Governance

Welcome to our Governors’ section

Please find below details of how our Governing Committee is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.

 

Bridge Academy Trust

The Ongar Academy joined the Bridge Academy Trust on 1st October 2017.

Please visit the Trust Governance Area to view:

• Memorandum of Association
• Articles of Association
• Names of trust members and trustees
• Relevant business and financial interests of members, trustees and accounting officer(s)
• Funding Agreement
• Governance arrangements
• Board Diversity Data
• Executive Pay
• Staff Gender Pay Gap
• Annual Accounts and Reports

Local Governing Committee

Underneath the Bridge Academy Trustees, the local governing board will work with the school to ensure it delivers a high quality education for local children. Together with the Headteacher, who is responsible for day-to-day management, they set the schools aims and policies.

The Local Governing Committee consists of the following individuals:

Headteacher

Mr. J. Sands

Appointed: 15/04/2024

Chair of Governors

Mr. D. Sykes (non-elected) - Osprey House

Appointed: 09/11/2024

End of Term: 08/11/2028

To contact the Chair of Governors, please contact  Clerk to the LGC - clerk@bridgeacademytrust.org

Vice Chair of Governors 

Mr. B. Payne (non-elected ) - Raven House

Appointed: 30/03/2022

End of Term: 30/09/2029

Governors

Mr J Gunn (non-elected) - Kite House

Appointed: 25/06/2025

End of Term: 24/06/2029

 

Ms H Maclennan (non-elected) - Kite House

Appointed: 13/02/2025

End of Term: 12/02/2029

 

Ms M Smith (parent governor) - Falcon House

Appointed: 29/01/2026

End of Term: 28/01/2030

Mr Dai Bourton (staff governor)  - Falcon House

Appointed:  26/11/2024 

End of Term: 25/11/2028

Resignations in the last 12 months

Name	Term of Office
Susan Double	01/3/2024 - 12/05/2025
Graeme Read	29/11/2025 - 18/09/2026
David Lawrie	14/03/2023 - 28/09/2026

Roles and Responsibilities

Governor Post of Responsibility 2026 - 2027

Area of Responsibility	Governor
Safeguarding including Allergy safety	Brian Payne
Inclusion	Hannah Maclennan
Curriculum & Teaching	Graeme Read
Achievement	Jason Gunn
Attendance & Behaviour	Marika Smith
Personal Development  & Wellbeing	David Lawrie
Leadership & Management	David Sykes

Meeting Attendance

Meeting Attendance 2026 - 2027

FIRST NAME	SURNAME	15/09/2025		01/12/2026	02/03/27	29/06/27
Dai	Borton	Yes
Jason	Gunn	Yes
David	Lawrie	No		N/A	N/A	N/A
Hannah	Maclennan	Yes
Brian	Payne	Yes
Graeme	Read	No		N/A	N/A	N/A
Jonathan	Sands	Yes
David	Sykes	Yes
Marika	Smith	No
		66.6%

Meeting Attendance 2025 - 2026

FIRST NAME	SURNAME	16/09/2025		03/12/2025	03/03/26	30/06/26
Dai	Bourton	YES		YES	YES	NO
Jason	Gunn	YES		YES	YES	YES
David	Lawrie	YES		YES	YES	NO
Hannah	Maclennan	YES		YES	YES	YES
Brian	Payne	YES		YES	YES	YES
Graeme	Read	YES		NO	YES	NO
Jonathan	Sands	YES		YES	YES	YES
David	Sykes	YES		YES	YES	YES
Marika	Smith	N/A		N/A	YES	NO
		100%		88%	100%	55.56%

Meeting Attendance 2024 - 2025

LGC 01/10/2024	LGC 26/11/2024	LGC 04/03/2025	LGC 25/06/2025	Number of Meetings Attended	% of Meetings Attended
Jonathan Sands	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	4	100%
Brian Payne	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	4	100%
David Sykes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	4	100%
David Lawrie	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	4	100%
Graeme Read	Yes	Yes	Yes	yes	4	100%
Susan Double	No	Yes	No	N/A	1	33%
Dai Bourton	N/A	Yes	Yes	Yes	3	100%
Jason Gunn	N/A	N/A	Yes	No	1	50%
Hannah Maclennan	No	No	Yes	Yes	2	100%

Meeting Attendance 2023 - 2024

 

Meeting Attendance 2022 - 2023

	27/09/2022	12/12/2022	30/03/2023	20/04/2023	27/06/2023	Number of Meetings Attended	% of Meetings Attended
Brian Payne	P	P	P	P	P	5/5	100%
Rob Gibson	P	P	P	A	P	4/5	80%
Graeme Read	P	P	P	P	P	5/5	100%
Michelle Steadman	P	P	P	P	P	5/5	100%
David Sykes	A	P	P	P	P	4/5	80%
Danielle Taylor	P	P	A	A	P	3/5	60%
Anna Wallbank	A	P	A	A	A	1/1	20%
Caroline Jamison			P	P	A	2/2	66%
Dave Lawrie			P	P	A	2/2	66%

