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Governance
BackAcademy 360 is overseen by a Local Governing Body responsible for ensuring the highest standards of teaching and well-being. The Local Governing Board is a ‘critical friend’ to the Academy as well as a champion of pupils, teachers and the wider community.
As the Academy is part of the Laidlaw Schools Trust, there is a board of trustees who are responsible for the work of the Trust, including the running of the academies. Further information is available on the Governance section of the Trust’s website. To support the effective operation of the Trust and the academies, the board has established Local Governing Bodies for each Academy in the Trust.
Diversity is important to our governing boards and we strive to be reflective of the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for school governors from all areas of our school community. If you are interested in becoming a school governor or finding out more, please contact the Clerk to Governors.
The Governance Administrator can be contacted at rebecca.mayo@laidlawschoolstrust.com, Laidlaw Schools Trust, Suite 2, 3rd Floor, St Nicholas Building, St Nicholas’ Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1RF or 0191 662 2416.
Details of the Governors at Academy 360 can be found below:
Alan Hodgson
Chair of Governors
Alan taught for the first eleven years of his career in a secondary school in North Kensington, one of London's most deprived and socially challenged areas. During that time, he held senior positions as Head of Year and Head of History, teaching O Level, GCSE and A-Level.
He moved with his family to Northumberland and was Deputy Head at Corbridge Middle School for nearly seven years and then Head Teacher at St Joseph’s, Hexham for nineteen years. During his headship, Ofsted inspected the school five times and was never graded it less than “Good with Outstanding features”.
Since his retirement in 2015, he has worked as a consultant for Cambridge Assessment International Education, part of the University of Cambridge. He has successfully carried out many compliance inspections in China, the USA, Indonesia, Bermuda and the UK.
Christopher Mitchinson
Associate Governor
Kimberley Richardson
Local Governor
Kimberley was appointed to the Governing Board of Academy 360 in October 2021.
Kimberley has worked in education for many years as a Senior Leader for Together for Children and brings a wealth of experience in vulnerable children’s services, including SEND services, Access and Inclusion and services for Cared for Children, including strategic leadership of the Virtual School; she also currently leads the city-wide alternative provision service development and sufficiency strategy and acts as deputy to the Director of Education.
Prior to her role with Together for Children, Kimberley was the HR Manager for Sunderland LA for over a decade, working directly with schools across the city, having specialised in employment law at university. Kimberley has a strong legal academic background and continues to hold a particular interest in ensuring legislative compliance through the robust application of statutory requirements.
Kimberley is the Lead Governor for Safeguarding.
Dave Archer
Local Governor
Dave was appointed as a local governor at Academy 360 in January 2019 and is a Senior Lecturer in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition at the University of Sunderland. Growing up, he attended an inner-city school in Dublin before attending Trinity College Dublin, receiving his PhD from the University of Aberdeen and lecturing there for several years before moving to the North East. His research includes teaching and learning, nutrition, performance sport and physical activity in schools. Being the first in his extended family to go to university, he firmly believes that education can play a vital role in expanding horizons and providing opportunities for young people to reach their potential.
Linda Howat
Parent Governor
Linda joined the governing body in 2019. She moved to Sunderland, settling in South Hylton, in 2005, a serving soldier in the REME at the time. She later left the Armed Forces to bring up her 2 young children, who later attended South Hylton Academy and then Academy 360.
She has always been involved with the children’s schools and has helped out in any way she can.
She is very proud to be associated with Academy 360, its staff and its values, all of which contribute to the local community and the personal development and continuous improvement of its students.
Josephine Obasohan
Local Governor