Trust Local Committee

Governance Arrangements 2025/26

Trinity School, Portishead

Trinity Anglican Methodist Primary School is a member of the Bath & Wells Diocesan Academies Trust (BWMAT). The Board of Trustees is the accountable body and the proprietor for all the schools in BWMAT. As the accountable body for the school, the Board of Trustees is responsible for governance.

As an academy, it is important to remember that the Trust is one entity, and that the Board of Trustees and Trust leaders are responsible for the quality of education provided in all the schools that make up BWMAT.

The Board of Trustees has identified that each school in the Trust will have a dedicated committee to oversee the governance arrangements of the school on their behalf. This committee is called the Trust Local Committee (TLC) and it works closely with the headteacher and the school’s leaders in order to achieve the best possible outcomes for all pupils. Trustees have determined the role of the TLC given that it is a committee of the Board of Trustees.

The role of the Trust Local Committee (TLC) is to form a positive partnership with the school’s stakeholders and provide confident, strategic leadership to the school community. The TLC will create a robust accountability framework that enables oversight and assurance of the school’s arrangements to promote safeguarding and high standards in all aspects of the school’s work whilst promoting a distinctively Christian ethos in support of the Trust’s wider vision.

As part of this role, the TLC ensures that Christian distinctiveness is a golden thread that runs through all of the school’s activities.

The TLC meets half-termly and its work reflects the Trust’s Scheme of Delegation that identifies the duties delegated to the TLC by the Board of Trustees.

Members of the TLC work very hard to ensure that they know what it is like to be a learner in the school. They undertake a range of activity in relation to the core functions of governance and these activities enable them to understand the school’s strengths and areas for improvement.

The requirements of the Trust’s Scheme of Delegation and the national expectations related to efficient and effective governance, as identified in the Academy Trust Governance Guide (DfE 2025), have been used to support the development of the Trust’s own local governance framework.

The key elements of the Trust’s local governance framework in relation to the role of the TLC are as follows:

i) Strategic leadership

The TLC helps to shape the vision for the school and this is reviewed annually. It also looks regularly at the progress being made against achieving the school’s identified aims.

The School Development Plan (SDP) identifies the school’s priorities for the year and the TLC is instrumental in working with the headteacher to develop this and then monitoring progress against the identified priorities for the year.

Members of the TLC are linked to areas of the SDP and undertake a range of activity during the year – meeting staff, talking to pupils, reviewing plans, looking at pupils’ work – so that they can see the progress being made against the priorities for themselves.

One member of the TLC has an oversight of the school’s safeguarding arrangements as this is such an important area of school life. This member’s role is to monitor the school’s arrangements to support safeguarding to ensure that the school is doing what it should in this area.

Members of the TLC report on their activity to the meetings of the TLC so that all members are aware of what is going well and what is in need of development.

The TLC also identifies and manages any risks that might impact on the outcomes achieved by the school. Significant risks are escalated to the Board of Trustees to ensure that those areas identified as being of particular concern are being effectively managed and the risk mitigated.

ii) Accountability and assurance

The TLC acts as a critical friend to the headteacher and is always striving to ensure that the school is doing the best it can for every pupil.

The TLC regularly reviews the information provided by the school on the progress and attainment of pupils and challenges the school’s senior leaders when performance appears to be uneven or inconsistent. It holds senior leaders to account for the school’s support and provision for disadvantaged pupils, those with SEND, those who are known (or previously known) to children’s social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

TLC members ask about the organisation of the curriculum and the quality of teaching in the school. They make sure that the school has a robust system in place for supporting the professional growth of staff. The TLC and Trust staff work together to support the professional growth of the headteacher.

The TLC looks at a range of external data and information to see how the school compares to local and national benchmarks. It also receives and reviews the reports of external partners about the school so that it has as wide a view as possible of how the school is performing.

iii) Strategic engagement

The TLC is the Trust’s anchor in the local community. To fulfil this role, the TLC will develop communication channels, consult stakeholders and work in partnership with the school’s local community. It will ensure that stakeholder views are accounted for when looking at planned developments in the school. By actively engaging with the local community, the school is able to make a positive impact contribution to life outside the school.

Impact of governance in 2024/25

The TLC worked hard to support the school in continuing to raise standards through remembering more and refining curriculum development. The Trinity approach was endorsed in our Ofsted Inspection in December 2024, with supporting children achieving greater depth identified as an area for development. The TLC supported Headteacher recruitment, following Sandy Nickell’s retirement. The TLC requested a Strategic Succession Plan and received updates on implementation to ensure a smooth handover. Trinity continued to participate in the Excellent Schools Network, with reciprocal visits enabling the TLC to benchmark with similar schools and learn from good practice.

KS2 Data	Reading	Writing	Maths	Combined
2023-24	72	75	69	63
2024-25	81	74	83	64

As well as attending business meetings of the TLC, individual members of the TLC also attend regular training and development sessions. These relate to either the development of the TLC as a whole or to the personal development of individuals. All members of the TLC undertake regular, Trust-identified training. They can also access on-line training as members of the National Governance Association. Newly appointed members of the TLC receive a planned programme of induction support.

The school follows the policies approved by the Trust and, as such, these are all available on the Trust’s website. The school has then developed its own procedures for each policy area that reflect Trust policy and identify how the school is putting the policy into practice.

The TLC is always trying to improve its effectiveness and efficiency and an annual self-evaluation takes place at which the TLC decides, in terms of governance, what has gone well during the year and what the areas of focus need to be identified for the following year.

