Whitehall Park School’s local governance is overseen by the Local Advisory Board (LAB) which has a strong focus on three strategic functions:
- Setting the vision, ethos and strategic direction for the school, within the overall vision of the Trust.
- Holding the Headteacher and senior leadership team to account for the educational performance of the school, its pupils and the performance management of staff.
- Ensuring investment in educational improvement is value for money and having an impact.
These functions have been delegated to the LAB by the BPET Board, which is the maintaining authority for the school. Visit the BPET website for information on BPET’s governance structure and how this oversees the strategic governance of Whitehall Park School.
Free Schools are schools funded by the government with the freedom to govern independently – but all are accountable to the Secretary of State for Education. To share resources and best practice, Whitehall Park School benefits from the Trust – a network of schools under one legal body.
BPET responsibilities are set out in the two key following documents that are contracts between BPET and Secretary of State for Education:
- Master Funding Agreement – a contract with BPET, as a multi academy sponsor
- Supplementary Funding Agreement– a sub contract of the above for Whitehall Park School
The delegation for Whitehall Park School is set out in the BPET Scheme of Delegation. To support BPET Local Advisers, all are provided with the BPET Local Advisory Board Handbook that sets out the terms of reference and structure, along with a code of conduct for BPET Local Advisers.
This means that Whitehall Park School’s Local Advisers are able to concentrate on the things that really matter – educational strategy, school outcomes and high educational aspirations to meet the needs of the local community.
In keeping with the BPET vision of developing autonomous schools, there is extensive local choice about the structure, size and operation of each LAB. The following decisions set the limits on this local choice:
- The LAB must operate within the BPET structure, and must remain within the overall vision, ethos and strategic direction of the Trust
- The Chair of each LAB is appointed by the BPET Board, serving at the pleasure of the BPET Board
- The Chair and Headteacher together use a skills-based approach to appointing the local advisers, each to serve for a four-year term.
- There must be a minimum of two parent advisers, but there is no maximum
- The suggested size of an LAB is 6-10
- The LAB meets five times a year (4 Business meetings/1 Strategy session).
All Local Advisers are required to complete a Declaration of pecuniary and personal interest every academic year. This will be updated in September 2021.
Current Advisers
| LAB Role | Name | Core Aspect of School Life |
|---|---|---|
| Chair of LAB | Miles Ridley | Liaison with Trust |
| Community Adviser | Matthew Foley | TBC |
| Community Adviser | Lorna Ponambalum | SEN, PPG and Inclusion |
| Parent Adviser | Ms Liz Fay-Potton | TBC |
| BPET Trust Rep | Mrs Marwa Sadek | |
| Clerk to LAB | Ms Mel Brown |
Adviser Appointment and Attendance Record
All schools are required to publish each advisers appointment date, term of office and attendance record. This will be updated in February 2022
To contact Whitehall Park School’s Local Advisory Board please email the school office.