Governors

Our Governors

Cedar Road Primary School is governed by an Academy Scrutiny Committee.

Our governors are:

Rhys Jones-Penny

Headteacher

Rhys Jones-Penny
Tracey Hudson

Trust Senior Link

Tracey Hudson
Sara Groocock-Wilson

Chair & DRET Appointed Governor

Sara Groocock-Wilson

Sara joined the ASC as a DRET Appointed Governor on 17 June 2019, as she wanted to use her previous work experience to support local children to achieve well in education. In December 2019, she was assigned the responsibility for Safeguarding, and in April 2020 was elected Chair of the ASC. Sara started working with children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in 2006. Her career has included roles in schools, charities, and Local Authorities. She holds both a Post-Graduate Certificate and a Masters Degree in Educational Psychology, and is currently studying with the Chartered Governance Institute. When she's not studying, Sara enjoys travelling, baking, and spending time with friends and family.
Nathan Thompson

DRET Appointed Governor

Nathan Thompson

Nathan was appointed a DRET Appointed Governor on the ASC on 14 January 2021. He decided to become a governor after being the first in his family to be able to go to university and wanted to give something back to the community. Nathan feels very strongly about supporting children and the school environment to allow every child to succeed. He has spent all his career in and around digital technologies and now works in Consultancy for a firm in London. Nathan has experience in corporate finance, governance and strategy, all valuable skills that dovetail nicely with the skills and knowledge his fellow governors have on the ASC. Nathan loves all things travel related and enjoys visiting the cinema.
Gwennie Lynell Lewis

DRET Appointed Governor

Gwennie Lynell Lewis

Gwennie was appointed a DRET Appointed Governor on 18 March 2021, and was keen to support an academy she believed in, trusted, and respected. Her aim is to help in providing the students with not only an excellent education but with a sense of self-worth and emotional well-being too. She hopes to have a positive impact on the work carried out by the academy, allowing young people to thrive and grow, both academically and personally.

Gwennie is a Therapeutic Counsellor with over 10 years' experience within Safeguarding Children and Adults. As well as being the SEN and Pupil Premium lead, she brings knowledge, skills and experience in mental health, safeguarding, business development and corporate governance. She is also a foster mum, and loves to paint with acrylics and capture photos too. Gwennie was appointed a DRET Appointed Governor on 18 March 2021, and was keen to support an academy she believed in, trusted, and respected. Her aim is to help in providing the students with not only an excellent education but with a sense of self-worth and emotional well-being too. She hopes to have a positive impact on the work carried out by the academy, allowing young people to thrive and grow, both academically and personally.
Jolen Grantham

DRET Appointed Governor

Jolen Grantham

Jolen was appointed a DRET Appointed Governor on 26 August 2021. He wanted to become a governor to give back to the system and provide quality assurance to local schools looking to make a difference. He is also Chair of Governors at Kings Heath Primary Academy, was Interim Chair at Lodge Park Academy from 2017 to 2018, and is also a DRET Appointed Governor on the Joint Malcolm Arnold Academy and Malcolm Arnold Preparatory School ASC. Jolen's work experience is an Education consultant and teacher. He is skilled in the area of personal development, behaviour and attitudes and teaching and learning. Jolen enjoys knowing more about the curriculum depth and new ideas. He is interested in reading about developments in education, the outdoors and holidaying.
Ignacio Bas

DRET Appointed Governor

Ignacio Bas
Meena Tobias

(Vice Chair)

Meena Tobias

Meena was elected by Parents to join the Academy Scrutiny Committee on 20 November 2018. She has since been appointed Vice Chair by the ASC. She joined the ASC as she was keen to understand the statistics and measures supporting the school strategies due to her children attending the academy. She works as a Portfolio Lead for International Supplier Management, bringing to the ASC a wealth of financial and procurement knowledge, problem solving, project and stakeholder management with great negotiation skills.

Meena is a Mother of two children and is passionate in teaching them what she feels is morally and ethically right but equally in driving cultural awareness and diversity in all engagements she has. Cooking is also another of her passions and she loves south Indian cuisine.
Hayley Phillips

Staff Governor

Hayley Phillips

Hayley has been involved in the Cedar Road family since 2006 and was appointed a Staff Governor on 8 November 2018. She previously volunteered in the classrooms and is now employed as the academy's Administrative Officer. She became a governor as she cares passionately about the academy and her role in the office gives her a well-rounded view of the academy. She works on the Single Central Record daily and is a trained Safeguarding Officer, which allows her to work effectively with the Safeguarding Link Governor. She enjoys spending time outdoors with friends and family and attending comedy and music events.
Harriet Dowling

Staff Governor

Harriet Dowling

Harriet was elected by her colleagues to join the ASC as a Staff Governor on 5 February 2019. After 3 years of teaching, and with little experience in governance, Harriet thought becoming a governor would be a great way to support the academy trust and be a part of the wider school community. She wanted to share her knowledge and experience of the day-today aspects of the academy. Harriet is currently a full-time class teacher at the academy, and has been teaching in primary schools for 6 years enabling her to have good experience in the education system. She is passionate about teaching and ensuring all children receive the best opportunities to achieve in all areas of the curriculum. As Mental Health Lead for the academy, Harriet has the responsibility of overseeing and implementing strategies to support children with their mental health and well-being. She is also now focussing on supporting the mental well-being of the staff, which is of huge importance, and will ensure the children get the best education possible and maintain quality teaching. When Harriet's not teaching, she enjoys going to the gym and spending time with her family and friends. She also has a passion for reading.
Teresa Elkin

Clerk

Teresa Elkin

Teresa Elkin has been clerking academies within the Trust since 2014. As a former Chair of an Outstanding primary school and part of the governance teams at Northamptonshire County Council and the David Ross Education Trust, she decided to become an independent clerk to support governing bodies. Teresa also supports other maintained schools and academies in the county. Teresa's initial career was in advertising and marketing but a move into education, governance in particular ensured that she had a wide range of skills to bring to governing bodies. Teresa is an experienced governor and Chair, a governor trainer and mentor to individual governors and Chairs. Her passions and interests are the Theatre, literature and international travel.

Governor Assigned Responsibilities

Safeguarding - Sara Groocock-Wilson
Pupil Premium and SEND - Gwennie Lynell Lewis
Mental Health - Harriet Dowling
Core Knowledge Curriculum - Tracey Hudson
Maths - Meena Tobias
English - Nathan Thompson

Contacting a Governor

To contact a governor, please contact the Trust Governance Team by emailing governorservices@dret.co.uk

Scheme of Delegation

Information about the David Ross Education Trust’s scheme of delegation is available here.

Minutes of the Academy Scrutiny Committee

Should you wish to view a copy of the minutes of the ASC at this academy, please contact the Trust Governance Team, who will be able to provide you with an electronic or paper copy of the minutes.

Are you interested in becoming an academy governor?

We are looking for new governors to support our academies. Our governors work closely with their academies to support the Trust’s goal of broadening the horizons of young people through a world-class education, equipping our students with the skills and experiences to become their confident, academic best, no matter what.

If you have an interest in, and commitment to, improving education and would like to make a difference within your community, please register your interest in becoming a governor by completing our governor application form. If you have any questions about a governor’s role or responsibilities please contact us at governorservices@dret.co.uk or review our information pack below.

What is it like being a Governor with DRET?

To understand what it is like to be a governor with us, take a look at our testimonial booklet and videos which contain insights from serving governors.