Governance
Our governors are responsible for the management of the academy.
They must ensure that resources and finances are used with maximum efficiency and strong value for money. Find out more about them here.
Trust Governance
Find out more about our Co-op Academies Trust governance, on our trust website.
How to contact the Governing Body
If you would like to contact our Governing Body please bring a letter to Main Reception marked ‘Confidential for Governors’ along with your contact details.
Or post a letter marked ‘To contact the Governing Body’ to ‘FAO Chair of Governors, Co-op Academy Oakwood, North Farm Rd, Leeds, LS8 3LZ
This will then be passed on to the Governing Body who will get in contact with you.
Our Governors
Ayaz Alam
Full Name |
Ayaz Alam |
Date of appointment |
20 February 2023 |
Term of office |
4 years |
Category of Governor |
Sponsor |
Appointed by |
Appointed by the sponsor |
Subcommittees |
N/A |
Declarations of Interest |
None |
Attendance at Academy Governing Council meetings 2023-2024 |
4/6 |
Attendance at subcommittee meetings 2023-2024 |
N/A |
Mel Woodcock
Full Name |
Mel Woodcock |
Date of appointment |
30 June 2022 |
Term of office |
4 years |
Category of Governor |
Community |
Appointed by |
Appointed by the Academy Governing Council |
Subcommittees |
N/A |
Declarations of Interest |
None |
Attendance at Academy Governing Council meetings 2023-2024 |
5/6 |
Attendance at subcommittee meetings 2023-2024 |
N/A |
Mercy Medeh
Full Name |
Mercy Medeh |
Date of appointment |
17 November 2022 |
Term of office |
4 years |
Category of Governor |
Community |
Appointed by |
Appointed by the Academy Governing Council |
Subcommittees |
N/A |
Declarations of Interest |
None |
Attendance at Academy Governing Council meetings 2023-2024 |
3/6 |
Attendance at subcommittee meetings 2023-2024 |
N/A |
Louise Walsh
Full Name |
Louise Walsh |
Date of appointment |
117 June 2024 |
Term of office |
N/A |
Category of Governor |
Ex-officio |
Appointed by |
By virtue of appointment as Headteacher |
Subcommittees |
Awaiting information |
Declarations of Interest |
None |
Attendance at Academy Governing Council meetings 2023-2024 |
1/1 |
Attendance at subcommittee meetings 2023-2024 |
n/a |
Samantha O'Donnell
Full Name |
Samantha O’Donnell |
Date of appointment |
6 September 2023 |
Term of office |
4 Years |
Category of Governor |
Parent |
Appointed by |
Elected by parents |
Subcommittees |
N/A |
Declarations of Interest |
Awaiting information |
Attendance at Academy Governing Council meetings 2023-2024 |
6/6 |
Attendance at subcommittee meetings 2023-2024 |
N/A |
Karen Jones
Full Name |
Karen Jones |
Date of appointment |
6 September 2023 |
Term of office |
4 years |
Category of Governor |
Staff |
Appointed by |
Elected by staff |
Subcommittees |
N/A |
Declarations of Interest |
Awaiting information |
Attendance at Academy Governing Council meetings 2023-2024 |
6/6 |
Attendance at subcommittee meetings 2023-2024 |
N/A |
Past Governors
Helen Whitworth
Full Name | Helen Whitworth |
Date Appointment | 6 October 2021 |
Category of Governor | Sponsor, Chair of Governors |
Appointed by | Appointed by the sponsor |
Sub-committees | Pay committee |
Declarations of Interest |
24 September 2012 to 7 October 2012: Director, TCG Pension Trustees (Southern) Limited 24 September 2012 to 7 October 2012: Director, TCG Pension Trustees (Northern) Limited 22 November 2012 to 28 February 2013 Director, TCG Pension Trustee Limited 31 January 2013 to 1 April 2013: Director, TCG Pension Trustees (North West) Limited 19 August 2014 to present: Director, Co-operative Group Pension Fund Limited Trustees 25 October 2016 to present: Director, UCL Director 1 Limited 25 October 2016 to 25 October 2016: Director at TCG Southern Trustees Limited 20 June 2017 to present: Director, GPD Trustees Limited 1 April 2018 to present: Trustee, DB 12 Foundation 7 August 2020 to 28 March 2022: Director, Essex Farms Limited 7 August 2020 to present: Director, CWS Pension Nominees Limited |