Register of Business Interests

• TOA ROBI 26-27 download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineTOA ROBI 26-27
• TOA ROBI 25-26 download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineTOA ROBI 25-26
• TOA ROBI 24-25 download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineTOA ROBI 24-25

 

Governor Pen Portraits

David Sykes

I have been a governor of The Ongar Academy since 2020 and I am the current Chair of Governors. During this time we have seen many changes at the school and I will do my utmost to continue the improvements made and strive to ensure that the young people at this school get the best education possible. From the solid foundations in place I expect the school to continue to flourish and provide an excellent education and experience for our students.

I have lived in the Ongar area since 2006 and I am married with two children. I’m a semi-retired IT professional, having worked for a major financial institution in the City of London for many years. During this time I was fortunate enough to travel extensively, mainly to various countries in Eastern Europe. I now work for a local business on a part time basis and I enjoy meeting many of the local people in this role.

I’m a keen follower of sport, particularly football (obsessive), rugby and cricket. My playing days are long over but I attend football matches in the Championship on a regular basis. I’m also a keen follower of the Chelmsford Chieftains Ice Hockey team and attend matches with my family several times a season.

I grew up, and was educated in, New Zealand. I graduated from the University of Waikato in 1987 with a Bachelors degree in Social Science (Geography). I try to get back to NZ most years to visit my family and enjoy the wonderful scenery and wildlife.

Brian Payne

I am a retired senior manager with 40 years’ experience as an Executive Director and Chief Executive in the public and private health care sectors with local, national and international organisations, including 10 years as an Executive Director of the Heath Sector Skills Council. This has given me a good insight into developing and maintaining skills for employment and of the vital importance of primary, secondary and tertiary education in preparing young people for work. I have been a governor of Chipping Ongar Primary School since 2013 including a period as Chair of Governors and Vice Chair . This has given me experience of primary education and of the need to develop high level learning skills right at the beginning of a young person’s education. In 2016 I joined the Governing Board of The Ongar Academy and was Chair of Governors from 2022-2025. I am committed to the children of our local community getting an excellent educational experience at primary school, secondary school and beyond, to give them the best possible life and employment skills.  I am married with two children and four grandchildren. My wife, who is a retired independent social worker, is also committed to supporting local education and has also been a governor of Chipping Ongar Primary School for many years.

Jason Gunn

I spent my career in secondary education reaching the position of Assistant Headteacher and providing the role of teacher-governor until taking early retirement in 2013, due to a spinal cord injury and as a result, I am now a full-time manual wheelchair user.  I have a wealth of experience as an educator and as a senior leader which I now apply to promoting inclusion, diversity, and patient education in the charitable and voluntary sector.

I support the National Spinal Injuries Centre in Stoke Mandeville Hospital delivering patient education from lived experience , as well as providing a patient’s perspective on the centre’s directorate board and supporting the centre with goal planning and training.  In addition to this I am  a public Governor for an NHS Mental Health and Community Services Trust, a Trustee for a children’s charity which specialises in yoga for children with complex needs, Ongar Town Councillor for Marden Ash Ward, previously Chairman of Ongar Town Council for three years, Chair of the Ongar Surgery Patients Participation Group (PPG)  and I provide lived-experience input for the Oxford University school of psychology, I am a a mentor for university students as part of the Greenwich and Kingston Universities Alumni Programmes.

I have a strong belief in education for all and as a governor for The Ongar Academy, I believe that good governance plays a central role in school improvement.

Hannah MacLennan

I am a mum of 2 pupils who attend The Ongar Academy.  I have always lived in the Ongar area, attending a local primary school and then attending Davenant Foundation School in Loughton for secondary education.  I started work at Essex Police Headquarters in their recruitment department then moved to an Investment Bank in London where I worked for 12 years before leaving when my second child was born.  I then ran a small furniture business for 4 years which gave me the flexibility I needed to work and raise a family.  At present I help my partner in his local business with book-keeping and at a security firm as a service manager.

In my spare time I enjoy playing tennis and going on plenty of dog walks as well as running the children around to their various clubs.

I am new to the governor's role and already had an amazing insight as to all the work that goes on behind the scenes in running the school.  I see my role as looking at all aspects from a "Parents point of view"  I care deeply about the school's success and its role in the community.

Marika Smith

I am a proud mother and grandmother spending my time split between working full time and spending time with my family. I have a solid management background in the public sector with a good understanding of the local community and the public purse. I am excited to work as a parent governor and to make positive contributions within the school community.