The governing body

Unlike Local Authority schools, academies have a broader responsibility for their strategic direction, ethos and leadership. The Academy's Governing Body therefore has a key role in driving up standards since it is able to challenge traditional thinking. The Governing Body acts as The Academy's "critical friend" by challenging and supporting The Academy's Senior Leadership Team. The Governing Body holds the Team to account, ensuring that it is answerable to parents. At the same time, The Academy is committed to its local community and is working hard to build good relationships and offer its facilities to the public.

Governors offer their time voluntarily and are unpaid for their work. As a team, they offer a wide range of qualities and experience from different backgrounds (company management, knowledge of education, finance, personnel skills) to collectively uphold The Academy and provide a link with the community.

The Governing Body is supported by 4 committees who conduct a monitoring and evaluation role, and each committee deals with certain tasks. The Academy's committees are:

• Community Committee, Chaired by Howard Fisher
• Education Committee, Chaired by Dr Joseph Spence
• Finance & Audit Committee, Chaired by Ronnie Norman
• Property Committee, Chaired by Mark Dance
• Safegaurding Committee, Chaired by Father John Lewis

If you would like to become a member of a committee or have any queries, please contact the Clerk to the Governors at:

clerktogovernors@theisleofsheppeyacademy.org.uk

Sarah Coccia

Sarah Coccia was educated at Fort Pitt Grammar School in Chatham and studied at the University of Kent where she read Business Management and Geography.

Since leaving University in 1999, Sarah has worked for the Prison Service, firstly as a Prison Officer and then becoming a Prison Governor in 2010.

Sarah has governed both Elmley and Standford Hill Prisons on the Isle of Sheppey and currently has the executive authority for all three prisons situated on Sheppey.

Sarah holds much interest for Education within prisons and has assisted to develop policy that allows prisoners to be successfully rehabilitated through learning and skills gained whilst in prison.

Sarah holds many local community links within Swale and Kent and has raised significant amounts of money for local childrens’ charities over the last 10 years.

Sarah lives in Swale with her husband and two children.

Sarah joined the Board of Governors in May 2011 and also forms part of the Finance Committee.

Mark Dance

I trained as a Hydrographic Surveyor, working in and around the British Isles.

I was elected to Kent County Council in 1997 and was Cabinet member for Education from 2007-2009. Presently, I am Chairman of Regeneration and Economic Development.I am also a member of the Kent and Medway Towns Fire & Rescue Authority.

I have been a governor of several schools and Chairman of Governors of Abbey School, Faversham from 2000-2002. I have had various lead roles in education for the last 14 years and am committed to helping young people to strive for excellence. I am Chairman of the Academy’s Property Committee.

My outside interests are golf, sailing, and clay-pigeon shooting. I have two sons, both at University. I also own a small construction business.

David Day

Education has the power to change lives. As teachers we open the door of opportunity. Our responsibilities are to educate the whole child not just for qualifications and work, but for something more important: life! We must build future leaders, community ambassadors and the successful families of tomorrow.

I am interested in school improvement. I have been fortunate in my career to join schools where there was work to do. As a Head of History, I was asked with increasing GCSE take up and results; as Head of Sixth Form, to create a new Sixth Form from scratch; as a Deputy Headteacher curriculum and timetable to improve GCSE results and KS3 attainment; as a Headteacher, to move a school whose leadership was judged inadequate by OFSTED to achieving good and outstanding by 2009. Now I see my task as trying to help a community.

I am here at the Isle of Sheppey Academy because this is a golden opportunity to shape the lives of the island. The £54 million brand new school will raise aspirations and the proposed Wind Farm Manufacturing plant will bring opportunity.

Ultimately it is people, relationships and inspired teaching which will bring success to our individual students. I will always believe if we can teach students the art of communication, to form their own moral values and to be confident we can help turn dreams into life changing opportunities.

Howard Fisher

Howard Fisher is the Headteacher of St Georges’ CEP school on Sheppey. He has lived on the Island since 2001 and is actively involved in a number of community projects locally.

He was educated at Anglia University completing his Bachelor of Education  with honours. Actively engaged with lifelong learning he has continued with his own education being awarded two post graduate awards, a national headship qualification, and a fellowship to the Royal Society of Arts.

Howard has worked in Essex, Hertfordshire, London’s east-end and Kent in both the private and state education system. He was deputy head at Rose Street, Sheerness before his first headship in a school near Ashford, before taking on the headship of the new St Georges’ Primary in 2009.

He sits on a number of steering groups both nationally and locally and believes strongly in making a difference.

Howard represents the Academy as the Chair of the community committee and as one of the Diocese’s two representatives on the Board of Governors.

Mark Holmwood - Parent Governor

I came to the Island from Hampshire in 1975 where I joined the 4th year at Sheppey Comprehensive School and after completing the 6th form went onto Canterbury Technical College to study building technology.

