The Kemnal Academies Trust is one of the largest Multi-Academy Trusts in the South and East of England with 45 Special, Primary, Secondary and All Through Academies in the TKAT Family.

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Governance

TKAT is a multi-academy trust which was established on 1st September 2010.  Its constitution is set out in the Articles of Association and this is shared with individual academies via the Scheme of Delegation. TKAT have, through the Scheme of Delegation, established Local Governing Bodies for each of the Academies.

The Members protect our Charitable and Educational objectives, including the ethos of the Trust. They appoint the Trustees to the TKAT Board, and hold annual and extraordinary general meetings.

The TKAT Members are: Raymond Vooght, Matthew Wilson and The Diocese of Canterbury Academies Company Limited, represented by Quentin Roper.     

Please click here to view a PDF of our Structure

For further details including Declarations of Business Interests, please select the sections below for Trustees and Members.

The TKAT Board

The legal powers and responsibilities of the Trust are held with the TKAT Board Trustees, who are accountable to the Department for Education.

We have a strong Board, with a healthy balance of corporate and educational professionals, who are each able to bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. As a group, the Board sets the overall strategic direction of the Trust.

They scrutinise, challenge and support our educational and operational performance data, stability and emerging risks and opportunities. The Board delegates certain powers and duties to our Local Governing Bodies.

This delegation is explained in our Scheme of Delegation (SoD)

We have a healthy balance of corporate and educational professionals who are each able to bring different perspectives and ideas to the table.

Human Resources Committee

The Human Resources Committee (previously named Remuneration and Nominations Committee) is a committee of the TKAT Board.  The Board has established the Committee to support it in its responsibilities for ensuring the highest standards of corporate governance in the remuneration and succession planning of the Chief Executive (CEO) and Senior Managers of TKAT, and oversee people, inclusion and culture strategies. Meetings are held four times a year. 

For Terms of Reference please click here
Members: Mrs G Bagley, Mr S Judge, Mrs K Poulton, Miss C Robins OBE, Dr K Roberts.

Audit and Risk Committee

The Audit and Risk Committee is a committee of the TKAT Board. The Board has established the Committee to support it in the discharge of its responsibilities for financial systems, operational controls, governance and risk, including health and safety, at TKAT and all its academies.

For Terms of Reference please click here.

Members: Mr M Swyny (Chair of Committee), Mrs G Bagley, Mr S Box, Mr S Judge

Finance and Sustainability Committee

The Finance and Sustainability Committee (previously named Finance Committee) is a Committee of the Board of TKAT.  The Finance Committee meet at least three times a year.   The Board has established the Committee to support it in the discharge of its responsibilities for financial scrutiny and oversight at TKAT and all its academies.

For Terms of Reference, please click here

Members:  Mr P Baines (Chair of Committee), Mr M Swyny, Miss C Robins OBE, Dr K Roberts

Education Committee

The Education Committee (previously named the Performance and Risk Committee) is a Committee of the Board of TKAT.  Meetings are held at regular intervals at least four times a year.  The Board has established the Committee to support it in the discharge of its responsibilities to provide a high standard of education and duty of care to every student in its academies within available resources.

For Terms of Reference, please click here

Members:  Mr S Judge (Chair of Committee), all Trustees take part in this committee.

Link Trustees

The following Trustees have been appointed to link roles:

  • Safeguarding - Mark Swyny
  • Whistleblowing - Gaenor Bagley
  • SEN - Claire Robins OBE

Our Local Governing Bodies know their schools well and provide Trustees with an independent local voice. They combine a passion to make a difference, with common sense, and a unique perspective. This means their challenge and support compliments how the Board holds schools to account. They have the flexibility to structure and organise themselves in ways that best benefit their community and stakeholders.

The TKAT Board has delegated 4 key responsibilities to Local Governing Bodies:
  • Represent the Academy’s local community and stakeholders by ensuring that the Academy’s policies and practice meet the community’s needs. This includes ensuring appropriate and effective parent engagement and communication.
  • Ensure that the Academy’s long term vision reflects the needs of its community beyond current postholders and is in line with TKAT’s vision and values.
  • Support Directors of Education to improve Academy outcomes.
  • Support the school’s Senior Leadership Team to ensure staffing is efficient and effective.

The Local Governing Body of each of the Academies is responsible for fulfilling the strategic and operational governance role in the conduct of the Academy.

Below you will find a list of all TKAT Academies along with links to details on their Local Governing Body.
 

