Local Governing Body (LGB)
In order to understand the role and responsibilities of the local governing body within The Nicholas Hamond Academy it is important to recognise that the governing body of a school that is part of a multi-academy trust, such as this one is, is very different from that of a single academy school or a community school.
The main difference is that the trust is the accountable body and ultimate decision-making body and not the local governors, or local governance tier as they are known, and it is the trustees who decide how governance works at individual academy level and what responsibilities are delegated to the local tier. The trust board can, at any time choose to remove those delegated responsibilities or change the committee structure. So, in a nutshell the local governing body is a committee of, and dependent on, the trust board for any decision-making powers.
So, what is the role of the local governing body at The Nicholas Hamond Academy?
The local governing body is an informed local community resource with a unique local perspective and a delegated responsibility to provide challenge and support to the academy and the Trust. Local governors are the “eyes and ears” of the trustees in the local community.
In line with the trust’s Scheme of Delegation, local governors are responsible for supporting academy improvement and engaging with academy leaders and the community in order to ensure that all students reach their full potential, regardless of background or level of ability.
This academy is part of a local cluster. This means that the governing bodies of two or more academies come together to form one local governing body.
Fully supported by the Trust’s Governance Team and the Chair, local governors of The Nicholas Hamond Academy are responsible for:
- Knowing, understanding and challenging pupils’ overall progress and attainment. This means being clear about where the attainment gaps are, what provisions are in place to close those gaps and the impact of those provisions.
- Monitoring child protection and welfare in the academy including attendance, behaviour, suspensions and permanent exclusions.
- Receiving and noting summary management accounts and risk registers provided by the academy.
- Hearing any appeals as part of the complaints process and sitting on discipline panels in relation to suspensions and permanent exclusions.
- Evaluating their own effectiveness through the local governing body action plan, skills audit and clerk-led self-evaluation.
School visits help governors to understand more about their academy and the reality of school life. We encourage governors to take on specific roles, dependent upon their interests and visit their academy.
Membership Information
| Name | Link Governor Role | Appointment Type | Date of Appointment | Date of Re-appointment (if applicable) | Date of Resignation (if applicable) | Attendance 2024-25 |
| Simon Conner | Leadership & Management, & Safeguarding | Parent | 16/01/2023 | Update due September 2025 | ||
| Jacob Morton | SEND | Trust | 11/03/2024 | |||
| Jonathan Smith | Attendance and TNHA Parent Voice | Parent | 25/11/2024 | |||
| Gemma Jermy | ICS Curriculum & Outcomes and ICS Parent Voice | Parent | 12/12/2024 | |||
| Samantha Caro | TBC | Staff | 27/5/2022 | |||
| Luke Taylor | ICS Staff Voice & Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing | Staff | 20/09/2024 | |||
| Graham Edwards | Careers | Trust | 01/09/2023 | |||
| Sallyanne Palmer | Equality, Diversity and Inclusion | Trust | 07/10/2024 | |||
| Mandy Lakey | TNHA Curriculum & Outcomes | Trust | 07/10/2024 | |||
| Sarah Oakley | Pupil Premium | Trust | 19/11/2024 | |||
| Neal Henlen | Behaviour and Standards | Trust | 14/03/2025 | |||
| Vanessa Farley | Trust | 25/11/2024 | 29/04/2025 |
Contact
If you want to bring any matters to the attention of the Local Governing Body, you should address your correspondence to the Chair of Governors at the school address.
Chair of the Local Governing Body: Simon Conner
Address: The Nicholas Hamond Academy, Brandon Road, Swaffham, PE37 7DZ
Telephone: 01760 721480
The Governance Team
If you have feedback, or need support, our ATT Central Governance Team are here to help. Please email: governance@attrust.org.uk
Meet the Governors
Simon Conner, Chair and Parent Governor
Simon has been a Police officer for 28 years carrying out a wide range of roles. Simon has 2 older children 1 who is in the Army and the other works in a family business. Simon also has 2 children at Iceni Secondary, and has a real passion to ensure all children have the best chance to succeed at school and give themselves options for the future.
Simon has previously been a Governor at his children’s Primary School, he found it very rewarding and threw himself into the role. Outside of work Simon has 2 spaniels who need lots of walks. Simon also enjoys gardening and growing his own Vegetables. Simon also enjoys playing golf.
Jacob Morton, Vice Chair and Local Governor
Jacob Morton lives in Swaffham where The Nicholas Hamond Academy is based, and is also the Breckland District Councillor for the town. As the local Councillor and a volunteer for organisations such as Alzheimer’s Research UK and ParkRun, he is always keen to find new ways to contribute to the local community. In addition, he attended Iceni Academy – where he greatly enjoyed his time – from 2014 to 2019 and so has a connection to both schools within this cluster. He is keen to use his experience as a Councillor, student and former Student Governor at CWA to help give something back to both schools and play his part in helping them to be the best that they can be. Outside of work and council duties, Jacob enjoys walking, history, current affairs, pub quizzes and exploring castles and old buildings.
Jonathan Smith, Parent Governor
I attended TNHA from 1996-2000 and have a strong affiliation with the local area having grown up in Holme Hale. I now live and run my business in Narborough. In 2024 my eldest child started at TNHA, and with 2 more children to follow, I have 10 more years of TNHA being a huge part of our lives.
