Governance
We are required to publish the following information:
• The structure and remit of the members, board of trustees, committees and local governing bodies.
• For each member serving at any point over the past 12 months, their full names, date of appointment, date they stepped down (where applicable), and relevant business and pecuniary interests including governance roles in other educational institutions.
• For each trustee and local governor serving at any point over the past 12 months, their full names, date of appointment, term of office, date they stepped down (where applicable), who appointed them, and relevant business and pecuniary interests including governance roles in other educational institutions. If the accounting officer is not a trustee, their business and pecuniary interests must still be published.
• For each trustee, their attendance records at board and committee meetings over the last academic year.
• For each local governor, their attendance records at local governing body meetings over the last academic year.
Register of Members of Aurora Academies Trust
Full Name | Category/Appointing Body | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|
Aurora Education Trust (AET) represented by Mr Ronald Jay Packard | Subscriber/Principal Sponsor
| 15/06/2012 (Represented by Ronald Packard since 11/12/2019)
|
Mr Geoff Paul Palmer
| Sponsor | 22/03/2017 |
Ms Julie Kapsalis | Sponsor
| 11/12/2019 |
Register of current Trustees and Associate Members
Full Name (Including title) | Category/ Appointing Body | Term of office | Date of appointment | Expiry | Board meetings attended in 2021/2022 |
| Trustees | |||||
Mr Antony Nathaniel Blaker QPM (Chair)
| Co-opted – appointed by board
| 4 years | first appointed 03/08/2012 reappointed 03/08/2020
|
02/08/2024 | 5 out of 5 |
Mr Ronald Jay Packard (Vice Chair) | Sponsor, appointed by Aurora Education Trust
| 4 years
| 01/08/2019
| 31/07/2023 | 5 out of 5 |
Mr Mark Quentin Brunet (Chair of Finance, Audit, Human Resources and Risk Committee) | Co-opted, appointed by board
| 4 years | 13/12/2018
Reappointed on 06/10/2022 for another term starting on 13/12/2022 | 12/12/2022
12/12/2026 | 5 out of 5 |
| Mrs Martha Burnige | Sponsor, appointed by Aurora Education Trust | 4 years | 01/05/2023 | 30/04/2027 | |
Mr Stephen Dawson | Co-opted – appointed by board | 4 years | 27/09/2021 06/10/2021
| 26/09/2025 05/10/2025 | 3 out of 5 |
Mr Adam Nichols
| Sponsor, appointed by Aurora Education Trust | 4 years | 30/09/2020 | 29/09/2024 | 3 out of 5 |
| Mr Brett North | Co-opted, appointed by board | 4 years | 26/11/2019 | 25/11/2023 | 3 out of 5 |
| Mr Stuart Reeves | Sponsor, appointed by Aurora Education Trust | 4 years | 14/12/2022 | 13/12/2026 | |
Ms Maria Andrea Ursula Szalay | Sponsor, appointed by Aurora Education Trust
| 4 years
| 01/08/2019
| 31/07/2023
| 5 out of 5 |
| Mrs Joanna Upton | Co-opted, appointed by board | 4 years | 21/12/2022 | 20/12/2026 | |
Associate Members | |||||
| Mr Jonathan Cornell | Associate Member - FAHR Committee - with voting rights | 07.12.2022 | |||
| Mr Jon Hodson | Associate Member - FAHR Committee - with voting rights | 27.06.2019 | |||
Trustees and Associate Members who served in the past 12 months
Full Name (Including title) | Category/ Appointing Body | Term of office | Date of appointment | Date stepped down | Board meetings attended in 2021/22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ms Christine Bayliss | Co-opted
| 4 years | 01/09/2020 | 31/08/2022 | 3 out of 5 |
Mr Stephen Calladine-Evans | Co-opted | 4 years | 01/06/2021 | 31/08/2022 | 1 out of 5 |
| David Woottoon | Co-opted | 4 years | 07/11/2016 | 12/01/2023 | 4 out of 5 |
| Mrs Dorothy May | Associate Member FAHR Committee - appointed by committee | 4 years | 02/12/2022 | 6 out of 6 |
