Local Committee (LC)

Ashley CofE Primary School is an academy in the Good Shepherd Trust (GST).

The GST is a multi-academy trust (MAT) within the Diocese of Guildford. More information about the GST can be found here.

The functions of the Trust Board of the Good Shepherd Trust are to lead strategy development, hold the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and his team to account, operate within financial constraints, define an overall vision for GST schools, meet the governance compliance required by law and create a strong, effective governance structure on the board and in schools. To view The Good Shepherd Trust Board membership, click here.

Please click here to view the Trust Financial Reporting information.

The members of the LC, the Headteacher and staff work together constantly to improve the quality of the education we provide to our children and to promote Christian values in all aspects of school life.

All LC members are appointed by the Trust and are expected to perform their duties in accordance with a Code of Conduct. Declarations of interest are declared and reviewed at each LC meeting and are available to view at the bottom of this page.

What does an LC do?

The Trust has given the Local Committee (LC) a scheme of delegation which shows what the LC is responsible for.

How often are meetings held?

The Local Committee meets six times per year and all Members are expected to attend. Part 1 (non-confidential) minutes of these meetings are public documents and can be requested from the school office.

Please note that LC meetings are not 'open' meetings.

Who are the LC members at Ashley?

Statutory reporting of members of the Local Committee (including terms of office) is on Get Information About Schools.

Lisa Kent – Chair and General Member (Term of Office: 05.03.2024 onwards)

Jennie Ratcliff – Ex-officio – Headteacher (Term of Office: 19.04.2021 onwards)

Jon Owen – General Member (Term of Office: 26.11.2020 – 25.11.2024)

I have over 20 years of teaching and leadership experience in local independent secondary schools with my present role being an Assistant Principal at Surbiton High School. My present role within the Sixth Form covers a wide portfolio of responsibilities including pastoral care, safeguarding, recruitment and retention as well as being a line-manager for our Careers Department and contributing to the monitoring of teaching and learning across the school. Surbiton High School is part of United Learning and I support academies within our group with improving student access to higher education, especially at the more competitive universities. Outside of work, I enjoy travelling, playing golf (badly) and spending time with my wife and young son.

Dean Furber - Parent Member (Term of Office: 17.05.2021 - 16.05.2025)

Areas of Responsibility: Pupil Premium, Website Compliance

I’ve lived in Walton since 2012 and have two children, one at Ashley and the other a couple of years away from school age. I’ve been active as a school governor in Walton for several years, first at Grovelands where I went on to chair the governing board, and now as a parent member of the Ashley LC. I have a keen interest in ensuring that all the children at Ashley have a great experience at school and get the best possible start. I’m particularly focused on closing the attainment gap and helping to ensure that the school gets the most from the Pupil Premium funding.

Michael O'Connor - Parent Member (Term of Office: 05.03.2024 - 04.03.2028)

William Webb - Community member (Term of Office: 26.09.2024 - 25.09.2028

What are the different types of membership?

Headteacher (ex-officio);
Parent members, elected by parents of registered pupils at the academy and must be a parent of a pupil at the academy at the time of the election, or appointed by the GST;
Staff elected member, one member of the school staff from each school as a representative of the staff, normally appointed by ballot;
General members.

A term of office for a local committee member is four years and a local committee member may serve two terms (8 years) if eligible – parents/staff would have to be re-elected to be eligible.

I'm interested in joining the LC. What should I do?

Firstly, thank you for your interest! Parent members can only be elected where a vacancy exists for a parent member on the LC. If you are not a parent and would like to be considered to be appointed as a general member on the LC, you should contact the Chair (governors@ashley.surrey.sch.uk) to arrange an informal chat about where your strengths and experience might be best used.

Which meetings have members attended?

Information about attendance in the previous academic year can be found by clicking here.

What other interests do LC members hold?

Which members have left over the past 12 months?

Name	Role	Appointed By	From	To
Andy Evans	General Member	The Good Shepherd Trust	26.01.2021	01.02.2024

Where can I find additional information?

Please click here to view the Trust Board Membership webpage

Please click here to view the Governance Information page on Get Information About Schools