TKAT Primary Academies

Broadfield Primary Academy  Chair: Ciara Coppinger (interim)
Dame Janet Primary Academy Chair: Vanessa Ray
Drapers Mills Primary Academy  Chair: Roger Silk
East Wickham Primary Academy  Chair: Mike Jeffers
Front Lawn Primary Academy Chair: Mia Payne (interim)
Gray’s Farm Primary Academy  Chair: Daniel Momah
Heybridge Primary School Chair: Chris Westall
Hilltop Primary School Chair: Helen Scothern
Horizon Primary Academy Chair: Natalie Willbourn
Maldon Primary Chair:  David Churchill
Napier Community Primary & Nursery Academy Chair: Matthew Childs
Newlands Primary School  Chair:  Georgina Glover
Northdown Primary Academy Chair:  Jack Packman
Pebsham Primary Academy Chair:  Julia Fuller
Portfield Primary Academy Chair:  Helen Seear
Pluckley CofE Primary Academy Chair: Joanne Alexander (interim)
Ore Village Primary Academy Chair: Julian van Kan
Royal Park Primary Academy Chair:  Susan Manzi
Salmestone Primary School Chair: Vanessa Ray (interim)
Seal Primary Academy Chair:  Andrew Jenkins
Seymour Primary School Chair:  Kim Medhurst (interim)
Shenstone Primary School Chair: Janine Wooster
Smarden Primary School Chair: Claire Summers
Stapleford Abbotts Primary Chair: James Lillingston
Tangmere Primary Academy Chair:  Andrew Jenkins
The Bewbush Academy Chair: Jeremy Woodley (interim)
The Mill Primary Academy Chair:  Ann Woolfe (interim)
The Oaks Primary School Chair:  Ryan Sallows
Weyfield Primary Academy Chair:  Latha Parvataneni
Willow Brook Primary Chair:  Sharon Finegold

TKAT Secondary Academies

Bridgemary School Chair:  Sven Latham (interim)
Chichester High School Chair:  Jo Bailey
Cleeve Park School Chair: Andy Thompson
Cleeve Meadow School Chair: Sundeep Hothi
Debden Park High School Chair: Dallas Alexandrou
Havant Academy Chair:  Debbie Hick
Hylands School Chair:  Peter Travis
Kemnal Technology College  Chair: Catherine Shepherd (interim)
King Harold Business & Enterprise Academy Chair: Helen Chalkley
Miltoncross Academy Chair: Sian Brown
Orchards Academy Chair:  Dick Brown
Rainham School for Girls Chair:  Kathy Moon
The Academy, Selsey Chair:  Simon Foster
Thomas Bennett Community College Chair:  Charlie Chalaye
Welling School Chair:  Natalie Willbourn
 

 

Name Type Responsibility Attendence %
(AC Year 23/24)

Karen Roberts
Start: 1/9/13

Trustee

CEO

Appointed by Trustees

Board
Education Committee
Finance Committee

HR Committee

100%
100%
100%

100%

Declarations of Interest including transactions to 31st August 2024:
Ms Diane Roberts (Sister) – Contract of employment at Rainham School for Girls since 26.11.2012

Member of Summit Learning Trust since 29th September 2020. no transactions with TKAT

 

 

Name Type Responsibility Attendence %
(AC Year 23/24)

Gaenor Bagley

Current term:
16/03/21 to 15/03/25

Start: 16/03/17

Trustee

Appointed by Trustees

Chair of Trustees

Board
Education Committee
Audit Committee
HR Committee

 

100%
100%
100%
100%

Declarations of Interest including transactions to 31st August 2024:

  • Non Executive Director of Zopa Bank Ltd since December 1998, no transactions with TKAT.
  • Deputy Chair of Council, Cambridge University, since January 2020, no transactions with TKAT
  • Non Executive Director of the National Audit Office, from January 2021, no transactions with TKAT
  • Non Executive Director of Octopus Titan VCT PLC (Investment trust) since June 2021, no transactions with TKAT.
 

 

Name Type Responsibility Attendence %
(AC Year 23/24)

Peter Baines

Current term:
16/03/21 to 15/03/25

Start: 16/03/17

Trustee

Appointed by Trustees

Vice Chair of Trustees

Board

Education

Finance Committee (Chair)

 

100%

100%

100%

Declarations of Interest including transactions to 31st August 2024:

  • Director/Chair of Action Tutoring, a Tutoring charity, since June 2015
 

 

Name Type Responsibility Attendence %
(AC Year 23/24)

Simon Judge

Current term:
13/10/20 to 12/10/24

Start: 13/10/2020

Trustee

Appointed by Members

Board

Audit

HR

Education

100%

100%

100%

100%

Declarations of Interest including transactions to 31st August 2024:

  • Trustee of London Diocese Board for Schools since January 2019
  • Governor and Trustee of City Literary Adult Education College, London, since March 2020.
  • Trustee of Volunteering Matters, since April 2020
  • No transactions with TKAT.
 

 

Name Type Responsibility Attendence %
(AC Year 23/24)

Mark Swyny

Current term:
13/10/20 to 12/10/24

Start: 13/10/2020

Trustee

Appointed by Members

Board

Education

Audit (Chair)

Finance

100%

100%

100%

100%

Declarations of Interest including transactions to 31st August 2024:

  • Director/owner of Bramblewood Solutions Ltd (Business Consultancy) since March 2019.
  • Director of Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, since July 2021
  • Non Exec Director of Supply Chain Co-ordination Ltd (NHS Health care), since 1st January 2023.
  • No transactions with TKAT.
 

