Governance
Trustee and Governor Information Pack
Our Governance Statement and Attendance
Cygnus Academies Trust Annual Review of Governance Statement 2023/24
Register of Interests
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CYGNUS Register of interests 2024-2025
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download_for_offlineCYGNUS Register of interests 2024-2025
Governance Structure
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Governance Structure 2024-2025
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download_for_offlineGovernance Structure 2024-2025
Members
Members are the custodians of the governance of Cygnus Academies Trust.
Members are appointed by the rest of the Members Board.
The Members hold an Annual General Meeting and meet as required throughout the year.
Nicole Caulfield Christina Murphy Bola Ojo Rani Ryatt Trustees
The Members have appointed a Board of Trustees.
The trustees are responsible for:
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Setting the strategic direction of the trust
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Holding senior leadership to account
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Overseeing the trust’s financial performance
Trustees are ultimately responsible and accountable for the trust. It is up to them to make sure the trust is compliant with its charitable objectives, but also with company and charity law.
Ryan Clifford Chair of Trustees
Finance, Risk & Audit Committee
Pay Committee
Link Trustee for Whistleblowing
Sandra Herbert Chair of Education Committee
Pay Committee
Ashish Majithia Chair of Finance, Risk & Audit Committee
Link Trustee for Finance and Health & SafetyPay Committee
Jane Platt Vice Chair of Trustees
Finance, Risk & Audit Committee
Link Trustee for GDPRSebrina Dawes Education Committee
Link Trustee for SafeguardingKevin Fox Education Committee
Link Trustee for SEND and Vulnerable Groups
Alison Scott Education Committee
Link Trustee for Sustainability Wellbeing
Danielle Lewis-Egonu Chief Executive Officer Trustee Profiles (ID 1368)
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Ryan CliffordChair of Trustees
Ryan Clifford
Ryanis a product director with experience building and taking to market B2B and B2B2C SaaS and fintech products within enterprise and scale up companies. He has a passion for complex technical products, in particular APIs and developer tools.
Since 2018 he has also volunteered within Multi Academy Trusts as Trustee at Cygnus Academies Trust and as Governor at a specialised SEND school.
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Sandra HerbertTrustee
Sandra Herbert
I have a background in primary education, having started my career as a teacher in the late 1970s. From then on I worked in a primary school gradually moving into a senior management role in the 1980s, responsible for the quality of teaching in a six form entry school and always maintaining a particular interest in the teaching of maths. In 1997 I became an Ofsted Inspector and also worked freelance for HMI, inspecting Initial Teacher Training [PGCE] courses.In 1999 while continuing some work with Ofsted I moved on to take up employment with Kent Local Education Authority as a consultant supporting primary schools with the quality of teaching in Mathematics and English and was involved in a national project to raise standards in teaching and learning.Since official retirement; I have worked part time in schools on projects such as Numbers Count, supporting children who find maths difficult and also working with more able pupils to ensure that they are appropriately challenged. I have a long standing record as a governor in very small Kent school and until the restrictions of the pandemic did regular voluntary work supporting small groups of children with maths and literacy. -
Kevin FoxTrustee
Kevin Fox
I am a member of the Education Committee and Link Trustee for SEND and vulnerable groups. As my day job I am employed as Head of Democratic Services and Information Governance at the London Borough of Bexley, where I play a key role in overseeing the Council’s governance, decision-making processes, together with school admissions and exclusion appeal processes.
I have previously served as Chair of Governors at 2 different schools demonstrating commitment to supporting schools and local communities. I am delighted to serve as a Trustee and am passionate about ensuring our young people receive the best possible opportunities to achieve their ambitions.
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Sebrina DawesTrustee
Sebrina Dawes
Sebrina Dawes is a highly experienced education leader with a strong track record in school improvement, leadership, and governance. As a Headteacher of a large, diverse four-form entry primary school, she is committed to fostering a culture of high expectations, inclusion, and continuous development.Her expertise spans curriculum design, staff development, quality assurance, and safeguarding, ensuring high standards of education and pupil achievement.Alongside her leadership role, Sebrina has worked as an EYFS and Primary Consultant, supporting schools in driving improvement, enhancing teaching and learning, and implementing effective strategic change. She has a proven ability to analyse school performance, develop targeted action plans, and coach staff to deliver high-quality education.Sebrina also brings valuable experience in financial management, staff well-being, and collaborative leadership, working closely with governors, senior leaders, and external partners to achieve sustainable school improvement.As a trustee, she is dedicated to supporting the Cygnus Multi-Academy Trust’s vision, ensuring that all schools within the trust provide exceptional education and opportunities for every child to succeed. -
Alison ScottTrustee
Alison Scott
Alison Scott has worked in the education sector for over twenty years in teaching roles across a wide range of ages including the early years, primary and further education. She currently teaches and supports students with additional needs in a large college. Prior to this, she trained and worked as an Ofsted Inspector in the early years. She also worked in the School Improvement Team of the Local Authority, supporting new teachers in their role.
Alison joined the Cygnus Board as a trustee in March 2025. Prior to this she was a governor of Upland Primary School for almost eight years, including the Chair of Governors for two years and the link governor for safeguarding and the early years. As a trustee, she focuses on sustainability and works collaboratively with the board to uphold the trust's values and objectives. She is committed to supporting the trust's mission to provide high-quality education and improve outcomes for all students, to enable them to realise their ambitions.
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Ashish MajithiaTrustee
Ashish Majithia
Ash is a seasoned professional working in the City of London, with extensive experience in the professional services sector. Alongside a career focused on advisory and leadership roles, Ash is deeply committed to education and community service.
Ash also serves as a governor at a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school, driven by a strong belief that every child deserves the opportunity to achieve their full potential, regardless of background or ability.
At Cygnus, Ash is the Chair of the Finance and Risk Committee, bringing financial insight and strategic oversight to support the academy’s mission and long-term sustainability. Passionate about equity in education, Ash is proud to contribute to shaping a nurturing and ambitious environment for all learners.
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Jane PlattTrustee
Jane Platt
Jane is an experienced entrepreneur, board advisor, and mentor with a strong background in scaling service businesses and driving strategic transformation. She brings a blend of commercial insight and governance expertise, supporting organisations to navigate change, manage risk, and embed operational excellence.Jane is dedicated to supporting organisations that prioritise opportunity, inclusion, and positive impact, helping them to thrive and adapt in a changing world. She has enjoyed volunteering with Cygnus Academies Trust since December 2023.
Governors
Local Governing Committees have the responsibility of holding school leaders to account and ensuring their school follows the trust's strategic direction.
The Local Governing Committees meet termly to monitor how the school is progressing against its stated objectives.
The Governors at our schools are diverse and have a variety of skills and backgrounds. They work closely with the Headteachers to ensure high-quality learning is accessible to all of our children, according to their individual needs. This is achieved by monitoring the children's results and learning progress, ensuring the school is a safe and welcoming environment, and delivering within the confines of the school's budget.
Our Governors all share the same purpose: to support and challenge the Headteachers to ensure that our schools deliver a curriculum that gives our children the skills and abilities needed to succeed in a challenging and fast-moving world, delivered in a safe, holistic and enjoyable way that encourages our children into a lifetime of learning.
Chair of Governors for each school:
Dartford Bridge Community Primary School Paul Langridge Gravel Hill Primary School Emma Neale Greenlands Primary School Ayca Ilcen Manor Community Primary School Ashlene Peltier & Kerry Williams Royal Rise Primary School Mel Shackleton The Brent Primary School Barry Stephenson Westgate Primary School Louisa Quarterman Upland Primary School Simrit Sandhu Details of all our Governors can be found on the individual school websites:
Dartford Bridge Community Primary School
Manor Community Primary School
To enquire about governor vacancies at any of our schools please contact heather.bannister@cygnus.org.uk.
A member of the Governance Team will be able to tell you all about the role of a school governor.
Should a vacancy become available at any of our schools you will be informed and you can put yourself forward.
Please also visit Inspiring Governance or Governors for Schools to learn more about why schools need volunteers like you and the benefits and rewards of becoming a Governor. -
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Governance Structure 2024-2025
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