Governance
The Arden Multi-Academy Trust is governed by a board of Trustees made up of business people and educational specialists. The board of Trustees is responsible for monitoring and ensuring standards and achievement across the Trust’s schools; efficiency and effectiveness of executive leadership and services; and the strategic direction of the Trust as it responds to local and national demands and policy.
www.ardenmat.org.uk/our-trustees
Lode Heath School has a Local Governing Body and the role of governors is distinct from that of the management of the school. They offer challenge and support to the Associate Headteacher and the Leadership Team in running and developing the school; this is sometimes referred to as being the “critical friend”. In doing so the Governors act collectively to secure the best possible performance by the academy with the one primary aim which is to maximise the life chances of every one of the students in its care. Along with this comes a recognition of our role as a school at the heart of its local community.
The Governors meet collectively as a full Local Governing Body and also as two sub-committees: Teaching & Learning (T&L) and Behaviour, Safety, Inclusion & Intervention (BSII). These are in addition to the full Trust board and sub-committee meetings.
Our Governors play a strategic role, and not an operational role.
Governing Body Chair
Vice-Chair of Governors
Community Governor & Trustee
As a Lode Heath Governor for over 20 years and an Arden Multi Academy Trust Trustee for 8 years, I have considerable experience and knowledge of school governance. My background is 30 years as a qualified HR Manager in the public sector and 15 years at Marks & Spencer involving sales, recruitment and employee relations.
Community Governor
Sarah Ashford -
Parent Governor
Co-Opted Governor (BSII Chair)
I'm a local resident of 25+ years who has enjoyed working many pastoral care and teaching roles within the education sector, over the past decade. I aspire to support Lode Heath School in maintaining a happy and safe environment, where all can thrive and achieve the very best academic outcomes.
Parent Governor
I am a parent governor at Lode Heath. I live in the local area and want to see the children in my local community thrive. I enjoy working with the school management team to facilitate a robust approach to ensure all children reach their full potential.
Parent Governor
Community Governor
I was appointed as a community governor at Lode Heath in March 2025. I have worked in education for 40 years, primarily as a teacher, and prior to my retirement in 2016, as a Headteacher of a large Nursery/Infant school in Solihull.
Consequently, I understand the importance and impact of strong governance, and hope to provide a supportive and active role as a governor at Lode Heath.
Parent Governor (T&L Chair)
I have been a Governor since 2018; originally at a Primary school and now at Lode Heath School. My day job is as a Company Director in the industrial sector. I believe in the value and importance of volunteering in the community, and I aim to be a supportive yet challenging governor.
Staff Governor
Staff Governor
|
Governor |
LGB |
T&L |
BSII |
Linked Responsibilities |
SLT link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Glen Bate |
Chair |
|
|
Chair of Governing Board Safeguarding |
Laura Suddon Jeremy Hatton (DSL) |
|
Malcolm Allsopp (Trustee) |
|
|
|
Health & Safety |
Gareth Davies |
|
Gillian Short |
Vice Chair |
|
|
Vice Chair of Governing Board Inclusion (Disadvantaged & vulnerable students: PP, E6, FSM, LAC, SEND & YC) |
Amer Mohammed & Rebecca Thompson |
|
Michael Sullivan |
|
|
Chair |
Behaviour, welfare & attendance |
Nik Hayfield |
|
John King |
|
|
|
PE & Sport, Dance, Health & Social Care & Hairdressing & Beauty Therapy |
Sally Summers |
|
Charlotte Smith |
|
Chair |
|
Teaching & Learning Core Subjects – Eng, Maths, Science |
Melissa Bennett |
|
Parminder (Paul) Singh |
|
|
|
IT & Business (Computing, iMedia, Business Studies, marketing & enterprise) |
Sally Summers |
|
Aisha Khan |
|
|
|
Extended & Enrichment Curriculum (inc. Character & Personal Development |
Nik Hayfield |
|
Sarah Ashford |
 |
|
|
Careers & Futures Creative & Design subjects: Art, Photography, DT. Food, Music & Drama |
Gareth Davies |
|
Susan Nolan |
|
|
EBacc subjects: History, Geography, Philosophy & MFL |
Sally Summers |
|
|
Laura Suddon (Associate Headteacher) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Catherine Hackney (Staff – teaching) |
|
|
|
Equalities
|
Laura Suddon
|
|
Charlie Dunbar (Staff – teaching) |
|
|
|
Inclusion (Disadvantaged & vulnerable students: PP, E6, FSM, LAC, SEND & YC) |
Amer Mohammed & Rebecca Thompson |
