Governance
Governing Body of Freebrough Academy
The governing body has an important role to play in the management of the Academy and the people who are involved come from a variety of backgrounds. Some are nominated by the Academy’s lead sponsor, Teesside University. Others represent the Academy’s Co-Sponsors or Redcar and Cleveland Local Authority. Parents, members of the Academy staff and representatives from the business community also form part of governing body.
| Governor | Category/ Committee membership | Background | Period of Office |
| Professor Liz Holey Chair of Governors | Lead sponsor representative | Former Pro Vice-Chancellor (Quality) and University Secretary at Teesside University | 24/09/14 – 23/09/18 |
| Mrs Heather Ashton | Lead sponsor representative | Group Director of Resources: Thirteen Group | 22/07/14 – 21/07/18 |
| Mr John Baker | Lead sponsor representative Committee membership: Chair: Resources, Employment and Finance | Former Director at SSI UK and trustee of the Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation | 28/03/12 – 27/03/16 |
| Mrs Kendra Pink | Lead sponsor representative Committee membership: Resources, Employment and Finance | Chief Accountant at Teesside University | 29/10/13 – 28/10/17 |
| Ms Patricia White | Lead sponsor representative Committee membership:Chair: Children, Families and Community | Former Deputy Director of Marketing & Student Recruitment at Teesside University | 26/05/14 – 25/05/18 |
| Mrs Linda Halbert | Academy Principal | Principal at Freebrough Academy | 20/04/10 ongoing |
| Vacancy | Educational co-sponsor | ||
| Ms Asma Shaffi | Educational co-sponsor Committee membership: Children, Families and Community | Assistant Principal (Curriculum and Skills) at Prior Pursglove College | 05/11/12 – 04/11/16 |
| Mr Jonathan Anthony | Local Authority co-sponsor | Director of Education Redcar and Cleveland | 26/02/13 – 25/02/17 |
| John Chance | Education partner | Acting Principal at Redcar and Cleveland College | 29/04/15 – 28/04/19 |
| Vacancy | Local Authority representative | ||
| Vacancy | Teaching staff | ||
| Alison Holmes | Support staff Committee membership: Children, Families and Community | Freebrough Academy Lead Pastoral Leader | 22/07/14 – 21/07/18 |
| Mrs Sara Mc Callum Vice Chair of Governors | Parent governor Committee membership: Resources, Employment and Finance | Head Teacher at Whitecliffe Primary School | 01/09/14 – 31/08/18 |
| Vacancy | Parent governor Committee membership: Children, Families and Community |
Governor vacancies:
Local Authority Representative
Teaching staff
Educational co-sponsor
Parent governor Committee membership: Children, Families and Community
Meet some of our Governors
Professor Liz Holey
Professor Liz Holey, recently retired was Pro Vice-Chancellor (Quality) and University Secretary at Teesside University. Professor Holey has worked in a number of higher education institutions as Deputy Dean (Health and Social Care), Assistant Dean (Enterprise), Physiotherapy Subject Lead, Principal and Senior Lecturer, undertaking teaching, research and curriculum development. She has been seconded to strategic health authorities in the NHS three times, as strategic lead for Allied Health Professions and to support design of an education commissioning framework. Professor Holey has experience as a clinical physiotherapist in the NHS, industry and independent practice and is currently a consultant to the International Committee of the Red Cross at its headquarters in Geneva. Professor Holey is a company director of Teesside University Trusts for Academies and of Teesside Education Services for Nurses and Allied Professionals.
Heather Ashton
Currently employed by Thirteen Group ltd, Heather was formerly the Director of Finance at Teesside University. Heather is a CIMA qualified Accountant and she also holds a Diploma in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors. She is a Parent Governor at Prior Pursglove Sixth Form College, a Director on the North Eastern Universities Procurement Consortium and is an Independent Director on the Shadow Group Board for two Social Housing Providers in the North East (Housing Hartlepool and Tristar). Heather is married with two sons and lives in Guisborough, where she and her family are involved in the local Swimming and Rugby clubs. Her favourite pastime has to be walking the dogs along the beach at Marske as she believes the North East coast is the best in the Country.
Pat White
Pat was formerly the Deputy Director of Marketing & Student Recruitment at Teesside University and served at the University, or Polytechnic as it was, for thirty years. Pat was given the responsibility of developing a Schools & Colleges Liaison team in 1992 and this team was an integral part of the Marketing and Student Recruitment Department. Over the past fifteen years Pat has been directly involved in overseeing the delivery of widening participation projects within the region which has involved many agencies and institutions across the North East such as Aimhigher and partner Universities. These collaborations have enjoyed a great deal of success, having raised aspirations and driven up demand in areas such as Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics. Pats hobbies include gardening, reading and dog walking. Pat spends most of her spare time with her family who live in East Cleveland.
