Our Governors

Governance within Exceed Academies Trust

There are three layers of governance within Exceed Academies Trust:

Members – responsible only for fundamental decisions such as changing the constitution of the academy trust.
Trustees (Directors) – have ultimate responsibility for making strategic decisions about the day to day running of all the schools in the Trust.
Governors – support the Trustees by monitoring and challenging the performance of each school at a local level.

Each school has a Local Advisory Board (in some cases a more focused interim board will be implemented to support rapid improvement), which has delegated responsibility for monitoring the day to day running of the school. The LAB is made up of the Governors of the school. Some Governors are appointed by the Trustees whilst others are elected by parents or carers of pupils/students at the school or by staff. A LAB includes:

The Chief Executive Officer of the Trust;
The Headteacher/Principal;
2 Parent Governors;
2 Staff Governors;
Up to 3 Trust Appointed Governors (“Co-opted Governors”).

For further information about governance within Exceed Academies Trust please visit the Trust’s website by clicking here.

Our School’s Local Advisory Board

Our governors act as the critical friend of the headteacher and senior leadership team, and provide support and challenge to ensure effective running of the school. Their key responsibilities include:

ensuring the quality of educational provision;
challenging and monitoring the performance of the school;
ensuring good financial health and probity;
supporting the SLT in management of staff.

In order to fulfill these responsibilities, our Local Advisory Board will:

help the school to set high standards by planning for the school’s future and setting targets for school improvement;
keep the pressure up on school improvement by monitoring and evaluating the progress the school is making towards it’s set aims and objectives;
be a critical friend to the school, offering support and advice;
help the school respond to the needs of parents and the community;
make the school accountable to the public for what it does;
work with the school on planning, developing policies and keeping these under review;
exercise its responsibilities and powers in partnership with the headteacher and staff;
not intervene in the day-to-day management of the school unless there are weaknesses in the school, when it then has a duty to take action.

For the 2021/22 Register of interests, please click here

Details of the membership of our Local Advisory Board including when they were appointed, their term of office, who appointed them, any relevant business and pecuniary interests and record of attendance over the last academic year can be found below.

You can contact the Chair of our Local Advisory Board (or another Governor) via the school by calling 01535 273847 or emailing office@hardenprimaryacademy.co.uk, or via our Clerk (Peter Taylor) by emailing info@exceedacademiestrust.co.uk.

Interested in Being a Governor?

If you feel you could make a positive contribution to the work of our Local Advisory Board, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact our Clerk, who will provide further advice and information, by emailing info@exceedacademiestrust.co.uk.

Local Advisory Board Governors

Meet our Governors

Jenni Mayo (Chair)

Following a long career working locally in education, as a primary school teacher and Headteacher, I am delighted to have now joined the Harden Local Advisory Board. My niece and nephew are both former pupils and I have seen them flourish in their careers and personal lives, after the fantastic introduction to learning and citizenship they gained at the school. As Chair of the Board, I am strongly committed to seeing our Governing Body work as a team to support the Headteacher, staff and Exceed Academies Trust in achieving the best possible outcomes for all children; whilst fostering a life-long love of learning through a broad and inspiring school curriculum. In a rapidly changing world, we also aim to ensure that Harden’s children gain the skills and knowledge they need to keep themselves safe, well and happy; both now and in the future. Since joining the Board, I have been gratified to see the excellent work of the school and trust recognised in the very positive September 2019 Ofsted report. I know that with this great foundation, our wonderful pupils and the strong partnerships in place with parents and the whole school community, Harden Primary will continue to go from strength to strength. I very much look forward to continuing to work alongside you all on that exciting improvement journey!

Helen Collins

Born in Leeds, I have worked in education for the past 18 years after training here in Bradford.

A qualified primary school teacher, college and university lecturer, assessor, SENCO and leader, I now hold the post of SENCO in a Bradford 6th form College.

I am passionate about life-long learning, creativity and well-being as well as social mobility through education.

Andrew Hurst

Having lived and worked in Bradford since 1976, I am currently a Partner in a law firm with offices in Bradford, Huddersfield and Leeds and I specialise in law relating to Charities and Educational Institutions. I am married and have 3 adult children living variously in Cambridge, Kent and Brisbane.

In addition to my role as a Governor at Harden Primary School, I am a Trustee of Mind in Bradford. In my spare time I enjoy motorcycling, bridge, cooking and reading, especially history.

Will Pickles

I am Will Pickles. I have been a Parent Governor for a year and a half now and I am really enjoying the role. My son George is in Year 2 and I also have a daughter, Arabella, who will hopefully be starting at the School in September 2021.

I work as a pensions Investment Analyst in Leeds, I hold the Investment Management Certificate and have a BA Honours degree in Economics from the University of Newcastle.

Please feel free to come and chat to me about any aspect of the Governor role, if you see me at drop-off or pick-up time.

Duncan Jacques CBE NLE

Having led four schools to outstanding judgments including one from special measures and one from Double Requires Improvement, I became Chief Executive Officer of Exceed Academies Trust in 2016. When Harden Primary School joined the Trust in October 2018, I joined the Local Advisory Board as the Trust Representative Governor.

I support the Board in providing their core role and functions to govern the school whilst also acting as a conduit for them to feedback to the Exceed Academies Trust Board of Trustees and vice-versa. We are delighted to have Harden Primary School within our Trust and look forward to continuing to support them as they strive to be the best they can be.

Shelley Price

As mum to Noah in Year 4 I am fairly new to the parent governor role but I have previous experience of being a staff governor at another Primary School! However working in education for the last 10 years and having being Head of Art and Design in a secondary school in Bradford, I greatly enjoy the role of parent governor as an extension to my experience.

I have the upmost commitment and passion to the education of every child; but the safety, social and emotional development and most importantly, the happiness of our children and young people I believe is what is most important in their school careers. I am excited to be a parent governor to support Harden School in their commitment to building children s love of learning in a happy and safe environment! Please feel free to have a chat with me if you see me on the school drop off or pick up!

Register of Governor Business Interests 2020/21

Please click here to see the register of Governor Business Interests.

Academy Finance and Governance

Harden Primary School proudly joined Exceed Academies Trust on the 1st October 2018. Documentation relating to Exceed Academies Trust can be found on their website by clicking here.