How Ark's governance works
Every school in the Ark network is the legal responsibility of the Ark Schools Board. This board focuses on statutory duties and delegates most day-to-day responsibilities to each school’s individual Local Governing Body (LGB).
This means that our Academy's governors are able to concentrate on the things that really matter – educational strategy, school outcomes and aspiration.
The Ark Schools Decision Making Framework outlines where responsibility and accountability sits for the key functional areas within Ark Schools between the ‘tiers’ of governance.
Our Local Governing Body
Our Local Governing Body (LGB) is made up of 6-10 members – usually people with a local connection or interest who are committed to supporting educational opportunity in the area. The board generally includes:
- Academy Principal
- Up to two Parent Governors
- One Teaching Staff Governor
- One Non-teaching Staff Governor
- One Local Authority representative
We aim to create a balanced group that will have the right skills, connections and dynamic for the LGB to work well and support the school in achieving exceptional performance. Attributes we look for include:
- Good insight into the specific challenges at the school and the general challenges of operating top-quality schools
- Excellent community links
- Specific skills as needed by/relevant to the school
- A link to the senior executive team of Ark Schools
All appointments are made by the Director of Governance for Ark Schools. The term of a governor is three years, except for the Principal, who remains a governor for the duration of his or her time in post. Governors may be reappointed for further terms.
The LGB meets four times a year.
Becoming a governor
If you have an interest 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 online Governor Application Form. If you have any questions about a governor’s role or responsibilities please contact us at governance.team@arkonline.org
A full programme of induction, training and support is provided. You can see more information, including role specifications here.
Contacting the governors
The current Clerk to Governors is Cathi Hughes (Catherine.Hughes@arkonline.org). Please contact them if you have any governance-related queries, or would like to contact one of the governors.
Our Governors
Harriet Barclay
Harriet cares passionately that all children, regardless of their background, have access to a high-quality and inspiring education. She is a freelance communications consultant and formerly worked as External Relations Director for Teaching Leaders (now part of Ambition Institute), a national education charity, which develops middle leaders in schools in challenging contexts. Harriet’s background is in marketing and communications. Prior to Teaching Leaders she was Head of O2 Learn – a crowd-sourced revision website for secondary school students that she conceived, launched and ran as part of the brand innovation team at O2, UK. Harriet was an On Purpose Associate in 2010, the inaugural year, having spent 6 years as an Account Director at the advertising agencies AMV BBDO (London) and CLM BBDO (Paris). Harriet studied Modern Languages at Oxford University.
Patrick Ainsworth
Patrick is a teacher of Mathmatics at a secondary and sixth form school. He has a passion for working with young people and ensuring they have the best education possible. Outside of school he is a marathon runner and a triathlete.
Ozan Asim
Ozan is a financial services professional, currently working as a portfolio manager at a leading alternative asset manager. He is passionate about education, and strongly believes that every child should have the opportunity to thrive at their school. He will strive to leverage his experience for the benefit of Ark Atwood and the local community the academy supports. Outside of work, Ozan is a keen rock climber with an interest in music and the arts.
Ellis McAllister
Ellis has been involved in education for 10 years, from her role as a Higher Level Teaching Assistant for KS1 pupils at primary level to Office Manager at an Ark secondary academy. Her current role involves driving data quality for pupils and staff at Ark academies. Ellis is passionate about pupils achieving their full potential and the wellbeing of young people, and in visiting Ark Atwood in her role as a Governor has been impressed with the good behaviour and engagement with learning of pupils. Ellis is keen for every pupil to feel happy and to thrive at Ark Atwood.
Ella Robertson
Ella is the Managing Director of One Young World, a UK charity which serves as a global forum for young leaders. Ella oversees the annual One Young World Summit which has taken place in nine different cities across the world, from Bangkok to Bogota. Ella is the co-author of "How To Make A Difference" - the authoritative handbook to activism. Alongside this, Ella is the Co-Founder of the Sino-German Initiative, an investment vehicle with a charitable arm which aims to increase the business and cultural relationships between Germany and China. Ella read English Literature at Balliol College Oxford and began a law training contract with a Magic Circle firm before changing track and pursuing a career in the third sector. She was on the Scottish International Debating team and lives in Marylebone.
Myriam Sundstrom
Myriam is a digital marketing professional who has worked in a variety of industries, from publishing to financial services with many years spent within the online education sector. She truly believes that education is key and the path to unlock opportunities to a brighter future. She has 2 children, one in year 4, and one in nursery.
Sophie Taylor
Sophie is a Senior Civil Servant, and is currently the Director for Vulnerable Children’s Strategy and Educational Engagement in the Department for Education. She has worked in a wide range of roles across government, many of them focussed on improving educational outcomes and safeguarding young people from harm. Sophie is passionate about education and the transformative effect it can have on children’s lives. She lives in north London and is an active member of a number of community-based initiatives. She speaks Spanish and French.
Michael Yanny
Michael is a father who has a son currently in year 2 of Ark Atwood Primary School. His daughter, who joined in Reception, completed her year 6 last academic year and is now in her first year of secondary education. He is a writer/director/artist with over 20 years experience in the creative film and advertising industries, having worked on campaigns for the BBC, Channel 4, PayPal, Deliveroo, the Government of Scotland and Middle-East Broadcasting Television station, MBC. Being able to distil clear communications in a simple manner is one of the strengths he brings to the role. He is an ideas man, an outside the box thinker with an ability to mediate in complex situations and comfortable engaging with the diverse academy community.