Governors

Name of Governor

Steve Hopkins

Governor Role

Chair of Local Advisory Board at The Oakwood Academy

Vice-Chair of The Redhill Academy Trust Executive Board

What meetings does this governor attend?

Full Governors and Business Committee Meetings

Executive Board Meetings

Governors' Discipline Committee Meetings

What does or did this Governor do for a job?

Chartered Financial Planner

Why did they want to be a Governor at The Redhill Academy Trust?

To help develop the school working specifically on the finance side.

What specific skills and expertise does this Governor bring to The Redhill Academy Trust?

Having run a local business for over 30 years, I have experience of all areas of HR, finance and leadership.

Name of Governor

Eric Adjaidoo

Governor Role

Member of the Local Advisory Board

What meetings does this governor attend?

Attends all the meetings required of the Governors. Attends Governors Discipline Committee and is on the admissions panel.

What does or did this Governor do for a job?

I am an Independent Nursing Consultant and also working for the Care Quality Commission inspection teams across the country.

Do they have children at The Oakwood Academy?

No, but two of my children did come to this school.

Why did they want to be a Governor at The Oakwood Academy?

To see if I can use my clinical nursing skills/background in helping the school address the students social, psychological and mental well-being.

What specific skills and expertise does this Governor bring to The Oakwood Academy?

I bring to the governor’s role the awareness of the student’s mental, social and psychological well-being. Valuing and acknowledging indifference the Academy had to deal with. I hope to help the Academy to address in-equalities of the students social and families’ environments. Above all hoping to contribute to the high standards the Academy has set themselves, and hoping for a successful outcome for my children at The Oakwood Academy.

Name of Governor

Andrew Baker

Governor Role

Parent Member of the Local Advisory Board

What meetings does this governor attend?

Full Governor meetings and Business Committee meetings 

What does or did this Governor do for a job?

Information To follow

Why did they want to be a Governor at the Redhill Academy Trust?

Information to follow

What specific skills and expertise does this Governor bring to The Local Advisory Board?

Information to follow

Information to follow

Name of Governor

Adam Douglas

Governor Role

Member of The Local Advisory Board

What meetings does this governor attend?

Full Governor meetings and Business Committee meetings

What does or did this Governor do for a job?

Trust Sports Development Officer – Redhill Academy Trust

Why did they want to be a Governor at The Redhill Academy Trust?

To support students and staff at Oakwood Academy to have the best possible experience of school life with a focus on supporting wellbeing.

What specific skills and expertise does this Governor bring to The Local Advisory Board?

Having previously worked for multi-academy trusts and the national charity the Youth Sport Trust, my professional and personal experience in schools and sports development will add value to the school’s already well-developed co-curricular and sporting programmes available to students and staff.

Name of Governor

Louise Duke

Governor Role

Staff Governor 

What meetings does this governor attend?

What does or did this Governor do for a job?

I am currently a Behaviour Teaching Assistant here at The Oakwood Academy. I have also had previous roles within school in the Library and as an Exam Invigilator. 

Why did they want to be a Governor at The Redhill Academy Trust?

Having worked at The Oakwood Academy for 10 years and previously attending the school as a student, I have a passion for wanting the school to be successful. I work closely with staff and students and I want to ensure that the students are at the forefront of any decisions made and that staff opinions are well represented in the Governor's meetings.

What specific skills and expertise does this Governor bring to The Local Advisory Board?

I have worked in Education for 10 years, so I have a vast knowledge of how schools operate on a day-to-day basis, have excellent knowledge of safeguarding and understand the policies and legislation regarding schools.  I have additionally lived in the area for the past 25 years, so I have a good understanding of the needs of the area. My degree in Psychology has led to me being able to understand and analyse data, have an in-depth understanding of special educational needs and an excellent knowledge of mental health. 

Information to follow

Name of Governor

Deborah Haynes

Governor Role

Member of the Local Advisory Board

Member of The Redhill Academy Trust Executive Board

What meetings does this governor attend?

Full Governors and Business Committee Meetings

What does or did this Governor do for a job?

Learning and development facilitator for a professional trade union.

Why did they want to be a Governor at The Redhill Academy Trust?

I first became a parent governor in 2003 when my eldest daughter started at The Redhill Academy. I wanted to understand the comprehensive school life and offer a parent's perspective of the issues that are discussed at Governor meetings. 

What specific skills and expertise does this Governor bring to The Local Advisory Board?

I work for a professional trade union, and I am able to identify and challenge fairness and inclusiveness to ensure best practice. I have experience of formal hearings and used this in Governors' Discipline Committee meetings.

Name of Governor 

Keith Hirst

Governor Role

Member of the Local Advisory Board

What meetings does this governor attend?

Full Board

What does or did this Governor do for a job?

Headteacher - Brookfield Community School

Why did they want to be a Governor at the Redhill Academy Trust?

To support the strategic work of the Local Advisory Board in working with The Oakwood Academy.
To work with Local Advisory Board and Headteacher to ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
To use my experience within Redhill to offer governor capacity to Oakwood academy

What specific skills and expertise does this Governor bring to The Local Advisory Board?

Experienced senior leader in a number of different schools and settings
Previous work as a Deputy Director of Education with Astrea Academy Trust working across different phases and settings.
Previously Chair of Governing Body - Waverley Academy (Doncaster).

Name of Governor

Alison Oldham

Governor Role

Parent Governor

What meetings does this governor attend?

What does or did this Governor do for a job?

Current Civil Servant and British Gymnastics Welfare Officer. Formally worked within Social Care for number of years in varying roles.

Why did they want to be a Governor at The Redhill Academy Trust?

Having had one child successfully progress through The Oakwood Academy, another child currently studying there and experiencing the incredible support offered to both, I wanted to ‘give back’ and support the school/Trust myself, playing an active role in the continued improvement of the School/Academy to ensure all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential in a safe and supportive environment.

What specific skills and expertise does this Governor bring to The Local Advisory Board?

A keen interest and passion, including knowledge for safeguarding children and young people. Ensuring adherence to policies, procedures and legislation. Conflict resolution, willingness to challenge and ability to ‘think outside the box’. A passion for supporting Redhill Academies in continuing to achieve the best for their pupils.

Information to follow

Name of Governor

Dan Zimsek

Governor Role

Community Governor

What meetings does this governor attend?

Initially, just the LAB meeting

What does or did this Governor do for a job?

Worked in IT services for 40+ years , the latter half of that 40 years working in various outsourcing roles such as help desk manager, project manager, risk manager, and leadership of global teams in those disciplines.

Why did they want to be a Governor at The Redhill Academy Trust?

I have not worked in education, am looking at governorship as a new experience: that said, I do hope that my work experience and ‘soft’ skills will contribute to the Trust.

What specific skills and expertise does this Governor bring to The Local Advisory Board?

Team leadership, facilitation (meetings, workshops) project management, people management.