Attendance at Local Governing Body Meetings 2023-2024 |
6/6 |
Attendance at Sub-committee Meetings 2023-2024 |
Pay Committee: 1/1 |
Date of Resignation | 19/12/2023 |
Layik Hama
Full Name | Layik Hama |
Date Appointment | 20/12/2019 |
Category of Governor | Parent |
Appointed by | Elected by parents |
Sub-committees | Pay committee |
Declarations of Interest | None |
Attendance at Local Governing Body Meetings 2023-2024 |
0/2 |
Attendance at Sub-committee Meetings 2023-2024 |
Pay Committee: 1/1 |
Date of Resignation | 19/12/2023 |
Daniella Colton
Full Name | Daniella Colton |
Date Appointment | 17/01/22 |
Category of Governor | Community |
Appointed by | Appointed by the Academy Governing Council |
Sub-committees | None |
Declarations of Interest | None |
Attendance at Local Governing Body Meetings | 1/2 |
Attendance at Sub-committee Meetings | N/A |
Date of Resignation | 19/01/2024 |
Aysha Khalid
Full Name |
Aysha Khalid |
Date of appointment |
8 September 2020 |
Term of office |
4 years |
Category of Governor |
Sponsor |
Appointed by |
Appointed by the sponsor |
Subcommittees |
N/A |
Declarations of Interest |
Undated: Employee, Co-op |
Attendance at Academy Governing Council meetings 2022-2023 |
0/1 |
Attendance at subcommittee meetings 2022-2023 |
N/A |
Date of resignation |
7 October 2022 |
Jan Ali
Full Name | Jan Ali |
Date Appointment | 01/09/2018 |
Category of Governor | Community |
Appointed by | Governing Body |
Sub-committees | Finance and Resources |
Declarations of Interest | Trustee of Pastoral Church Council for the ecclesiastical parish of the epiphany, Glypton, Leeds from June 2014 | Trustee of Girlguiding NEE from July 2019 |
Attendance at Local Governing Body Meetings | 2021-2022: 4/4 |
Attendance at Sub-committee Meetings | 2021-2022: Finance and Resources 1/2 |
Date of Resignation | 31/08/2022 |
Kirsty Dunhill
Full Name | Kirsty Dunhill |
Date Appointment | 30/09/2021 |
Category of Governor | Staff |
Appointed by | Election |
Sub-committees | None |
Declarations of Interest | None |
Attendance at Local Governing Body Meetings | 5/6 |
Attendance at Sub-committee Meetings | N/A |
Date of Resignation | 06/08/2022 |
Neil Braithwaite
Full Name | Neil Braithwaite |
Date Appointment | 01/09/2018 |
Category of Governor | Community |
Appointed by | Governing Body |
Sub-committees | None |
Declarations of Interest | Chairman, The Guinness Partnership Trustee & Honorary Treasurer Barnardo’s, 30 September 2011 to 31 March 2021 | Trustee, Barnardo’s Staff Pension Scheme | Governor and Chair of Finance and Development Committee, York St John University, from 1 August 2021 |
Attendance at Local Governing Body Meetings | 2021-2022: 3/4 |
Attendance at Sub-committee Meetings | 2021-2022: N/A |
Date of Resignation | 31/08/2022 |
Claire Bennett
Full Name |
Claire Bennett |
Date of appointment |
1 September 2018 |
Term of office |
4 years |
Category of Governor |
Community |
Appointed by |
Appointed by the Academy Governing Council |
Subcommittees |
Pay Committee Finance & Resources Committee |
Declarations of Interest |
None |
Attendance at Academy Governing Council meetings 2022-2023 |
5/6 |
Attendance at subcommittee meetings 2022-2023 |
Pay Committee: 1/1 Finance & Resources Committee: 0/1 |
Date of resignation |
30 August 2023 |