Prendergast Ladywell

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.

Lsfed governance structure 2023 003

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

  1. Mark Hewitt (Chair) - Co-opted
  2. Zoe Kinstone - Parent
  3. Julian Barrow - LSC
  4. Ashley Matthews - Co-opted
  5. Shikira Alleyne-Samuel - Co-opted
  6. Faith Agbakoba - LSC
  7. Claire Styles - Co-opted
  8. George Dada - Parent
  9. Jess Tratt - Co-opted
  10. Dominic Barnett - Staff
  11. Maria-Theresa Rembert - Co-opted

Contact Prendergast Ladywell School LGB:  [email protected]

LGB Terms of Reference

LGB Declarations of Interest

Current Governing Board

Prendergast Ladywell LGB
Register of interests		      
    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: 14/09/2026 - - - - -
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: 30/09/2026 - - - - -
Name: Dominic Barnett
Appointment: Staff governor
Term of office start: 13/04/2026
Term of office end: 12/04/2030
Appointed by: Staff		 Nothing to Declare: 20/09/2026 - - - - -
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: 08/09/2026 - - - - -
Name: Niall Hand
Appointment: Headteacher
Term of office start: -
Term of office end: -
Appointed by: -		 Nothing to Declare: 10/09/2026 - - - - -

Name: Mark Hewitt
Appointment: Co-opted governor
Term of office start: 03/05/2025
Term of office end: 02/05/2029
Appointed by: Fed Board

 Confirmed: 11/09/2026 Kent County Council Business or finance interests Employer 18/08/2024 -
Confirmed: 11/09/2026 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: 13/09/2026 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 31/07/2027
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: 14/09/2026 - - - - -
Name: George Nada
Appointment: Parent governor
Term of office start: 01/09/2025
Term of office end: 31/08/2029
Appointed by: Parents		 Confirmed: 19/09/2026 - none - - -
Name: Maria-Theresa Rembert
Appointment: Co-opted governor
Term of office start: 08/10/2026
Term of office end: 07/10/2030
Appointed by: Fed Board		 Confirmed: 13/10/2026 - - - - -

Name: Claire Styles
Appointment: Co-opted governor
Term of office start: 24/01/2025
Term of office end: 23/01/2029
Appointed by: Trust Board

 Confirmed: 05/09/2026 Prendergast Ladywell School Personal or close family relationship Son in Year 11 at Prendergast Ladywell School 01/09/2022 01/07/2027
Confirmed: 05/09/2026 Prendergast School Personal or close family relationship Son in Year 11 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: 13/09/2026 Ambition Institute Work for a education organsation I work for an organisation that provides teacher training and ongoing teacher professional development. 05/06/2022 -

 

Other positions
    Interests
Name and appointment Confirmed Organisation Type of interest Notes From To
Name: Mel Aitken
Appointment: Clerk
Term of office start: -
Term of office end: -
Appointed by: -		 Nothing to Declare: 16/09/2025 - - - - -
Name: Edmund Coogan
Appointment: Observer
Term of office start: -
Term of office end: -
Appointed by: -		 Not Confirmed - - - - -
Name: Kelly Lovegrove
Appointment: Observer
Term of office start: -
Term of office end: -
Appointed by: -		 Nothing to Declare: 23/09/2025 - - - - -
Name: Karen  Monaghan
Appointment: Observer
Term of office start: -
Term of office end: -
Appointed by: -		 Not Confirmed - - - - -
Name: Viv Nicholls
Appointment: Head of School
Term of office start: -
Term of office end: -
Appointed by: -		 Nothing to Declare: 23/09/2024 - - - - -
Name: Jill Palliser
Appointment: Other
Term of office start: -
Term of office end: -
Appointed by: -		 Not Confirmed - - - - -

 

Historical positions    
    Interests
Name Confirmed Organisation Type of interest Notes From To
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: Thomas McCarthy
Appointment: Staff governor
Term of office start: 14/10/2024
Term of office end: 28/01/2026
Appointed by: Staff
Effective removal date: 28/01/2026		 Nothing to Declare: 23/09/2025 - - - - -
Name: Jacqueline Phillips Owen
Appointment: Foundation governor
Term of office start: -
Term of office end: 22/07/2025
Appointed by: LSC
Effective removal date: 30/07/2025		 Nothing to Declare: 11/09/2024 - - - - -
Name: Helen Ingham
Appointment: Co-opted governor
Term of office start: 17/01/2024
Term of office end: 01/08/2025
Appointed by: Fed Board
Effective removal date: 29/07/2025		 Confirmed: 15/09/2024 Ivydale Primary School Business or finance interests I am headteacher at Ivydale, a primary school that is local to PLS 01/09/2010 30/04/2024
Name: Tom McTague
Appointment: Parent governor
Term of office start: 17/01/2024
Term of office end: 28/04/2025
Appointed by: Parents
Effective removal date: 29/04/2025		 Confirmed: 15/09/2024 UnHerd Business or finance interests Journalist 23/01/2023 -
Name: Tom McTague
Appointment: Parent governor
Term of office start: 17/01/2024
Term of office end: 28/04/2025
Appointed by: Parents
Effective removal date: 29/04/2025		 Confirmed: 15/09/2024 Windmill Manor Ltd Business or finance interests Director — book writing and other media 16/06/2021 -
Name: Andrew Spencer
Appointment: Co-opted governor
Term of office start: 17/01/2024
Term of office end: 16/01/2028
Appointed by: Fed Board
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 -
Name: Alex  Gwinnett
Appointment: Staff governor
Term of office start: 17/01/2024
Term of office end: 16/01/2028
Appointed by: Staff
Effective removal date: 01/03/2024		 Confirmed: 27/01/2024 NEU Union NEU rep for Prendergast Ladywell
Member of Lewisham NEU Committee		 - -
Name: Mel Greener
Appointment: Clerk
Term of office start: -
Term of office end: -
Appointed by: -
Effective removal date: 27/11/2023		   - - - - -

LGB Record of Attendance

 

Prendergast Ladywell LGB Attendance 2025/26

 
Prendergast Ladywell LGB
Attendance
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
           
    PLS LGB #1 PLS LGB #2 PLS LGB #3 PLS LGB #4
Governor Governor Type 14 Oct 2025 26 Nov 2025 03 Feb 2026 09 Jun 2026
Faith Agbakoba Foundation governor Y Y Y N
Mel Aitken Clerk Y N Y Y
Shikira Alleyne-Samuel Co-opted governor Y N Y Y
Dominic Barnett Staff governor       N
Julian Barrow Foundation governor Y Y Y N
Claire Grant   Y N N NS
Niall Hand Headteacher Y Y Y Y
Mark Hewitt Co-opted governor Y   N Y
Ms Zoe Kinstone Parent governor Y Y Y Y
Ashley Matthews Co-opted governor Y Y N Y
Thomas McCarthy   N N    
George Nada Parent governor Y Y N Y
Viv Nicholls Head of School Y Y Y Y
Mrs Jill Palliser Other Y Y Y Y
Claire Styles Co-opted governor Y Y Y Y
Jess Tratt Co-opted governor Y Y Y N