Register of Interests of Members and Trustees
Full Name (Including title) | Interests |
Members | |
Aurora Education Trust (AET) represented by Mr Ronald Jay Packard | See below for Ronald Packard. |
Mr Geoff Paul Palmer
| Governor at Cornfield School, Littlehampton Trustee of Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice
|
Ms Julie Kapsalis | Acting CEO and Principal North East Surrey College of Technology (Nescot) Chair, Coast to Capital LEP Trustee – Worthing Theatres & Museum Director - Quercus (Cranleigh) Management Company Director – Nescot and Nescot Enterprises Limited Chair and Director, Coast to Capital LEP Institute of Economic Development – Fellow Institute of Directors - Member |
Trustees | |
Mr Antony Nathaniel Blaker QPM (Chair)
| None declared. |
Mr Ronald Jay Packard (Vice Chair) | CEO of Pansophic Learning which owns Paragon Curriculum. Board Member of International School of Berne, iCademy Middle East and Teachers of Tomorrow. Director of Pansophic Learning UK Limited. Director of Aurora Education Trust. Member of Chartered Financial Analyst institute. Equity interest in Teachers of Tomorrow and Pansophic Learning. |
Mr Mark Quentin Brunet (Chair of Finance, Audit & Human Resources Committee) | Employed as Buildings officer, education service, diocese of Arundel & Brighton, Education Service. Appointed as Churchwarden/Trustee of St Augustine’s Church, Scaynes Hill. Member of Institute of School Business Leaders. Interest as a self-employed consultant which includes SRMA employments for Department for Education. |
| Mrs Martha Burnige | Employed by Pansophic Learning UK Ltd (subsidiary of Pansophic Learning which owns the Paragon curriculum) Honorary Secretary of Educators' Trust Fund Freeman of City of London Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Educators Director and Company Secretary of Aurora Education Trust Director International School of Berne AG Board member iCademy Middle East Director International School of Berne Foundation |
Mr Stephen Dawson | None declared |
| Mr Brett North | Employed by Thakeham Group as group marketing director. Chairman of Gatwick Diamond Initiative. Executive Board Member of Gatwick Diamond Business Chairman of Gatwick Diamond Promote Group Chairman Sussex International Trade Group |
| Mr Stuart Reeves | CEO of Tenterden Schools Trust |
Ms Maria Andrea Ursula Szalay | Employed by Pansophic Learning which owns the Paragon curriculum. Director of Pansophic Learning UK Limited. Director of Aurora Education Trust. |
| Mrs Joanna Upton | CEO Pegasi Management Company Ltd Director Godolphin Management Company Ltd Director SMECH Management Company Ltd Director Wayhazel Director Realstar Director International Autotech |
Mr David Wootton CBE (resigned 12/01/2023) | Owner and Managing Director of Wootton Education Trustee of Learning Communities Trust Trustee of Educo Trust Trustee of the North of England Zoological Society Trustee of Cheshire Community Foundation Member of Tame River Educational Trust |
Mr Adam Nichols | Founder and CEO of Schole |
| Accounting Officer | |
| Mr James Freeston | to follow |
| Associate Members | |
| Mr Jonathan Cornell (co-opted to the FAHR Committee) | Employed by MD Group as Senior Risk Management Surveyor |
Retired Trustees and Associate Members | |
Ms Christine Bayliss - resigned 31.08.2022 | Employed as CEO by Trinity Academy Trust. Elected Member for Rother District Council. Member of Labour Party. Investor in CBECS (UK), Bexhill on Sea |
| Mr Stephen Calladine-Evans - resigned 31.08.2022 | Fulcrum Learning (UK) Ltd - Director University College London - Employee |
| Mrs Dorothy May (co-opted to the FAHR Committee - resigned 02.12.2022 | Age UK Camden - HR Advisor to the board |