Governance

The Trust

Avocet Academy Trust (AAT) was founded in 2014 with the shared belief that collaboration is the key to success. This belief is adopted at all levels throughout each of the Academy schools. Aldeburgh Primary School joined AAT in 2017. Avocet joined East Anglian Schools Trust on 1st November 2023

Our vision centres on the child. The way we ensure everything centres on the child is through our core values:

Collaboration
Diversity
Responsibility
Enrichment
Inclusion.

We believe that this enables children to excel in whatever they do.

EAST is based on a set of values that determine all actions and decisions made throughout the Trust. All of these values are centered around the children to ensure that they have the perfect platform from which to grow.

With all decisions and actions based around these core values we are able to deliver an education which takes into account the needs of the different pupils, schools and communities in which they serve.

Local Governing Boards

Each school within the Academy has an Governing Board.

The Trust Board has established five key roles for the Governing Boards:

To advise/act as a critical friend to the school leader;
To advise the Trust Board about local issues they need to consider that affect the school;
Represent the interest of the school community in the running of the school;
Represent the school in it's community;
Provide support to the school leader in undertaking appropriate day to day procedures that are essential in the life of the school.

The five roles translate specifically into the following tasks that the GB undertakes:

it acts as a key link between the school, parents and local community;
it supports the work of the school in the community;
it supports the school leadership team in the development and implementation of the school development plan and other relevant plans, ensuring that the Trust ethos remains at the heart of the school community;
it helps on the ground with the implementation of certain whole Academy and school policies;
it offers challenge by positive and proactive support to the school leader;
it regularly reviews the schools performance in relation to the Key Performance Indicators.

For further information relating to the Governance structure at EAST Schools then please follow this link for further information about the following:

Terms of Reference - this document will be updated after our merger.

Avocet Governance Structure

Advisory Board Handbook

Name	Category	Appointing body	Date if Appointed	Term of Office	Positions of Responsibility
Mrs Heidi Norman	Headteacher	Staff Elected	05.12.18	04.12.21	Headteacher
Mr C Willis	Parent - Local Advisor	Local Advisory Board	05.12.18	04.12.21	Local Advisor
Mrs Carolyn Jones	Community - Local Advisor	Local Advisory Board	05.12.18	04.12.21	Chair of LAB
Jemima Gallant	Parent LAB Member	Local Advisory Board	29.6.22	28.6.24	Parent LAB Member
Pauline Quinn	Community LAB Member	Local Advisory Board			Community Governor

Local Advisory Board - Attendance

LAB Attendance - 2020/2021

Pecuniary Interest

Declarations Aldeburgh Primary

All agendas and minutes are available upon request (excepting confidential documents)

Please contact nls@avocetacademy.org stating which document you are requesting.

Members of the Local Advisory Board (LAB) are as follows:

Carolyn Jones

Community and SEND LAB

I was a primary school teacher and then specialised in learning support with emphasis on helping children with dyslexia and dyscalculia for over 20 years. I found it very rewarding helping children overcome some of their difficulties by teaching them strategies and watching them become more confident and motivated. I retired from teaching 5 years ago and now live principally in Aldeburgh.

I missed not having any connection with a school and wanted to contribute something to the community. I hope that by being a member of the Local Advisory Board at Aldeburgh that I can help to support the school with in its aims and ensure that the children receive the best possible education, especially in these challenging times.

Carl Willis (Vice Chair)

Parent Member and Health & Safety LAB

I am a parent governor with two children at the school, the first of which started at the school in 2015. I was motivated to apply for a parent governor position as I wanted to be part of the development of the school, supporting those ideas and initiatives that improve the learning opportunities for the children and challenging those areas where we believe we can do better. My professional life is spent in Engineering, my earlier career being in the Aerospace industry and now my middling career in the Energy sector. I enjoy bringing my working life experiences to the school – there is a surprising amount of synergy!

I am fortunate enough to live in Aldeburgh following a move from Bristol in 2014 and therefore I like to make the most of what the outdoors has to offer here; cycling, dog walking and beaches all year round.