Governor Information

Blackmarston is part of Accordia Trust.

What is a Local Advisory Board (LAB)?

A LAB is a bridge between individual schools and the Trust Board.  Local governors are the “eyes and ears” of the trustees in the local community and a vital component for supporting school improvement.

Responsibilities of a LAB

To ensure that the Trust’s vision, ethos and strategy is adopted and applied by academy leaders.

Accordia Trust’s aims are:

• To achieve maximum personal independence and active community participation.

• To empower self-advocacy through effective communication for choice and control.

• To aspire to ambitious personal pathways, progress and achievement within a functional context.

• To develop and maintain active social opportunities, health and wellbeing.

• To ensure continuity of life-long learning and on transfer to Post 19 destinations.

To work with senior leaders, both across the Trust and within the academy, to identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to address them in line with the Trust’s strategic objectives.

To ensure that the required policies and procedures are in place and that the academy is operating effectively in line with these policies.

In practical terms the responsibilities of the LAB are:

Standards

• Pupil progress
• Attendance
• Assessment Results

Safeguarding

• Fostering a culture that prioritises the safety and wellbeing of all pupils/students and staff in the academy
• Monitoring safeguarding practice, ensuring compliance with school and trust wide policies and statutory requirements.

SEND

• Ensuring that the Trust’s policy for pupils/students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is implemented
• Ensuring pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) get the support they need
• Seeking assurance that staff are adequately trained in SEND

Stakeholder engagement

• Developing communication channels, consult stakeholders, pupils/students, parents, staff and where practicable, the community
• Helping stakeholders to understand the Trust’s values and vision for the future
• Providing the Trust Board with insight into the challenges and opportunities faced by the academy’s local community

Membership of Blackmarston LAB

Judy Balderson - Chair

Arron Fish- Parent trustee

Carley Loughrey - Parent Trustee

Emma Wallbank - Staff Trustee

Julia Samuel - Staff trustee

Kelly Leighton- Acting Head of Blackmarston

Register of interests 2025/6