Academy Community Council
Subcommittee membership (2024-2025)	None
Declarations of Interest	None
Attendance at Academy Community Council meetings (2024-2025)	1/3
Attendance at subcommittee meetings (2024-2025)	n/a

Michelle Aitken

Full Name	Michelle Aitken
Date of appointment	01/12/2022
Term of office	4 years
Category of CCM	Staff
Appointed by	Elected by staff
Subcommittee membership (2024-2025)	None
Declarations of Interest	None
Attendance at Academy Community Council meetings (2024-2025)	2/3
Attendance at subcommittee meetings (2024-2025)	n/a

Nkita Weldon

Full Name	Nkita Weldon
Date of appointment	02/11/2023
Term of office	4 years
Category of CCM	Community
Appointed by	Appointment by the Academy Community Council
Subcommittee membership (2024-2025)	None
Declarations of Interest	I work for Teach First, and education charity. This involves mentoring ITT trainees int the Stoke-on-Trent area.
Attendance at Academy Community Council meetings (2024-2025)	2/3
Attendance at subcommittee meetings (2024-2025)	n/a

Parvaiz Akhtar

Full Name	Parvaiz Akhtar
Date of appointment	16/05/2024
Term of office	4 years
Category of CCM	Parent
Appointed by	Elected by parents/carers
Subcommittee membership (2024-2025)	None
Declarations of Interest	None
Attendance at Academy Community Council meetings (2024-2025)	2/3
Attendance at subcommittee meetings (2024-2025)	n/a

Alex Shafer

Full Name	Alex Shafer
Date of appointment	09/07/2024
Term of office	4 years
Category of CCM	Community
Appointed by	Appointment by the Academy Community Council
Subcommittee membership (2024-2025)	None
Declarations of Interest	None
Attendance at Academy Community Council meetings (2024-2025)	1/3
Attendance at subcommittee meetings (2024-2025)	n/a

Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent