Tenax Schools Trust

Since September 2015 Bennett has been part of The Tenax Schools Trust, which was established to offer schools opportunities for mutual support and partnership. Member schools benefit from practical sharing of leadership, educational expertise, resources and joint professional development.

Overall responsibility for Bennett’s performance, ethos and finances lies with the Tenax Trust Board. It meets regularly to review the progress of all its schools, to ensure that they are receiving the support they need and to set direction for the future. Please follow this link for more information on Tenax’s governance arrangements. https://www.tenaxschoolstrust.co.uk/governance-arrangements/

Bennett Memorial’s Local Governing Body

The Trust Board has appointed a Local Governing Body for Bennett to monitor some aspects of its performance in more detail. This includes strategies to improve teaching and outcomes, progress in closing the gap in performance for disadvantaged students and work to meet statutory requirements for students with Special Educational Needs. The Local Governing Body meets three times a year. In addition, its members carry out regular visits to the school to meet staff and students, and discuss developments in certain key areas.

The Local Governing Body includes members of the local community, as well as elected parent and staff governors.

Bennett Memorial Diocesan School has eleven current governors.

Mr Simon Curtis, Chair (Tenax Appointed Governor – 1.9.19 – 31.8.22)
Mr Jon Sparke, Headteacher (Ex officio)
Mrs Sara Barker (Tenax Appointed Governor – 17.10. 19 – 16.10. 22)
Mr Adrian Dottridge (Tenax Appointed Governor – 16.10. 19 – 15.10. 22)
Mr Christopher Dzikiti (Tenax Appointed Governor – 19.10.20 – 18.10.23)
Rev Canon Bryan Knapp (Tenax Appointed Governor – 11.11.19 – 10.11.22)
Mr James Shaw-Hamilton (Tenax Appointed Governor –1.9.17 – 31.8.20)
Mrs Joanna Langton (Tenax Appointed Governor – 06.12.18 – 05.12.21)
Mr Peter Town (Staff Governor – 19.9.16 – 18.9.19)
Mrs Brenda Holden (Parent Governor – 21.12.18 – 20.12.21)
Mr Ben Turner-Moore (Parent Governor – 21.12.18 – 20.12.21)

All Governors are appointed by Tenax Schools Trust, with the exception of the two parent governors who were elected by parents and the staff governor who was elected by staff.

Our local governing body includes the headteacher, Mr Jon Sparke.

Our Clerk to the Governors is Mrs Hilary Sutton.

The roles and responsibilities of the Local Governing Body are:
• Standards and Safeguarding
• Ethos, Character and Local Traditions
• Working with Parents and the Local Community

Individual governors also take on specific responsibilities as “link governors” for areas of the curriculum and aspects of the school’s life. These are shown in the documents at the bottom of the page.

The Chair of Governors, Mr Simon Curtis, can be contacted in writing via the Clerk to the Governing Body, Mrs Hilary Sutton, either by post using the school postal address, or by email [email protected]

We are glad to have a dedicated board of governors who actively discharge their role through regular visits and careful scrutiny of the school’s work.

Please click here for additional information about the governing board and here for its terms of reference.