My first job was on the island working for a local estate agent, then moving on to a design position within our family business, but in 1985 made the move to a shipping and forwarding agency within Sheerness dockyard where I remained until 2005 when I left to form our own business. We are now UK representatives for one of the world’s largest specialised produce carriers operating a fleet of over 120 ships and importing fruit from all around the world for both the UK and continental markets and the major supermarket chains.

I have been married to my wife Mandy for 28 years and have 3 children and two grandchildren. Interests include, watching football with my sons, playing golf and family time.

Allison Leigh

I was born on the Island in 1969 and have continued to live and work here, giving me a strong sense of belonging to the community. I have been married to Ben for 20 years and have two daughters, Jasmine and Holly.

After receiving an education on Sheppey, I studied at Broadstairs College and then as a student nurse at Medway Hospital. I qualified as a Registered Nurse in 1990 and went on to work in a busy Accident and Emergency Department for 6 years before returning to work on Sheppey as a School Nurse in1996. I returned to studying in 2000 and successfully completed a BSc (Hons), qualifying as a Specialist Practitioner in Public Health Nursing. Since then I have completed a post graduate course in Public Health and I am qualified to deliver PSHEE.

At present I continue to work as a Team Leader, managing and supporting School Nursing staff in Swale. I am committed to ensuring that the health needs of young people are managed to enable them to reach their potential and maximise their emotional and physical wellbeing.

I sit on the Education and Community Committees and am also Child Protection Officer.

Fr John Lewis

Following his education at Cotham Grammar School, Bristol and the University of Southampton, Fr John trained for the priesthood on the Oxford Ministry Course, based at St Stephen's House. He was ordained deacon in 1989 and priest in 1990. Until his appointment to Borden, Ss Peter & Paul, Fr John served as a Non-stipendiary Minister in the Oxford Diocese whilst working as a teacher in Hampshire for over 30 years. Fr John is married to Carolyn, and their daughters, Katie and 'Becca are now embarking on careers in County Council Management and crop science research after studying at the Universities of Newcastle and Oxford.

Since arriving in the Canterbury Diocese, Fr John has maintained his interest in education as Deanery Schools Liaison Officer and as a member of the Diocesan Board of Education. He has been involved with the Isle of Sheppey Academy from the time that the Secretary of State agreed that a feasibility study should be carried out, initially serving on the Project Steering Group and now as one of the Diocese’s two representatives on the Board of Governors.

Fr John has also been Area Dean for the Sittingbourne Deanery since September 2009.

Ralph Mainard - Chair of Governors

Ralph Mainard is the Deputy Master External of Dulwich College and is the Managing Director of the College’s two commercial companies, one of which manages the College’s franchise schools. The College currently has three franchise schools in China and one in Seoul. Ralph spent six months during academic year 2005/6 in China running one of the franchise schools. An exciting new project opened in south China in Zhuhai where the College is running an A Level programme in conjunction with Yung Wing School. Further projects are being developed with the College’s management company, Dulwich College Management International, which holds the world wide franchise. Ralph makes regular visits to all the schools and programmes. The second company runs the commercial activities of the College in London.

Ralph is also responsible for the College’s contacts with local and state education including managing the project for the Isle of Sheppey Academy. He also represents the College as the educational partner for an academy being proposed in Lambeth.

Ralph is a member of the College’s Senior Management Team, he is a governor of one of London’s leading prep schools, and is a Trustee of all the franchise schools and programmes.

He has worked in both maintained sector and independent schools.

Ralph was educated at Haberdashers Monmouth School, then Manchester, Oxford and Open Universities.

Ronnie Norman - Vice Chair of Governors

I trained as an accountant and have worked in the UK, Europe, Hong Kong and Australia.

I was elected to Kent County Council in 1977 and at various times chaired the Social Services, Personnel/Trade Union, Police and finally, the Education Committee.

Outside appointments have included governorships of schools (Sevenoaks), Further Education Colleges (Hadlow) and Universities (Kent and The Open University).

I was Chairman of the Academy’s predecessor Governing Body. I am Chairman of the Academy’s Finance & Audit Committee.

My outside interests include family (Australian wife and four daughters), provision of healthcare, Tottenham Hotspur and Gillingham Football Clubs, and the Olympic Games.

Dr Joseph Spence

Dr Joseph Spence is the Master (headmaster) of Dulwich College and the Chair of the Isle of Sheppey Academy's Education Committee. He was formerly Headmaster of Oakham School (2002-09), a large co-educational day and boarding school in Rutland. He was educated at the Salesian College, Battersea, and at the universities of Reading and London. Before Oakham, Dr Spence taught history and politics at Eton College and was Master in College (housemaster to the Scholars) from 1992-2002. He is also a playwright and historian and serves on the governing body of a number of schools, including St John's College School, Cambridge, and The Dragon School, Oxford. He is married to Angela, a solicitor, and they have three adult children.