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Wellspring Governance

Effective governance with robust oversight and assurance enables confident, high-quality leadership. Governors oversee financial, academic and pastoral performance and hold the Trust to account for the support it provides.

Good governance is at the heart of Wellspring. Our governance structures bring rigour, challenge and accountability. Those involved in our governance at all levels share a common objective – a determination to secure the best possible life chances for the children and young people in our care…

Members

Company Director, Deputy Lieutenant for South Yorkshire. Former Non-Executive. Director of Barnsley Building Society (twice Chair). Northern Ambassador for Habitat for Humanity and trustee of various other bodies.

Barry Eldred

Company Director, Deputy Lieutenant for South Yorkshire. Former Non-Executive. Director of Barnsley Building Society (twice Chair). Northern Ambassador for Habitat for Humanity and trustee of various other bodies.
FRICS, Company Director.

Hearl Lenton

FRICS, Company Director.
MBA, Head of Community Delivery, Co-op Group. Chair of Co-op Academies Trust & trustee of the People’s History Museum.

Russell Gill

MBA, Head of Community Delivery, Co-op Group. Chair of Co-op Academies Trust & trustee of the People’s History Museum.
CIPFA MBA. Financial & Business Consultant. Chair of Trust Board. Board appointed.

Cheryl Hobson

CIPFA MBA. Financial & Business Consultant. Chair of Trust Board. Board appointed.

Board of Trustees

CEO & Principal, Barnsley College.

David Akeroyd

CEO & Principal, Barnsley College.
MBA CIPFA , Independent Consultant. Previous Deputy Director of Finance & Strategy, Health Education England. Board appointed.

Jennifer Brearley

MBA CIPFA , Independent Consultant. Previous Deputy Director of Finance & Strategy, Health Education England. Board appointed.
MA. Tax Manager at KPMG. Member Appointed

Luke Sheriff

MA. Tax Manager at KPMG. Member Appointed
Appointed May 2023 - Trustee Appointed - PhD. B.A . Associate Director at Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Dr Helen Pheby

Appointed May 2023 – Trustee Appointed – PhD. B.A . Associate Director at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
LIBF. Vice President – Relationship Director – SME Business Banking at Barclays Bank.

Amarron Frederick

LIBF. Vice President – Relationship Director – SME Business Banking at Barclays Bank.
CIPFA MBA. Financial & Business Consultant. Chair of Trust Board & Wellspring Member. Board appointed.

Cheryl Hobson

CIPFA MBA. Financial & Business Consultant. Chair of Trust Board & Wellspring Member. Board appointed.
B.Education, B.Philosophy, Cert.Teaching. Ofsted Inspector, Educational Consultant & Director Headsupport (UK) Ltd. Lead & Team Inspector Middle East for Educational Development Trust. Member Appointed.

Ken Battye

B.Education, B.Philosophy, Cert.Teaching. Ofsted Inspector, Educational Consultant & Director Headsupport (UK) Ltd. Lead & Team Inspector Middle East for Educational Development Trust. Member Appointed.
National Leader of Education. CEO of Wellspring Academy Trust. Ex-officio.

Mark Wilson

National Leader of Education. CEO of Wellspring Academy Trust. Ex-officio.
Company Director at Textile Mania. Member Appointed.

Matthew Welsh

Company Director at Textile Mania. Member Appointed.
PHD. BA. QTS. Programme Lead - University College London (centre for Education Leadership). Previous Executive Headteacher, University Fellow & System Advisor. Member Appointed.

Dr Andy Hodgkinson

PHD. BA. QTS. Programme Lead – University College London (centre for Education Leadership). Previous Executive Headteacher, University Fellow & System Advisor. Member Appointed.
Reporting & Analytics Manager – Group Internal Audit - BUPA

Konstantinos Vasdokas

Reporting & Analytics Manager – Group Internal Audit – BUPA

Board Scrutiny Committees

Audit & Risk Committee
Finance & Resources Committee
Standards Committee

Trust Functions

Central
Office
Management
Human
Resources
Payroll
Finance
School
Improvement
Internal &
External Audit
Quality
Assurance
Governance

