Governance

Slide Background

Futura Learning Partnership is governed by a board of trustees. They are supported by an Academy Governance Committee in each individual school to ensure that we provide high quality education for all and spend public money appropriately.

Our trustees are appointed by the Trust’s members and are accountable to the Department for Education and external government agencies.

The board, with the support of its committees, sets the Trust’s strategic direction. Most operational activity is delegated to the executive leadership team.

OUR MEMBERS

Diocese of Bath and Wells, has been a member since 1st September 2015.

Nigel Hutchings is a retired bank manager and businessman. He worked at Lloyds Bank, Keynsham in the 1980s and was later involved with Business Link West, Bristol Chamber of Commerce and Initiative and the SW Chambers of Commerce. Nigel was a co-founder of Ablaze, a Bristol based education/business charity, and remains chair of the board of trustees. Nigel is a member and past president of Keynsham Rotary, a past member of Keynsham Round Table, and a trustee of Keynsham Charities.

Peter Rilett was the senior partner of KPMG’s Bristol office. A qualified chartered accountant, he has significant experience in the property, construction, printing and leisure sectors. Since retiring, Peter has held a number of board and chair positions in housing, transport, health, business and education, including North Bristol NHS Trust, City of Bristol College, St Monica’s Trust and Bristol Grammar School. He is a member of the Society of Merchant Venturers and was its master in 2012.

Malcolm Broad MBE – Chair of the Trust Board

Malcolm has more than 20 years’ experience as a governor and/or trustee in the maintained and independent sectors. He was appointed a National Leader of Governance in 2016. A former senior commercial manager at HSBC Bank plc, Malcolm co-founded the Ablaze education and business charity in Bristol and was appointed an MBE for services to education in the city. He is chair of the trust finance and estates committee and chair of the Wellsway Multi Academy Trust Trading Company.

OUR BOARD

Andrea Arlidge – Chief Executive

Andrea is the founding chief executive of Wellsway Multi Academy Trust, which was set up in 2014 and became Futura Learning Partnership in September 2021. She has extensive educational experience, including 16 years’ successful headship in three secondary schools. Andrea is a National Leader of Education and holds an Honorary Doctorate awarded by Bath Spa University. She plays a full role as a system leader in the West of England and is a governor at Bristol Grammar School and City of Bristol College.

Malcolm Broad MBE – Chair of the Trust Board

Malcolm has more than 20 years’ experience as a governor and/or trustee in the maintained and independent sectors. He was appointed a National Leader of Governance in 2016. A former senior commercial manager at HSBC Bank plc, Malcolm co-founded the Ablaze education and business charity in Bristol and was appointed an MBE for services to education in the city. He is chair of the trust finance and estates committee and chair of the Wellsway Multi Academy Trust Trading Company.

Jaideep Barot

Jaideep Barot is a co-opted trustee and a member of the education and standards committee. He is headmaster of Bristol Grammar School and previously worked at Marlborough College, Godolphin & Latymer, and Westminster School. He began his teaching career in 1998 after a brief stint in the City. Jaideep is a governor at a school in Dorset, and a school in Shimla, India, and he is also an ISI school inspector.

Michael Flay

Michael is a chartered manager with over ten years of leadership experience in policing and the public sector. He works for Avon and Somerset Constabulary where he is responsible for the organisation’s governance framework and corporate risk management. His experience includes change management, partnership working and senior stakeholder management and he is a member of the Trust’s audit and risk committee. Michael has previously been the general secretary of a regional sporting organisation and has a strong interest in mental health awareness and well being.

Marlene Morley CBE

Marlene is vice chair of the Trust board and chair of the audit and risk committee. She brings to the role her wide experience at the MoD, where she led major projects specialising in people and organisational change. She was awarded the CBE in 2010. Marlene is on the skills group of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership and is leading on the Employability Chartermark, aimed at improving the work readiness of young people leaving school.

Conor Ryan

Conor is chair of the Trust’s education and standards committee. An educational policy and communications specialist and writer, he is currently director of external relations at the Office for Students. He is also a National Foundation for Educational Research trustee. Conor has worked extensively for other national education organisations including the Sutton Trust. He was David Blunkett’s special adviser while he was secretary of state for education and he worked in 10 Downing Street as Tony Blair’s special adviser on education.

Deborah Robinson

Deborah Robinson is an experienced legal and governance professional with experience in the commercial, charity and higher education sectors. Recent posts were at the British Council, SOAS University of London and the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester. Outside work, she has been a director of the commercial arm of the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust and volunteers for Iford Arts. She is a member of the audit and risk committee.

Susan Robbins

Susan is chair of the HR committee. A former teacher and local government officer, she is an independent education consultant with six local authorities, with specialisms including school organisation, admissions and transport.

Claire Savory

Claire is the Director of Education and Deputy CEO at the Gloucestershire Learning Alliance, a multi-academy trust of eight primary schools. Her leadership experience spans 20 years and as a head teacher she has achieved outstanding judgments in three Ofsted inspections. Claire is a National Leader of Education working across the South West, a facilitator for the NPQH and NPQSL qualifications, and is supporting the new regional school improvement network group. She is a member of the education and standards committee.

Graham Shaw

Graham was a partner in a national law firm TLT Solicitors, specialising in employment and professional conduct law until he retired. Before studying law, he was a teacher, latterly as head of faculty and head of resources in a Northamptonshire comprehensive school. He holds an advanced diploma in education management and was formerly a parent governor at his daughter’s school in Northampton. He is chair of the governance committee.

Neil Simpson – Member of the HR Committee. Trustee since 1st April 2014.

Neil is a consultant paediatrician and the medical director of Sirona Care and Health, an independent non-profit distributing organisation providing publicly-funded health and social care services. He is a member of the HR committee.

John Thompson

John has held senior management roles in a range of businesses over more than 20 years. He is an executive director on the board of Wessex Water Services Limited. During his varied career, John has developed a track record of creating a positive inclusive team culture, supporting people development and providing strong commercial growth. He is an active community volunteer and a qualified rugby coach and referee. John is a member of the finance and estates committee.

Sian Yates

Sian, a member of the HR committee, has worked in HR roles in financial services, insurance, and fin-tech organisations for more than two decades. She is currently global Head of People Services & Delivery at Computershare in Bristol.

Sian has over 10 years’ experience as a school governor for Victoria Park Primary school, is also a trustee for the Cathedral Schools Trust.