I feel that all children deserve opportunity, regardless of their circumstances; being able to achieve in life should not be dependent on your starting point.
I grew up in a household on benefits and have gone on to establish a successful business and understand the struggles and challenges faced by young people, and what it takes to face these and succeed.
I will bring experience from the finance industry alongside running my own business and combine this with a real world understanding of peoples’ circumstances and the impact school can have on helping children break through the barriers they face.
Gemma Jermy, Parent Governor
I am a primary school teacher and have been teaching for over 14 years in primary schools around Norfolk. I am incredibly passionate about education and making sure that all children have the chance to achieve their full potential. I currently teach in year 1 at Mundford Primary Academy and was a governor at this school before I was employed there. I really enjoyed this role and have a good understanding of what it means to be a governor and the responsibility that comes with that.
I am a parent to 3 children, my eldest of which has just started at Iceni Academy. I have another son who is in year 5 and a daughter that has just started reception. I am looking forward to supporting the Academy while I am a governor and seeing the journey that the school is going to go on. When I am not teaching, I enjoy going for long walks with friends and taking part in various charity events. I also enjoy spending time with my 6 nephews and going away in our caravan.
Samantha Caro, Staff Governor
Samantha trained as a Maths teacher in 2013 after completing her degree in Mathematics at the University of East Anglia. Since then, she has worked in several schools in Norfolk and is passionate about providing a good quality of education for young people. Samantha has been the Director of Mathematics at TNHA since 2017 and has seen first-hand what an amazing job everyone at the school does on a daily basis. Students get a truly unique and personal experience that she feels very fortunate to be part of.
Luke Taylor, Staff Governor
Luke wants to be a part of making the Academy the best it can be, and he believes he has the experience, knowledge and passion to do so. Now in his fourteenth year of teaching, he has taught in three very different schools, including a significant period of time at Iceni Academy. Luke has first hand experience of being a classroom teacher, form tutor, Head of Subject and Head of Year.
The Academy has had periods where it has been performing highly and times where it has faced difficulties. During these changing times, Luke gained great insight as to what was enabling the successes of the Academy, as well as the issues causing difficulties. During these fluctuating times his standards and contribution as a teacher and member of staff remained consistently high, ranging from the academic outcomes attained by his students, the breadth of opportunity he provided through extracurricular sports and residential trips and positive relationships maintained with pupils and parents alike. This period of time has also seen him become a father himself, adding wider perspective to what an Academy needs to value. Now, as the Academy continues to improve, Luke feels he can add informed opinion to the decisions and directions taken to move the Academy forwards, to give students the best educational experience we can provide.
Graham Edwards, Local Governor
Sallyanne Palmer, Local Governor
Having lived in Swaffham most of her life Sallyanne feels that it is now time to continue her journey supporting young people to be the best that they can be by becoming an active governor at the ICS and TNHA Cluster LGB. She is a nationally qualified Youth Worker, with a degree in Youth and Community Studies. Her working career has included Norfolk County Council, The British Youth Council (UK Youth Parliament), the Iceni Partnership, the College of West Anglia, the Mancroft Advice Project (Breckland Youth Advisory Board), and the NHS.
Sallyanne’s focus, when working with young people, has always been around empowering them to explore opportunities, get involved in having a voice and stepping out of their comfort zones, whilst advocating on their behalf. Sallyanne and her husband run their own business in Swaffham, working alongside clients and staff whilst managing the running of the day to day business. She volunteers as the Welfare Officer at Swaffham Golf Club and is a Trustee for the Hamond Educational Trust. Sallyanne also has a small craft business, hand printing items using sustainable Indian wooden blocks and running workshops. In her spare time she enjoys being with her family and cats, photography and travelling.
Mandy Lakey, Local Governor
Mandy has worked within the public sector for 16 years in Child & Adult Services, Corporate Services and HR and she is currently employed by the College of West Anglia. Mandy enjoys contributing to her local community and is an advocate of lifelong learning, no-one is too young or too old to learn! She encourages having a healthy mental wellbeing and learning something new every day, no matter how small this is.
Mandy is passionate about education and started her career as an apprentice over 20 years ago and is now completing a Chartered Manager Degree apprenticeship. She is keen to support pupils, staff and families of TNHA and ICS to contribute to the local community and develop their skills and knowledge to pursue their passions and careers.
Sarah Oakley, Local Governor
My name is Sarah Oakley, and I live in Watlington with my husband and two children. Although we live out of the catchment area, our eldest son is a pupil at Iceni Academy.
I work part-time within social housing, and this enables me to enjoy a good work-life balance, which is of utmost importance to me. I have volunteered in recent times within both the preschool and primary school environments in Watlington, holding the roles of Treasurer for 10 years at the Preschool and PTA Chairperson at the Primary School for 5 years. As our children get older, I feel that a governor within a secondary school environment is the next natural step for me to take; I am looking forward to getting closer to the schools, building new links and relationships, and to help to make a difference during these changing times.
Being a busy working mum to two boys, much of my spare time is spent juggling their various afterschool activities and I try to find the time to visit the gym as often as I can!