Academies

Academy Name & Location Academy Conversion & Type of Conversion. Type of Academy (Primary/Special/Alternative Provision or Secondary) Ofsted Grade (Executive) Principal in charge of the Academy. Local Governing Body the Academy is part of & their Chair.
The Forest Academy (Barnsley) Sponsored May 2013 Primary Outstanding Feb 2023 Principal
Katie Pierce
Barnsley Primary Partnership LGB Chair: Michael Sanderson
Oakwell Rise Academy (Barnsley) Sponsored Feb 2017 Primary Good Oct 2021 Executive Principal
Jessica Jenkins
Oakhill Primary Academy (Barnsley) Converter Sept 2016 Primary Good July 2019 Principal
Lisa McCarthy
Elements Primary School (Leeds) Free School Sept 2018 Primary Good Jan 2023 Executive Principal
Carrie Green
Bramley & Elements LGB
Phillip Whitehead
Bramley Park Academy (Leeds) Sponsored Nov 2018 Primary Outstanding March 2023
Victoria Primary Academy (Leeds) Converter Nov 2015 Primary Good 27 September 2022 Executive Principal
Jess Jenkins
Ebor & Victoria LGB Chair: Michael Sanderson
Ebor Gardens Primary Academy (Leeds) Converter April 2016 Primary Good March 2019 Principal
Natalie Wathen
Littlecoates Primary Academy (Grimsby) Converter July 2016 Primary Good July 2019 Principal
Neville Wilkinson
Littlecoates LGB Chair: Rosalind Smith
Lacey Gardens Junior Academy (Louth) Converted Nov 2018 Primary Good, Feb 2023 Executive Principal
Emma Beveridge
Lacey & Eastfield LGB Chair: Karl Gabbitas
Eastfield Infants and Nursery Academy (Louth) Converted Nov 2018 Primary Good, June 2023
Sevenhills Alternative Academy (Grimsby) Converter Dec 2014 Alternative provision Good Oct 2023 Executive Principal
Jo Indian
Sevenhills & Phoenix Park LGB Chair: Pete Macleod
Phoenix Park Alternative Academy (Grimsby) Sponsored Dec 2014 Alternative provision Good Sept 2023
Springwell Leeds Academy (Leeds) Sponsored Sept 2016 Special Good            June 2019 Executive Principal
Scott Jacques
Springwell Leeds & Harrogate LGB Chair: Ken Morton
Springwell Harrogate (Harrogate) Transfer April 2020 Alternative Provision Outstanding June 2015
Forest Moor School Sponsored July 2021 Special Requires Improvement September 2019 Governing Group
Green Meadows Academy (Leeds) Sponsored May 2021 Special Not yet inspected Governing Group
Penny Field School (Leeds) Sponsored May 2021 Special Not yet inspected Penny Field LGB
Chair: Chris Graefe
Springwell Alternative Academy Spalding Free School January 2020 Alternative provision Outstanding, September 2023 Executive Principal
Lisa Ashcroft 
Springwell Lincoln City LGB Chair: Tracey Wright
Springwell Alternative Academy Grantham Free School May 2019 Alternative provision Good, September 2022
Springwell Alternative Academy Mablethorpe Free School Sept 2019 Alternative provision Outstanding, Feb 2024
Springwell Alternative Academy Lincoln Free School May 2019 Alternative provision Good, July 2022
Springwell Alternative Academy (Barnsley) Converter Dec 2014 Alternative provision Good May 2023 Executive Principal
Sarah Wilson
Springwell Learning Community & Greenacre  LGB Chair: George Wild
Springwell Special Academy (Barnsley) Converter Dec 2014 Special Good March 2022
Greenacre School (Barnsley) Converter April 2017 Special Outstanding June 2023
Joseph Norton Academy (Huddersfield) Converter Sept 2016 Special Good April 2019 Joseph Norton LGB Chair: Julian Kennett
Beacon Academy (Grimsby) Re-brokerage Sept 2017 Secondary Good Jan 2019 Headteacher
Jason Thurley
Beacon LGB Chair: Joanne Schofield
The Forest School (Knaresborough) Converter April 2020 Special Requires Improvement. Feb 2023 Principal
Shona Crichton
Forest School LGB Chair: Tim Mottram
Horncastle Primary School (Lincolnshire) Converter Sept 2021 Primary Not yet inspected Headteacher
Andy Cook
Horncastle LGB Chair: Kathy Christie
Coomb Briggs Primary Academy (Immingham) Converter February 2023 Primary Not yet inspected Headteacher
Helen Redmond
Coomb Briggs LGB Chair:  Amy Altoft
Trent View College (Scunthorpe) Free School Sept 2023 Special Not yet inspected Principal
Sarah Parker
Trent View LGB Chair: Michael Sayers
Parkside School (Bradford) Converter Sept 2023 Secondary Not yet inspected Principal
Steve Tighe
Governing Group