How Ark's governance works
Every school in the Ark network is the legal responsibility of the Ark Schools Board. This board focuses on statutory duties and delegates most day-to-day responsibilities to each school’s individual Local Governing Body (LGB).
This means that our Academy's governors are able to concentrate on the things that really matter – educational strategy, school outcomes and aspiration.
The Ark Schools Decision Making Framework outlines where responsibility and accountability sits for the key functional areas within Ark Schools between the ‘tiers’ of governance.
Our Local Governing Body
Our Local Governing Body (LGB) is made up of 6-10 members – usually people with a local connection or interest who are committed to supporting educational opportunity in the area. The board generally includes:
- Academy Principal
- Up to two Parent Governors
- One Teaching Staff Governor
- One Non-teaching Staff Governor
- One Local Authority representative
We aim to create a balanced group that will have the right skills, connections and dynamic for the LGB to work well and support the school in achieving exceptional performance. Attributes we look for include:
- Good insight into the specific challenges at the school and the general challenges of operating top-quality schools
- Excellent community links
- Specific skills as needed by/relevant to the school
- A link to the senior executive team of Ark Schools
All appointments are made by the Director of Governance for Ark Schools. The term of a governor is three years, except for the Principal, who remains a governor for the duration of his or her time in post. Governors may be reappointed for further terms.
The LGB meets four times a year.
Becoming a governor
If you have an interest and commitment to improving education, and would like to make a difference within your community, please register your interest in becoming a governor by completing our online Governor Application Form. If you have any questions about a governor’s role or responsibilities please contact us at governance.team@arkonline.org
A full programme of induction, training and support is provided. You can see more information, including role specifications here.
Contacting the governors
The current Clerk to Governors is Sakina Marzban (sakina.marzban@arkonline.org). Please contact them if you have any governance-related queries, or would like to contact one of the governors.
Our Governors
Temi Ladega
Temi works as an Investment Professional at Marshall Wace, having previously held various roles across Global Markets and Research at J.P. Morgan. He grew up in Croydon and holds a Masters in Chemical Engineering (M.Eng) and an MBA from Imperial College London. Outside of his career he is passionate about education, socio-economic development as well as community service and has run several local and national initiatives across these areas. Temi was previously a governor at Ark Blake and is extremely excited about joining Ark Evelyn Grace’s Local Governing Body and serving as Chair.
Fran Barry
Fran is a specialist tutor at Higher Education institutions including, UAL, Roehampton, Birkbeck and Central School of Speech and Drama. Fran works with student cohorts who have SpLDs (Specific Learning Differences), including dyslexia, dyspraxia, Autism and ADD. Fran currently sits on the Parents Forum at EGA, and has one child at the school.
Jacqueline Cheltenham
I was called to the Bar in 1992 and was in practice in Criminal Law until 1998 when I left to become a lecturer on the College of Law's (now the University of Law) Bar Course. In 2004, I was appointed Director of the Bar Vocational Course and am still leading the renamed Bar Professional Training Course. I have an interest in equipping school age children to be in the best position to make the right educational choices about their future careers and I am delighted to be a governor of the Evelyn Grace Academy so that I can assist with this.
Graham Gayle
Graham is the Teaching Staff Governor on the LGB.
Matt Lacey
Matt is currently pursuing a dual track career, both as an actor/writer (appearing as a regular character in BBC/Netflix show 'Cuckoo' amongst other things) and working day-to-day as the Managing Director of Surveytech, an engineering equipment company based in Mitcham, Surrey. Third sector experience includes as Assistant Manager of the Brixton People's Kitchen, overseeing the logistics for one of the two emergency food distribution centres during the covid crisis and as Trustee of Universify Education, a summer school and mentoring programme aimed at opening up top universities to more students from non-privileged backgrounds.
Jashan Miller
Jashan is an investment professional with a background in the technology sector. He has experience working with start-ups, corporates, and private equity-owned businesses. He currently works for a global investment manager, where he invests across a range of credit strategies spanning the UK and Europe. Born in South East London, Jashan holds a BSc Honours in Economics & Accounting from Brunel University and is committed to enhancing youth access to education and employment opportunities.
Maureen Sheridan
All my adult life I worked in training and development, as well as being the mother to five boys I am now grandmother to thirteen and a great grandmother of two. I am the Legal Guardian of two boys and a girl who are aged between twelve and fifteen.
I believe passionately in the potential of schools to transform the lives of children and young people, and that every child deserves the best possible education. I am committed and feel strongly about improving the quality of education for our children also to support inclusive education for all members of the school community. I have the willingness to contribute my skills, knowledge and experience to help the schools to provide the best education for all members of the school community and to improving standards in the school.