 

Name

Type Responsibility Attendence %
(AC Year 22/23)

Claire Robins OBE

Current term:
13/10/20 to 12/10/24

Start: 13/10/2020

Trustee

Appointed by Members

Board

Education

Finance

HR (Chair)

88%

83%

75%

100%

Declarations of Interest including transactions to 31st August 2024:

  • CEO of Scholars Education Trust since September 2012
  • Director of Atlas Academies Trust since July 2018
  • Director of Alban Teaching School Alliance since July 2013
  • No transactions with TKAT.
 

 

Name Type Responsibility Attendence %
(AC Year 23/24)

Stephen Box

Current term:
14/11/23 to 13/11/27

Start: 14/11/2023

Trustee

Appointed by Trustees 

Board

Education

Audit

83%

100%

100%

Declarations of Interest including transactions to 31st August 2024:

  • Vice Chair of Governors (since Sept 2020) and Trustee (since Sept 2019) for Waddesdon School.  No transactions with TKAT.
  • Trustee (since Sept 2016) and member (since Sept 2019) for Insignis Academy Trust. No transactions with TKAT.

  • Trustee of Vache Baroque (Promotion of understanding of Baroque music) since June 22.  No transactions with TKAT.

  • Trustee and Treasurer of IHolmer Green Baptist Church since Sept 2023.  No transactions with TKAT.

 
Name Type Responsibility Attendence %
(AC Year 22/23)

Karen Poulton

Current term:
5/12/23 to 4/12/27

Start: 5/12/2023

Trustee

Appointed by Members

Board

Education

HR

83%

100%

100%

Declarations of Interest including transactions to 31st August 2024:

  • None
 
Name Type Responsibility Attendence %
(AC Year 23/24)

Raymond Vooght

Start: 17/08/2010

Member

 

100%

Declarations of Interest including transactions to 31st August 2024:
None
 


 

Name Type Responsibility Attendence %
(AC Year 23/24)

The Diocese of Canterbury Academies Trust

represented by Quentin Roper

Start: 19/12/2012

Diocesan Member

 

100%

Declarations of Interest including transactions to 31st August 2024:

For Quentin Roper:

  • Director of The Diocese of Canterbury Academies Co Ltd since September 2012
  • Governor of St Edmunds School, Canterbury, since 17 March 2016
  • All have had no transactions with TKAT.
  • Director of Ethos School Improvement Ltd since 2 March 2012, transactions totalling £265.00 Sept 23 to Aug 24

The Diocese of Canterbury Academies Company Ltd (DCACL) controls the following educational institutions, none of which have transacted with TKAT.

  • The Diocese of Canterbury Academies Trust, since 12.05.2014 (Appoints 50% of Members)
  • Tenterden Schools’ Trust Education, since 01.12.2016 (Appoints 25% of Members)
  • Stour Academy Trust Education, since 14.08.2012 (Appoints 25% of Members)
  • Christ Church CE Academy Trust, Folkestone, since 04.01.2013 (Appoints up to 25% of Members)
  • St, Mary’s CE Academy Trust, Folkestone, since 08.01.2013 (Appoints 25% of Members)
  • St. Eanswythe’s CE Academy, Folkestone, since 08.01.2013 (Appoints 25% of Members)
  • St. John’s CE Academy, Maidstone, since 12.10.2011 (Appoints 25% of Members)
  • Christ Church CE Junior, Ramsgate, since 18.06.2013 (Appoints 25% of Members)
  • Our Community Multi-Academy Trust, since 29.06.2017 (appoints 60% of Members)
  • Deal Education Alliance for Learning Trust, since 19.10.2018 (Appoints 40% of Members)
 

 

 

Name Type Responsibility Attendence %
(AC Year 23/24)

Matthew Wilson

Start: 26/2/2022

Member

 

100%

Declarations of Interest including transactions to 31st August 2024:

  • Director of HS Advisors Ltd, a management consultancy to finance sector businesses, since December 2000
  • Director of DeaconCapital Ltd, wealth management, since December 2013
  • Director of DeaconCapital Club 1 Ltd, wealth management, since October 2019
  • Director of DeaconCapital  Holding UK Ltd, wealth management, since August 2021
  • Director of DeaconCapital International Ltd, wealth management, since June 2023
  • None of the above transacted with TKAT or its academies.

 

 

   

Name Type Responsibility Attendence %
(AC Year 22/23)

Claire Lee

Start: 21/09/2015

Company Secretary

 

100%

Declarations of Interest including transactions to 31st August 2023:

  • Kevin Lee (Husband) Owner of K&C Books and Gifts since September 2002
  • Clerk to Governors at Rainham Girls, since September 2002.
  • No transactions with TKAT.
 

 

There have been no Trustee leavers during 2023/24

 

Name Type Responsibility

Attendence %
(AC Year 22/23)

Sarah Jacobs

Start: 13/9/2022

Left: 5/1/2024

Member

 

67%

Declarations of Interest including transactions to 31st August 2023:
None