Wycliffe Governors

BDAT GOVERNORS:

Any correspondence to the Chair of Governor should be sent C/O Wycliffe CE Primary School, Saltaire Road Shipley BD18 3HZ or via the email address below.

CHAIR: Mr J Preston (Jason.Preston@bdat-academies.org)
My name is Jason Preston. I live in Shipley and currently have two children attending Wycliffe – a Year Two and a Year Three. I decided to become a governor to help the school maintain its high standards and be a place for great learning. I work for the University of Leeds and am learning new things about education every day! In my professional life I’ve been responsible for large budgets, commercial contracts and managing diverse teams of people – I want to use the things I’ve learned and experienced in my role as governor.

VICE CHAIR /TRUST GOVERNOR: Mrs Karen Webster
My name is Karen Webster and I have joined Wycliffe Governing body in September 2021. For the previous 6 years I was headteacher at ‘Woodlands CE Primary School’ (BDAT). Over the summer this year, I have taken the decision to return to the classroom to gain a better work life balance and follow my heart back into face to face teaching for the last few years of my career. I am currently teaching a Y1 class at ST Philips CE Primary Academy (another BDAT school).

I felt my previous experience in education would be of benefit to a governing body and school, such as Wycliffe, to support them in their journey. Over the last few years I have seen the hard work and dedication from both the Senior Leadership Team and staff at Wycliffe to move their school forward. I share this passion for teaching and the wellbeing of pupils and staff in school.

HEADTEACHER: Mrs D Baxter

STAFF GOVERNOR: Miss M Dyson

PARENT GOVERNOR: Mrs J Walton

My name is Jo Walton and I became a governor for Wycliffe in October 2024. Having a daughter in Y1 and son starting at Wycliffe next year, I am passionate about contributing to the success of Wycliffe Primary and ensuring that all children, including my own, have access to a high-quality education in a supportive environment. I believe that serving as a parent governor would give me the opportunity to help shape the school’s strategic direction and support its leadership in making decisions that positively impact all pupils.

TRUST GOVERNOR: Charlie Western

I joined Wycliffe Governing Body in December 2023. After working with schools and academy trusts in my professional work I wanted to be able to use my experience to benefit a school in my local community and made the decision to apply to join the board at Wycliffe. Having benefitted greatly from my own education at nearby schools, I saw great merit in playing a part in the education of students at Wycliffe and supporting the school to meet and exceed it’s aims.

TRUST GOVERNOR: David Ford
I am married with two grown up boys, who were educated at Saltaire Primary and Beckfoot. I lives in Saltaire, and formerly ran Saltaire Bookshop on Saltaire Rd. Having previously served as a governor at Saltaire, Hirstwood Nursery & Frizinghall I was keen to take up being a school governor again after moving back to the area after six years in Lincolnshire. My particular interests are helping the school in its liaison with the wider community, to the mutual benefit of both and working to support the school with the other governors, the staff at school and pupils and parents/carers at Wycliffe

TRUST GOVERNOR: Emma Wilkinson

I am the Curate (Assistant Vicar) of Windhill, Eldwick and Shipley, with a particular focal ministry at St Paul’s Shipley. At St Paul’s we deeply value our relationship with Wycliffe and see being linked with the school as a seriously joyful thing! Part of our commitment to serving, loving and praying for the school is by sending me to be governor. I am passionate about every child having the opportunity to experience ‘life in all its fullness’ (John 10:10) and am really enjoying working with my fellow governors and school staff to ensure we can make that possible for the families in our community.

CLERK : Sally Coope

Role of the Governing Body

BDAT is governed by a Trust Board of Directors, accountable to five Members. The Trust Board is made up of approximately 12 Trustees, each appointed for the skills they can bring to drive and steer the strategic purpose and direction of the Trust. We appointed our current Chair, Tessa Mason, with extensive experience of education policy and school leadership in January 2016.

The Trust Board is supported by a series of Finance and Education sub-committees, comprising Trustees, Academy Leaders and Central Team Officers, which hold schools to account. Each academy also retains a Local Governing Body, responsible for the day-to-day challenge and support for their school.

From 2018, due to our size, BDAT also established an independent Audit Committee, tasked on quality assuring and monitoring the work and functions of the Trust Board, Executive and School Leaders.

The Trust retains high level responsibility and accountability for the use of resources, finance and for educational achievement. This is monitored through regular internal and independent effectiveness and progress analysis, evaluations and reports. Information is shared with the Headteachers/Principals, the Local Governing Body, BDAT Officers and Trustees. Robust discussions are held at all levels to ensure that academy achievement and best value enable the optimum performance of each academy and of the Trust overall.