The TLC has the following as its areas of focus for 2025/26:

Appointment of substantive Headteacher;
Implementation of new local governance arrangements to ensure TLC is effective;
Recruitment of new Parent Governor (Summer 2026);
Developing relationships with key stakeholders (trainline construction).

Welcome from the Chair of Governors

Here at Trinity, the Trust Local Committee (TLC) work closely with the Headteacher, staff and parents. We always endeavour to provide a safe and caring environment for every child to ensure they can each learn and develop their personal gifts.

Academic achievement is important and every effort is made to ensure that each child is given excellent learning opportunities. In keeping with the Christian ethos of the school every child is valued and encouraged to be sensitive to the needs of others.

The TLC meet 6 times a year and governors can also be part of the Admissions sub committee. This focuses on school admissions and ensures that the legal requirements for pupil admissions are met.

Copies of governor meeting minutes are available from Sheryl Ellis, Clerk to Governors c/o the school office.

Each governor has specific responsibilities, often linked to a curriculum or subject and regularly visit the school to monitor and assist in progressing the very special learning ethos of the school.

Set out below are some useful documents, including profiles of our current serving Governors.

Jo Coulon

Meet Our TLC Members

Mrs Claire Howell- Headteacher

Term of Office 1st September 2025 - Ex-officio

Claire became Headteacher at Trinity in September 2025. She holds a degree in Psychology, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, and has recently completed her NPQ in Headship. Since starting her career in 2004, Claire has always had a passion for early years and inclusion. Her leadership is shaped by the values of aspiration, inspiration, and kindness, with children firmly at the heart of everything she does. Outside of school, Claire cares deeply about the environment and enjoys giving back to her community as part of a local litter-picking group.

Mrs Jo Coulon – Chair of Governors

Safeguarding Governor

Foundation Governor for Anglican

Term of Office 7th August 2023 - 6th August 2027

Appointed by Foundation

Jo joined the Trinity Governing body in April 2019 as an Anglican Foundation Governor. She serves as Safeguarding Governor. Jo is an active member of St Peter's Church, where she helps with the Pebbles group (for 4-11s). She has worked in public sector governance and scrutiny roles for the past 15 years, bringing experience which she hopes will make a valuable contribution to Trinity through her role as governor.

Rev Nick Moxon

Foundation Governor for Methodist

Term of Office 12th September 2023 - 11th September 2027

Appointed by Foundation

Nick is the minister for Portishead & Redcliffe Bay Methodist churches. He has been a Methodist minister for 20 years and prior to that worked in the printing trade. Nick is dad to 4 girls. He joined the governing body in September 2019 and is keen for all children to grow in body, mind and spirit. He has a special interest in supporting families who foster or adopt. Nick is link governor for Collective Worship.

Mr Ed Broyd -

Foundation Governor for Anglican

Term of Office 27th September 2022 - 26th September 2026

Appointed by Foundation

Ed moved to Portishead with his young family in 2017. He is a Deputy Headteacher at another local primary school and a member of St Peter's Church. As well as being involved with the local running club, he also helps to organise a monthly playgroup for fathers and their young children. He brings experience of working across different roles in primary education

Mrs Jane Phillips - Foundation Governor for Anglican

Term of Office 11th November 2022 - 10th November 2026

Appointed by Foundation

Jane has lived in Portishead since 1997. She was married at St Peter’s church and her son, now 20 and at university, was baptised there. She was on the children’s Pebbles team at church for nine years. Jane has been a secondary school teacher (11-18) in Kent and Bristol. She believes that a good foundation education provides children with a sense of value and self-worth as well as an understanding of the world around them. She has a long family history of rectors and Methodist ministers.

Mrs Beth Hobbs - Foundation Governor for Anglican

Term of Office 13th October 2023 - 12th October 2027

Appointed by Foundation

Beth joined the Trinity LGC in October 2023 as an Anglican Foundation Governor. Beth is a mum to three small children and works for a local tech company in a predominantly administrative capacity. She is an active member of the St Peter’s Church community. Beth has previously worked in secondary education, and in a number of customer service roles in both the public and private sectors. She is passionate about supporting the pupils at Trinity to achieve their full potentials

Mrs Charlotte Sparks- Parent Governor

Term of Office 3rd June 2025- 2nd June 2029

Elected by Parents

Charlotte is a parent to 2 children who currently attend Trinity. Charlotte works in a professional capacity for the NHS and has had the privilege of working with children and their parents and carers for the last 11 years. Charlotte hopes to bring her knowledge and understanding of children’s health and wellbeing to the role of being a parent member of the trust local committee. Charlotte is passionate about the importance of accessible education for all children and the importance of a welcoming and safe school environment.

Mr Richard Drew - Parent Governor

Vice Chair of Governors

Term of Office 23rd July 2022 - 22nd July 2026

Elected by Parents

Richard is an experienced project manager currently working in the public sector and is used to engaging with a wide range of people and organisations across all sectors and at all levels. He is also a leader with a local Scout Group and member of the Group Executive committee which runs all aspects of the group including budget control. Richard believes this background will be useful in the role of parent governor.

Mrs Sheryl Ellis - Clerk to the Governors

Sheryl has worked at Trinity School as Admin assistant since it opened in 2008. She is married with two grown up children. She is an member of a church in Nailsea and runs a children's group (Year 3-6) every Friday.

Information about our Governors

Contacting our Trust Local Committee

If you would like to contact the Trust Local Committee, please complete the form below.

Trust Local Committee Governance Arrangements 2025-26.pdf