Governance

The Trust Board adheres to the Articles of Association of the Trust and each sub-committee to the Trust Board has specific Terms of Reference that ensure good governance practice at all levels. Each school has a ‘School Board’, which is one of the sub-committees, and as such reports to the Trust Board of Trustees. At the bottom of the page you will find documents pertaining to the work of the Trust Board.

The diagram below outlines the current structure and lines of communication - a structure which is worked towards during the initial months of a school joining the Trust:

Our members and trustees are a committed and talented group who bring a wealth of experience with which to support the Trust. 

Below you will find further details. Those members and trustees marked with an asterisk are also trustees of the Holborn Estate Charity (HEC).

Members of the Danes Educational Trust

HEC appointees:

Mrs Linda Clarkson MBE Chair of Members
Education & Management
Chair of St Clement Danes Academy Trust since opening in June 2011. Vice Chair of St Clement Danes School Charitable Foundation from 2007 – 2014.            

Mr Mike Bruce
Finance & Management
A former Trustee, appointed as a member in 2019. Now retired, was formerly the Director of Information Technology at Moore Stephens LLP a firm of chartered accountants in London.

Mrs Rosemary Hadfield MBE   
Education      
20 years teaching in the UK and abroad in the primary sector. 30 years association with St Clement Danes as a parent, governor and formerly Chair of Governors. HEC Trustee.        

From the Danes Educational Trust Board:

Mrs Kath Unger
Human Resources
30 years in HR within the civil service before moving to the private sector in 2010 as HR Manager for a Hertfordshire based Insurance Broker. Associated with St Clement Danes School as a parent and then a governor from 1998 to 2012.

The Danes Educational Trust Board - Trustees of the Danes Educational Trust

Member appointees:

Mrs Kath Unger Chair of the Danes Educational Trust Board
Human Resources

Co-opted (by Trustees):

Mr Nils Blythe
Communications
Executive Director, Communications, at the Bank of England (2011-2014), following a career at the BBC where, until 2011, he was the BBC Business Correspondent.

Mrs Carolyn Garner
Finance
Currently UK Tax Manager for an international manufacturing company. An experienced finance professional, who has also served on the Board of Governors of an FE college during a period of expansion.

Mrs Rachel Gauke
Legal & Regulatory
Solicitor working at a legal publishing company, writing practical guidance for lawyers. Specialist in corporate tax law, with experience as a practitioner and professional support lawyer having trained as a solicitor at Linklaters LLP. 

Dr Malcolm Green
Risk and Finance, Estate Management
Chair of the Trust Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee. 30 years prior to retirement as an executive of an international Aerospace Company, with non-executive director experience with the Department of Work and Pensions, an NHS Trust, and a local Housing Trust. On the Board of the Herts Local Government Pension Scheme.

Dr Tim Coulson
Education
Chief Executive of Unity Schools Partnership, a multi-academy trust in Suffolk and East London of 16 primary, 7 secondary and 2 special schools, with approval to open two further special schools and a primary school. He was previously the Regional Schools Commissioner at the Department for Education for the east of England and north east London.

Dr Beth Kelly
Beth’s specialism is in post 16 Mathematics Education; teaching, researching motivation and training teachers. Currently an honorary researcher with UCL Institute of Education, Chair of Adults Learning Mathematics (ALM), and a Director of a small social enterprise, Learning Unlimited. Beth also has experience in the Health Sector, Chairing the Audit committee of a large NHS Hospital and establishing and chairing an NHS Primary Care Trust.

Dr Josephine Valentine OBE - CEO
Headteacher at St Clement Danes between 1998 and December 2017. NLE since 2008, providing school to school support for six secondary schools in Hertfordshire through Executive Headship or leadership coaching. Leader of Herts & Bucks Teaching School Alliance.