Alison Holmes
Alison has worked in a school environment for many years and in many different capacities but is now employed by Freebrough Academy as the Lead Pastoral Leader. As a Governor she is able to use her expertise in behaviour, attendance, safeguarding and inclusion to help further the success of the Academy.
Sara McCallum
Sara has worked in education for 13 years. Starting as a parent helper and progressing through the ranks of teaching assistant, classroom teacher and senior leader she is now the Head Teacher at Whitecliffe Primary School. Prior to beginning her teaching career Sara worked in the business sector managing a range of departments including finance, human resources and engineering. She also worked as a quality consultant improving systems and procedures. Sara brings a variety of skills to her role as Governor particularly in the areas of behaviour, inclusion and the performance management of staff. She takes a keen interest in the Academy due to the majority of children from the primary school she leads going on to attend Freebrough. She is passionate about the Academy working cohesively with primary schools to ensure a smooth transition when the students move from primary school to Freebrough.
Kendra Pink
Kendra is currently employed by our lead sponsor Teesside University as their Chief Accountant. She is responsible for an office of 13 staff and oversees management accounts, financial accounts, treasury management, VAT, research and enterprise. Kendra has worked in the financial sector since leaving college. As well as spending 24 years working for the university she has also worked for the NHS. Kendra is able to draw on her vast wealth of knowledge to support the Academy by being part of the Resources, Employment and Finance Committee – a role which she finds most interesting.
John Baker
My career has spanned 49 years in the steel industry, starting with Dorman Long in 1964, and remaining with the company under its changing ownership to British Steel Corporation, British Steel PLC, Corus and then Tata Steel. I held a number of management positions in the HR function, before taking up the appointment in 1990 as Personnel Manager, Teesside Works. In 1993 I was appointed as Manager, Employee Relations for the General Steels Division, being responsible for leading the management /TU negotiations at national level. I returned to Teesside as HR Director in 2006 remaining in that role until the mothballing of the Teesside Cast Products iron and steel making facility. I joined SSI UK as a Director in June 2011. I joined the Board of Governors at Freebrough Academy in May 2012. I am also a trustee of the Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation, a major charity operating in the Teesside area.
Asma Shaffi
Asma is the Assistant Principal (Curriculum and Skills) at Prior Pursglove College. She has worked in public sector voluntary sector for the past 18 years in the areas of post 16 and post 19 education management comprising funding and quality, widening participation, regeneration and research projects and language services. She has expertise in managing A levels, BTECs, Apprenticeships, Traineeships and curriculum for adults. Asma chairs the Redcar and Cleveland Independent Advisory Group that scrutinises the policies and community relations between the Police and local communities. Asma is keen long distance runner and enjoys listening to music from different countries.
John Chance
John is Acting Principal at Redcar and Cleveland College. John has over 20 years’ experience in the further and higher education sector, specialising in physical activity & health and education management. He has held a number of senior management roles and has significant experience in leading teams through successful OFSTED inspections. In addition he has worked for a number of awarding bodies writing exams and support material. Outside of education John has involvement in a number of businesses including running fitness and outdoor activity events.
Governors Register of Business Interests
The Academy has a statutory duty to maintain and publish a register of business and pecuniary interests of Governors. The register will be reviewed annually but updated for any changes as informed by governors. The Governors register of business interests can be found below.
Governors at Work
Autumn term update
Governors joined members of the Extended Leadership Team for a self-evaluation and planning day in August and from this, key priorities for the Academy Improvement Plan were identified. With a full plan in place, the governors are now monitoring the progress through their committee meetings, focus groups and the Full Governing Body. The governors are really keen to enhance engagement so with this in mind, have a series of visits mapped out across the year providing them with opportunities to meet with members of staff, pupils and parents, hear their views and see first -hand the day to day processes in place to ensure quality first teaching and learning.A recent governor workshop was well attended and part of the time was used to review roles and look at the self – evaluation audit they are currently completing. Actions for further improvement have already been identified. As well as increasing engagement with pupils, staff and parents the governors are looking to strengthen their links with the community, be actively involved in meeting governors from other schools and academies in order to share good practice and continue to develop a governor training programme in order to keep them well informed.
Governors joined members of the Extended Leadership Team for a self-evaluation and planning day in August and from this, key priorities for the Academy Improvement Plan were identified. With a full plan in place, the governors are now monitoring the progress through their committee meetings, focus groups and the Full Governing Body. The governors are really keen to enhance engagement so with this in mind, have a series of visits mapped out across the year providing them with opportunities to meet with members of staff, pupils and parents, hear their views and see first -hand the day to day processes in place to ensure quality first teaching and learning.A recent governor workshop was well attended and part of the time was used to review roles and look at the self – evaluation audit they are currently completing. Actions for further improvement have already been identified. As well as increasing engagement with pupils, staff and parents the governors are looking to strengthen their links with the community, be actively involved in meeting governors from other schools and academies in order to share good practice and continue to develop a governor training programme in order to keep them well informed.