Academy Council

Wicklea Academy is part of the Cabot Learning Federation, a multi-academy trust that is responsible for a number of academies across Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. Governance for a multi-academy trust operates at two levels. At trust level, there is a Board of Directors. The directors are accountable to the Department for Education and external government agencies, including the Charity Commission, for the quality of the education the trust provides and the effective use of the associated academy funding. They are required to have systems in place through which they can assure themselves of quality, financial probity, safety and good practice. The Board is provided assurance on a number of these areas through various sub-committees, as shown in the diagram below.

At a local level, each academy has an Academy Council comprising of up to 13 Academy Councillors. Academy Councils are responsible for holding Principals and their leadership teams to account for the quality and effectiveness of the academic experience of the students under their care with the aim of securing effective school improvement. They do this through monitoring performance against an annual academy improvement plan, through monitoring risks and responses to risks, and by overseeing systems and processes for the safeguarding of children and the health, safety and wellbeing of academy staff.

Chair of Interim Executive Board

Huw Grove, Chair of Academy Council

I am currently a Local Academy Councillor for Woodlands, as well as the Chair at Wicklea Academy.

I am retired and previously worked in the financial services industry for over 30 years.

More recently, I was the Chair at Brislington Cricket Club for six years, where I am still a trustee. I also enjoy playing golf (badly) and travelling away on our holidays.

I joined the team of local Academy Councillors at Woodlands Academy in 2020 and have thoroughly enjoyed my time being part of the governing body. I am looking forward to working closely with everyone involved at both Woodlands and Wicklea over the coming years.

Interim Executive Board Members

Zsuzsanna Cooke, Local Academy Councillor

I am a teaching assistant at Woodlands Academy. I have only recently started dipping my toes into governance and my main aim is to contribute towards the effective operation of Wicklea Academy as well as bettering myself as an educational professional. My designated areas are equality and whistleblowing. I am interested in learning languages and in my free time I like to enjoy the great outdoors with my two children. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know everyone within the wider trust and I am looking forward to working with and learning from my brilliant colleagues in the future.

Stephen Pratt, Local Academy Councillor

I am a Parent Academy Councilor for Wicklea Academy, and have the designated area of Safeguarding.

I have worked in charities and support services for the last 17 years, as a support worker and manager, supporting people who experience issues with mental health, homelessness, offending and substance misuse.

I have recently joined as a Local Academy Councilor as my son is a pupil at Wicklea Academy and I wanted to support the school to be able to provide the best possible education for him and all the other pupils that attend.

In my spare time I love to spend time with family, volunteer for a men's Mental Fitness charity, and enjoy playing guitar.

Jamie Conn, Local Academy Council

Katherine Brockett, Elected Staff Member