Local Governing Body
The Local Governing Body for our school is a vital part of the governance structure of this school and the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools. The structure is outlined below and for more information about the Trust click here.
Local Governing Bodies (LGBs) undertake a crucial role in providing detailed challenge and support to ensure that the school’s leadership team fulfil their responsibilities for delivering strong educational outcomes. Their valuable role in community, parent and partner engagement and their visibility in the schools is immeasurable and goes beyond any core delegated responsibilities as presented in the Trust’s scheme of delegation.
LGBs are established as committees of the Federation Board. Their role is to advise, support and challenge school leaders and to provide a focal point for building strong relationships in the interest of progressing the chances of students at Leathersellers’ schools. In essence the role of LGB members is to:
- understand what it feels like for a child to be educated at the school
- understand the experience of being an employee of at the school
- understand the relationship between school staff, families and the community
- and be an ambassador for the school and the federation
The membership for LGBs is expected to include
- Two elected parents
- One staff member
- Two members appointed by the Leathersellers’ Company
- A minimum of four co-opted members
Membership of the LGB
- Mark Hewitt (Chair) - Co-opted
- Zoe Kinstone - Parent
- Thomas McCarthy - Staff
- Julian Barrow - LSC
- Jacqueline Phillips-Owen - LSC
- Ashley Matthews - Co-opted
- Shikira Alleyne-Samuel - Co-opted
- Faith Agbakoba - Co-opted
- Claire Grant - Co-opted
- Claire Styles - Co-opted
- George Dada - Parent
- Jess Tratt - Co-opted
Contact Prendergast Ladywell School LGB: governance@leathersellers-federation.com
LGB Declarations of Interest
Current Governing Board
| Prendergast Ladywell LGB Register of interests |
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| Current governing board | |||||||||
| Interests | |||||||||
| Name and appointment | Confirmed | Organisation | Type of interest | Notes | From | To | |||
| Name: Faith Agbakoba Appointment: Foundation governor Term of office start: 23/07/2025 Term of office end: 22/07/2029 Appointed by: - |
Nothing to Declare: 23/09/2025 | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| Name: Shikira Alleyne-Samuel Appointment: Co-opted governor Term of office start: 17/01/2024 Term of office end: 16/01/2028 Appointed by: Fed Board |
Nothing to Declare: 20/09/2025 | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| Name: Julian Barrow Appointment: Foundation governor Term of office start: 17/01/2024 Term of office end: 16/01/2028 Appointed by: LSC |
Nothing to Declare: 10/09/2025 | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| Name: Claire Grant Appointment: Co-opted governor Term of office start: 25/11/2024 Term of office end: 24/11/2028 Appointed by: Fed Board |
Nothing to Declare: 22/09/2025 | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| Name: Niall Hand Appointment: Headteacher Term of office start: - Term of office end: - Appointed by: - |
Nothing to Declare: 02/10/2025 | - | - | - | - | - | |||
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Name: Mark Hewitt |
Confirmed: 11/09/2025 | Kent County Council | Business or finance interests | Employer | 18/08/2024 | - | |||
| Confirmed: 11/09/2025 | Unison | Business or finance interests | Union membership | 01/09/2024 | - | ||||
| Name: Zoe Kinstone Appointment: Parent governor Term of office start: 17/01/2024 Term of office end: 16/01/2028 Appointed by: Parents |
Confirmed: 24/09/2025 | Prendergast Ladywell School (Primary) | Personal or close family relationship | My wife is contracted to run Forest School sessions for Reception and Year 1. She also runs after school forest school club for Y1-6. She previously worked as an Early Years Practitioner in reception during the 2022-23 academic year, including delivering Forest School sessions. |
01/09/2023 | 31/07/2026 | |||
| Name: Ashley Matthews Appointment: Co-opted governor Term of office start: 17/01/2024 Term of office end: 16/01/2028 Appointed by: Fed Board |
Nothing to Declare: 18/09/2025 | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| Name: Thomas McCarthy Appointment: Staff governor Term of office start: 14/10/2024 Term of office end: 13/10/2028 Appointed by: Staff |
Nothing to Declare: 23/09/2025 | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| Name: George Nada Appointment: Parent governor Term of office start: 01/09/2025 Term of office end: 31/08/2029 Appointed by: Parents |
Confirmed: 23/09/2025 | - | none | - | - | - | |||
|
Name: Claire Styles |
Confirmed: 15/09/2025 | Prendergast Ladywell School | Personal or close family relationship | Son in Year 10 | 01/09/2022 | 01/07/2027 | |||
| Confirmed: 15/09/2025 | Prendergast School | Personal or close family relationship | Son in Year 10 | 01/09/2022 | 01/07/2027 | ||||
| Name: Jess Tratt Appointment: Co-opted governor Term of office start: 01/09/2025 Term of office end: 31/08/2029 Appointed by: Trust Board |
Confirmed: 03/09/2025 | Ambition Institute | Work for a education organsation | I work for an organisation that provides teacher training and ongoing teacher professional development. | 05/06/2022 | - | |||
| Name: Mel Aitken Appointment: Clerk Term of office start: - Term of office end: - Appointed by: - |
Nothing to Declare: 16/09/2025 | - | - | - | - | - | |||
Other positions
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Interests |
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Name and appointment
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Confirmed |
Organisation |
Type of interest |
Notes |
From |
To |
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Name: Mel Aitken Appointment: Clerk |
Nothing to Declare: 11/09/2024 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Name: Viv Nicholls Appointment: Head of School |
Nothing to Declare: 23/09/2024 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Name: Jill Palliser Appointment: Other |
Not Confirmed |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Historical positions
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Interests |
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Name and appointment |
Confirmed |
Organisation |
Type of interest |
Notes |
From |
To |
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Name: Tom McTague Appointment: Parent governor Effective removal date: 29/04/2025 |
Confirmed: 15/09/2024
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UnHerd |
Business or finance interests |
Journalist |
23/01/2023 |
- |
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Confirmed: 15/09/2024 |
Windmill Manor Ltd |
Business or finance interests |
Director — book writing and other media |
16/06/2021 |
- |
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Name: Andrew Spencer Appointment: Co-opted governor Effective removal date: 31/12/2024 |
Confirmed: 12/09/2024 |
Barbican Arts Centre - City of London |
Personal or close family relationship |
My wife is the CEO and employed by The City of London. Leathersellars operates within The City of London Corporation. |
17/01/2024 |
- |
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Name: Alex Gwinnett Appointment: Staff governor Effective removal date: 01/03/2024 |
Confirmed: 27/01/2024 |
NEU |
Union |
NEU rep for Prendergast Ladywell |
- |
- |
LGB Record of Attendance
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Prendergast Ladywell LGB Attendance 2024/25 |
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Y = Attended, N = Apologies Accepted, NA = Apologies not Accepted, NS = No Apologies sent, ? = Attendance Not Marked, Blank = Not Required, CA = Consent for absence, - = Not applicable |
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