Our purpose, rooted in the Christian legacy of Thomas and Julia Ripley, is to ensure that our pupils can learn in a safe environment. Our vision is to strive for high standards for our pupils, maintaining ambitious and inspiring surroundings so that skills and knowledge can be developed academically, physically, creatively and spiritually. We aim to ensure that pupils are fully equipped for the future; grounded in faith, confident of their values, positive and ready both to contribute and lead. This means that:

• We will ensure that our pupils are our priority
• We believe that all pupils can be successful
• We will ensure that our pupils have opportunities to develop in body, mind and spirit

Our role is to provide support and challenge for the Principal. To do this we need to identify, evaluate and prioritise issues; to understand the values, aims and objectives of the school; to listen and to ask questions. We recognise the need to work as a team, making full use of our knowledge, skills and experience. This means that:

• We are all learners and we all have much to learn
• We always treat others with respect
• We will monitor school performance to ensure high levels are achieved and sustained
• We will acknowledge our strengths and weaknesses
• We will work as a team to ensure that key issues are monitored and evaluated
• We will develop a self-sustaining community that learns from each other and the best available external practice

Our responsibility is to ensure and maintain the Christian ethos of the school. We must also oversee the financial performance of the organisation, to ensure that its money is well spent. This means that

• We will monitor finances to ensure that the school remains financially sustainable
• We will maintain our premises to ensure the best possible learning environment
• We will ensure that the school environment is safe
• We will monitor staffing, training and support so that standards can continue to thrive
• We will uphold the school’s vision and the Church of England’s Vision for Education

We are keen to support each other within the school and to work with colleagues in other schools in the Bay Learning Trust to ensure that we are an effective, nurturing and thriving learning community.

If you wish to write to the Chair of Governors, please address your letter to Mrs J Hodgson c/o Ripley St Thomas CE Academy, Ashton Road, Lancaster LA1 4RS.

Minutes of Governor meetings are available on request.

Governing Body 2024-2025

Mrs Julie Hodgson

Chair of Governors

Co-opted Member

Mrs Hodgson had a long career as an HR professional with a large organisation covering the north of England. She currently works as a Senior Exam Invigilator for the Police College at Harrogate, Lancaster University and Ripley.

Term of Office: 27/09/19 – 31/08/27

Mrs Sally Kenyon

Executive Headteacher

Ex-officio

Mrs Katie Benter

Acting Head of School

Ex-officio

Mrs Helen Best

Acting Head of School

Ex-officio

Miss Felicity Ackroyd

Vice Chair of Governors

Ripley Trust Representative

Miss Ackroyd is the Director of ITT for Ripley SCITT. She has 20 years of experience teaching in a range of sectors including primary, secondary, mainstream, independent, HEIs, SCITTs and Multi Academy Trusts. She has been a senior leader for almost twenty years and brings experience of ITE and developing early career teachers.

Term of Office: 21/04/22 – 20/04/26

Mr Simon Allan

Elected  Parent  Representative

Mr Allan has a background in exhibition  and graphic design, and a career spanning more than 18 years in teaching and management roles in Further and Higher Education. He is currently Head of Educational Development at Lancaster University, with responsibility for learning and teaching-related staff development.

Term of office 28/02/23 – 27/02/27

Mrs Rosalind Buckland

Elected Staff Representative

Mrs Buckland studied technical graphics before starting a career as a commercial illustrator. She later returned to HE to study Information and Library Management which led her to work in public and HE libraries before moving to the secondary school sector.

Term of Office: 19/11/08 – 04/10/27

Mrs Alison Chapman

Co-opted Member

Mrs Chapman is the Appropriate Body Lead for Star Academies, working across the Star Teaching School Hubs in the North West. She has over 25 years of experience in teaching, working in secondary schools, HEIs, SCITTS and Multi Academy Trusts. Alison is an experienced school leader with a passion for developing teachers and leaders across all education settings.

Term of office: 01/09/23 – 31/08/27

Mrs Dawn Cheetham

Ripley Trust Representative

Mrs Cheetham has a business and finance background and is a director of a family business in Blackpool.  She serves as a  non-exec director of North and West Lancashire Chamber of Commerce and is also on the Board of Directors of the Bay Learning Trust. Christian faith is a cornerstone in her life with active involvement in the life of church and youth work.

Term of Office: 05/03/15 – 04/03/27

Mrs Rachel Dawson

St Thomas’ Church PCC Representative

Mrs Dawson is a secondary MFL teacher and a Head of Year. She has experience in Teaching and Learning, supporting student and staff wellbeing, data analysis and pastoral issues. She is an active church member and is committed to supporting the academy’s distinct Christian ethos.

Term of Office:  20/10/21 – 19/10/25

Mrs Jessica Fitton

Elected Parent Representative

Having previously worked as a SENDCO with responsibility for children with special educational needs and disabilities, Mrs Fitton now works for Blackpool Council overseeing the education of children in care.  She supports schools to identify and remove barriers to learning and create safe and inclusive learning environments.

Term of Office: 26/02/24 – 25/02/28

Dr Philip Gager

St Thomas’ Church PCC Representative 

Dr Gager is a retired University academic, involved in Teacher Education for over 30 years. He has a background in Mathematics, including Financial Mathematics, has an MBA qualification and was involved in University management.

Term of Office: 30/11/00 – 30/04/27

Revd Dr Louis Johnson

St Mary’s Church PCC Representative

Revd Johnson is the Associate Priest of The Priory in Lancaster.  He read Music at Churchill College, University of Cambridge, and taught in the music departments at the universities of Liverpool, Cardiff and Bristol, before undertaking training for ordained ministry whilst also serving a three-year context-based placement with Liverpool Parish Church, Our Lady & St Nicholas.

Term of office 01/02/2024 – 31/01/2028

Stood down 11/09/2024

Mr Andrew Nicholson

St Mary’s Church PCC Representative

Mr Nicholson is now retired after a career in teaching. He taught for 25 years at Garstang High School and then, latterly, for 10 years at LRGS. He was churchwarden at Lancaster Priory, where he still serves on various committees and sings in the choir.

Term of Office: 01/09/21 – 31/08/25

Mrs Kate Potter

Elected Staff Representative

Mrs Potter has worked at Ripley St Thomas Academy since joining as an NQT in 2006. and has enjoyed various roles since then including Subject Leader for French, Subject Leader for Spanish, Subject Leader MFL, Lead Teacher for Teaching and Learning, Director for Sustainability, and now Assistant Head, with a focus on Christian Distinctiveness.

Outside of school, she has a busy life with a young family and she enjoys mountaineering, running (slowly), open water swimming and being outside in nature.

Term of Office 4/10/24 – 3/10/28

Revd Andy Woof

Co-opted Member

Rev Andy Woof serves as an Associate Pastor at Garstang Free Methodist Church. He has a BA Hons degree in Applied Theology and was ordained for ministry in the Free Methodist Church in 2015. Through his church work, as well as some previous involvement with local Christian organisations, Andy has been involved in leading or supporting a number of community projects in the local area.

Term of office 27/09/23 – 26/09/27

The Governing Body will establish Committees to deal with the following areas:

• Complaints Review
• Pupil Discipline
• Staff Discipline & Dismissal
• Staff Grievance
• Pay Appeals

Panels will consist of at least 3 members of the Governing Body, none of which will have had previous involvement in the matters brought before the Committee.

Bay Learning Trust

Ripley St Thomas Church of England Academy is part of the Bay Learning Trust.  Information regarding the Directors of the Trust can be found on the Trust website www.baylearningtrust.com