Governance

Governance Information

We are required to publish the following information:

The structure and remit of the members, board of trustees, committees and local governing bodies.
For each member serving at any point over the past 12 months, their full names, date of appointment, date they stepped down (where applicable), and relevant business and pecuniary interests including governance roles in other educational institutions.
For each trustee and local governor serving at any point over the past 12 months, their full names, date of appointment, term of office, date they stepped down (where applicable), who appointed them, and relevant business and pecuniary interests including governance roles in other educational institutions. If the accounting officer is not a trustee, their business and pecuniary interests must still be published.
For each trustee, their attendance records at board and committee meetings over the last academic year.
For each local governor, their attendance records at local governing body meetings over the last academic year.

To request minutes of board or committee meetings, please contact the Governance Manager ruthali@auroraacademies.org

Register of Members of Aurora Academies Trust

Full Name	Category/Appointing Body	Date of appointment	Interests
Aurora Education Trust (AET) represented by Mr Ronald Jay Packard	Subscriber/Principal Sponsor	15/06/2012 (Represented by Ronald Packard since 11/12/2019)	CEO of Pansophic Learning Board member of GoStudent, from 09/01/20223
Mr Antony Nathaniel Blaker QPM	Sponsor/Aurora Education Trust	01/09/2023	Nil return
Mr Geoff Paul Palmer	Sponsor/Aurora Education Trust	22/03/2017	Governor at Cornfield School, Littlehampton, from 15/05/2013 Trustee of Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice, from 10/03/2014 Volunteer Maths Tutor, Action Tutoring, from 01/10/2023
Ms Julie Kapsalis	Sponsor/Aurora Education Trust	11/12/2019	Chair: Coast to Capital LEP, from 15/09/2014 Trustee Worthing Theatres and Museum, from 02/11/2020 to 04/03/2024 Director North East Surrey College of Technology Trust, from 06/11/2022 CEO and board member - North East Surrey College of Technology (Nescot), from 02/04/2023 Director – Nescot Enterprises Limited, from 02/04/2023 Governance role with Gatwick Diamond Business, from 01/04/2024 Governance role with Epsom Business Improvement District, from 01/04/2024 Governance role with Association of Colleges Charitable Trust, from 01/05/2024

