Governors

Our Governors

Eastfield Academy is governed by an Academy Scrutiny Committee.

Our governors are:

Ben Brown

DRET Appointed Governor (Chair)

Ben Brown

Ben joined the ASC as a DRET Appointed Governor on 27 September 2014 and is currently serving his third term of office as Chair after being re-elected by his fellow governors. His key focus is also on the Safeguarding in the school. Being from Northamptonshire he really wanted to get involved with a local school and support them. Ben was also a Trustee at the David Ross Education Trust for four years. His day job at Promethean is working with schools on getting the most from their front of class technology. He is passionate about education and wants the best for the children. Ben is also very focussed on Strategy and Risk which he brings to the ASC. He lives in Earls Barton with his wife and two children and still has a love of playing football and watching his beloved Sheffield Wednesday.
Vicky Bayley

DRET Appointed Governor (Vice Chair)

Vicky Bayley

Vicky was appointed a DRET Appointed Governor on 19 October 2018, after wanting to use her skills and experience to support schools to provide the best experience and outcome for all children and to be an advocate for those who are not otherwise well represented or supported. She has since been elected Vice Chair by her fellow governors and is also the Link Governor for safeguarding and attendance. Vicky has worked as a midwife and a teaching assistant, and is now currently working as a call handler in a Police Force control room. These roles have provided her with skills and experiences in recognising the complex needs of others, understanding the impact of an individual's circumstances on their choices and opportunities, assessing and addressing risk, working both independently and as part of a wider team and in Governance. Vicky's passions and interests include Music (playing and listening) and equality/LGBTQ issues.
Susan Deane

DRET Appointed Governor

Susan Deane

Sue joined the ASC as a DRET Appointed Governor on 21 March 2019. She was previously Chair of Governors at another three Primary Academies within the Trust. She has also been a member of the Trust Board and a member of the Education Sub-committee for the Trust. She has the assigned governor link role for SEND and is interested in Safeguarding. Sue is a retired teacher, and she brings her education experiences and knowledge to the ASC. Her interests and passions include singing, reading, travel and knitting.
Theresa Ridoutt

DRET Appointed Governor

Theresa Ridoutt

Theresa is a DRET Appointed Governor appointed on 18 October 2018. She wanted to become a governor to benefit Children's Education and Care. She previously served as a Chair and Vice Chair of the Governing Body at Cedar Road Primary School for many years. Theresa was previously employed as a Logistics Manager at Northampton County Council. Theresa has a passion for History and Roman life in general.
Alice Mister

DRET Appointed Governor

Alice Mister

Alice joined the ASC as a DRET Appointed Governor on 2 April 2021, after the covid pandemic provided her with the opportunity for reflection, and she decided that she wanted to get more involved with the local community. She has always been passionate about social mobility and education is one of the key vehicles for this. Alice is an experienced HR professional and in this capacity she fulfils the role of trusted adviser, coach and mentor to the business areas in which she partners. She is responsible for designing, developing and implementing strategic business plans. To successfully do this, there needs to be a high level of business acumen, a people centric approach and varying degrees of support and challenge. These skills are transferable to her role on the ASC. Alice have been fortunate enough to travel and enjoys learning about new countries and cultures. She also enjoys gardening and DIY.
Kelly Dunkley

Staff Governor

Kelly Dunkley

Kelly is serving her second term of office as a Staff Governor on the ASC. She originally joined the ASC as a Parent Governor, after she wanted to understand how the school functioned and see if there were any ways she could help and support the school. Kelly is a qualified Accounting Technician and previously worked for Nationwide Building Society. Kelly has the assigned governor role for SEN and has previously been the Maths, Pastoral and Attendance Governor. Her passions and interests include reading and maths. She is a strong advocate for inclusion and feel it is salient to champion the many nuances of people who form the community she is part of.
Catrina Hall

Staff Governor

Catrina Hall

Catrina was elected a Staff Governor on 1 December 2021. As a member of the teaching staff at Eastfield Academy, Catrina has a keen interest in the life of staff and students at the school. She hopes to gain a further understanding and insight into the role of the ASC and the impact they have upon the school. Prior to becoming a teacher, Catrina previously studied for a degree in economics and management. Her interests are Formula 1, the gym and visiting the Cinema.
Ismail Sharif

Parent Governor

Ismail Sharif

Ismail was appointed a Parent Governor on 31 January 2021. He decided to apply to become a governor to add value to the ASC. He is also an existing parent governor at a nursery in Luton and had this role for some years. His son attends Eastfield Academy and therefore Ismail has a real passion in helping to improve life for students and staff. Ismail is a Retail Manager at IKEA leading and developing teams. His other interests include current affairs, IT, console gaming and Home Cinema.
Emma Goodwin

Trust Senior Link

Emma Goodwin

Emma joined Eastfield's ASC in July 2023 following her appointment as Head of Rockingham Primary School in May 2023.
Teresa Elkin

Clerk

Teresa Elkin

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Teresa Elkin has been clerking academies within the Trust since 2014. As a former Chair of an Outstanding primary school and part of the governance teams at Northamptonshire County Council and the David Ross Education Trust, she decided to become an independent clerk to support governing bodies. Teresa also supports other maintained schools and academies in the county. Teresa's initial career was in advertising and marketing but a move into education, governance in particular ensured that she had a wide range of skills to bring to governing bodies. Teresa is an experienced governor and Chair, a governor trainer and mentor to individual governors and Chairs. Her passions and interests are the Theatre, literature and international travel.
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Peter Fairbrother

Principal

Peter Fairbrother

Governor Assigned Responsibilities

Maths - Ben Brown

Attendance - Vicky Bayley

Safeguarding - Vicky Bayley

SEND - Kelly Dunkley

Pupil Premium - Sue Deane

English and Reading - Theresa Ridoutt

PSHE - Alice Mister

Parental Engagement - Ismail Sharif

Developing the Curriculum - Emma Goodwin

Contacting a Governor

To contact a governor, please contact the Trust Governance Team by emailing governance@dret.co.uk.

If you are looking to contact a Governor to make a complaint or share a concern, please note that as per our Complaints Policy, governors do not investigate complaints at Stage 1 or Stage 2. This enables them to be impartial should a complaint be escalated to a Stage 3 governor panel. If you wish to make a complaint, please complete this form and your complaint will be investigated accordingly.

Scheme of Delegation

Information about the David Ross Education Trust’s scheme of delegation is available here.

Minutes of the Academy Scrutiny Committee

Should you wish to view a copy of the minutes of the ASC at this academy, please contact the Trust Governance Team, who will be able to provide you with an electronic or paper copy of the minutes.

Are you interested in becoming an academy governor?

We are looking for new governors to support our academies. Our governors work closely with their academies to support the Trust’s goal of broadening the horizons of young people through a world-class education, equipping our students with the skills and experiences to become their confident, academic best, no matter what.

If you have an interest in, and commitment to, improving education and would like to make a difference within your community, please register your interest in becoming a governor by completing our governor application form. If you have any questions about a governor’s role or responsibilities please contact us at governance@dret.co.uk or review our information pack below.

governor recruitment booklet summer 2023.pdf

What is it like being a Governor with DRET?

To understand what it is like to be a governor with us, take a look at our testimonial booklet and videos which contain insights from serving governors.

governor testimonial booklet.pdf