Register of current Trustees and Associate Members

Full Name	Category/ Appointing Body	Term of office	Appointed	Interests	Board meetings attended in 2023/2024
Trustees
Mrs Martha Burnige (chair)	Sponsor, appointed by Aurora Education Trust	4 years	01/05/2023	Employed by Pansophic Learning UK Ltd Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Educators Company Secretary of Aurora Education Trust Director International School of Berne AG Board member iCademy Middle East Director International School of Berne Foundation Governance role with Kisubi High School Ltd Chair of Gatwick School LAB, from 24/05/2023	5 out of 5
Mr Ronald Jay Packard (vice chair)	Sponsor, appointed by Aurora Education Trust	4 years	first appointed 31/07/2015 re-appointed 01/08/2019 current term from 01/08/2023	CEO of Pansophic Learning Board member of GoStudent, from 09/01/2023	5 out of 5
Mr Sukwinder Bassi	Co-opted, appointed by board	4 years	13/10/2024	Governance role with Avanti Academy Trust, from 01/05/2020 Governance role with Carers First, from 04/02/2019 Governance role with Afrikindness, from 01/04/2022	n/a
Mr Mark Quentin Brunet (Chair of Finance, Audit, Human Resources and Risk Committee)	Co-opted, appointed by board	4 years	13/12/2018 Reappointed on 06/10/2022 for another term starting on 13/12/2022	Employed as Buildings officer, Diocese of Arundel & Brighton, Education Service, from 01/07/2015 to 31/08/2024 Freelance School Management Advisor, from 01/07/2015 Trustee of Bishop Otter Academy Trust, from 23/05/2023	5 out of 5
Ms Charis Evans	Co-opted, appointed by board	4 years	21/06/2024	Non-executive Director Toby Mundy Associates Ltd, from 07/07/2014 Employment: Confederation of School Trusts, from 12/04/2021	1 out of 1
Mrs Claire Lund-Conlon	Co-opted, appointed by board	4 years	24/05/2024	Employment: Aviva plc, from 19/10/2021 Governance roles at: Suntrust Ltd, from 23/09/2022 Aviva Management Services UK Ltd, from 17/11/2022 Aviva Administration Ltd, from 31/08/2023 Aviva UK Life Services Ltd, from 13/09/2024	1 out of 1
Mr Adam Nichols	Sponsor, appointed by Aurora Education Trust	4 years	30/09/2020 Re-appointed 30/09/2024	Founder and CEO of Schole, from 01/12/2012	3 out of 5
Mr Brett North	Co-opted, appointed by board	4 years	26/11/2019 Re-appointed 26/11/2023	Fellow of the Institute of Digital and Direct Marketing, from 01/09/1989 Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, from 12/09/1992 Executive Board Member of Gatwick Diamond Business, from 12/6/2013 Chair of Gatwick Diamond Promote Group, from 10/05/2016 Member of Institute of Project Management, from 01/08/2017 Chairman and Chief Executive of Gatwick Diamond Initiative, from 01/09/2020 Member of Institute of Directors, from 01/09/2020 LAB Member The Gatwick School, from 01/09/2022 Board member Crawley Innovation Centre Project Board, from 27/08/2023	5 out of 5
Mr Stuart Reeves (Chair of Education, Standards and School Performance Committee)	Sponsor, appointed by Aurora Education Trust	4 years	14/12/2022	CEO of Tenterden Schools Trust, from 01/09/2021	4 out of 5
Ms Maria Andrea Ursula Szalay	Sponsor, appointed by Aurora Education Trust	4 years	first appointed 31/07/2015 re-appointed 01/08/2019 current term 01/08/2023	Employed by Pansophic Learning Director of Pansophic Learning UK Limited. Director of Aurora Education Trust, from 22/07/2015	5 out of 5
Associate Members
Mr Jonathan Cornell	Associate Member - FAHR Committee - with voting rights		07/12/2022	Employed by MD Group as Senior Risk Management Surveyor, from 16/08/2016	n/a
Mr Jonathan Glyn Hodson	Associate Member - FAHR Committee - with voting rights		27/06/2019	Parent of two pupils at GPPA Trustee at Bexhill Academy Trust, from 21/03/2024	n/a
Accounting Officer
Mr James Freeston			01/05/2023	Family: Spouse employed at Glenleigh Park Primary Academy, from 01/09/2022

Trustees and Associate Members who served in the past 12 months

Full Name	Category/ Appointing Body	Term of office	Date of appointment and date stepped down	Interests	Board meetings attended in 2023-2024
Mrs Joanna Upton	Co-opted, appointed by board	4 years	22/12/2022 - 03/01/2024	CEO Pegasi Management Company Ltd from 01/11/2016 Directorships: Godolphin Management Company Ltd from 17/06/2019 SMECH Management Company Ltd from 01/09/2018 Wayhazel, from 01/09/2018 Zell (US commercial property company), from 01/09/2018	1 out of 2
Mrs Naomi Eglington	Co-opted, appointed by board	4 years	08/06/2024 - 25/09/2024	Employment: Roedean School

Full Name

Category/

Appointing

Body

Term of office

Date of appointment and date stepped down

Interests

Board meetings attended in 2023-2024

Mrs Joanna Upton

Co-opted, appointed by board

4 years

22/12/2022 - 03/01/2024

CEO Pegasi Management Company Ltd from 01/11/2016

Directorships: Godolphin Management Company Ltd from 17/06/2019

SMECH Management Company Ltd from 01/09/2018

Wayhazel, from 01/09/2018

Zell (US commercial property company), from 01/09/2018

1 out of 2

Mrs Naomi Eglington

Co-opted, appointed by board

4 years

08/06/2024 - 25/09/2024

Employment: Roedean School

THE AURORA MISSION

Governance

Governance Information

Register of Members of Aurora Academies Trust

Register of current Trustees and Associate Members

Trustees and Associate Members who served in the past 12 months

Governance Information Committees and Local Academy Boards