Welcome from our Chair

A very warm welcome from the Local Advisory Board of The Milestone School.

As Chair it gives me great pleasure to explain the roles and responsibilities of the Governors. The Milestone School enables children to learn and flourish in a safe environment where they are supported for their individuality with a curriculum delivered by a dedicated and committed staff team who show empathy and integrity daily.

Governors are from a variety of backgrounds with a wide range of skills and experiences. We acknowledge that we cannot do our job without the expertise of the Headteacher, the Leadership Team, the teaching staff, learning partners and many more staff in administrative and practical roles.

The Governors are a team united by our commitment to the school. We are involved in many aspects of school life:

  • Staff recruitment
  • Health and safety
  • Finance
  • Safeguarding
  • Curriculum development
  • Teaching and learning
  • Pupil activities and celebrations

We undertake a range of training and have regular presentations on relevant subjects delivered by staff.

As Chair I will strive to ensure that the needs of pupils, staff, parents and carers are met.

As Governors we expect continuous improvement and monitor all areas to ensure aspirational and realistic goals are set and achieved.

To summarise, our aim is to ensure that every pupil receives the best possible educational and life experiences. I believe that, with commitment from everyone, Governors, staff, parents and carers, we shall succeed.

Kate Hawkins

What are LABs?

Local Advisory Boards (LABs) are a key part of the governance structure within SAND Academies Trust and are integral to supporting the vision for the Trust in ensuring the individual identity of each school.

The Trust Board is the accountable body and has ultimate responsibility for the strategic functions of governance as follows:

  • Ensuring there is clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction 
  • Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils and the performance management of staff 
  • Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent 

What does the LAB do?

The LAB supports the Trustees in fulfilling the strategic functions at a local level and within the powers delegated to them through the Scheme of Delegation. The LAB will consider how the school is performing today as well as thinking about the future and how the school can improve in order to offer the best possible education and outcomes for its students. 

 

The role of the LAB is to: 

  • Uphold SAND Academies Trust ethos, vision and aims and ensure these are embedded throughout the school and in all LAB discussions and decisions
  • Ensure that the school promotes equality, diversity and inclusion for all its pupils, staff and stakeholders 
  • Behave in an honest and open way and follow the LAB Code of Conduct and the seven Nolan Principles of public life 
  • Ensure the safety and wellbeing of pupils and staff at all times 
  • Build and maintain good relationships with the school, the trust, the headteacher, staff, pupils and other stakeholder groups 
  • Promote links with the school’s community at every opportunity 
  • Work with the central team to ensure the school is well supported, and promote positive relationships across the trust 
  • Attend and support school events where possible 
  • Ensure the school is clear and ambitious for the pupils and in line with the trust’s strategic plan 
  • Monitor targets for the school around pupil achievement, school improvement and curriculum development 
  • Ensure that the school is best able to achieve its objectives over the long term 
  • Hold the headteacher to account for the management of the school, delivery of pupil outcomes and for carrying out any LAB decisions.

Who make up the LAB?

Local Advisory Boards draw on different stakeholder groups for their membership. The different categories of LAB members are as follows: 

  • Staff – elected by the staff at the school 
  • Parent – elected by the parent/carer community at the school 
  • Headteacher – is an ex-officio member by virtue of their role in the school
  • Community – representative of the local community or to bring a specific skillset 

Statutory information

The following statutory information for SAND Academies Trust can be found on the SAND website https://www.sandmat.uk/governance/ 

  • Governance structure – including statutory information for Members and Trustees 
  • Scheme of Delegation 
  • Terms of Reference for board committees and LABs 
  • Articles of Association 
SAND Trust Governance Information
  • Funding agreements 
  • Annual report and audited accounts 
  • Executive Pay statement 
  • Gender Pay Gap information 

Contact Details

The Clerk to the LAB is Val Holliday. If you have any LAB related queries or need to contact Kate Hawkins, LAB Chair, please email val.holliday@milestone.sandmat.uk or write to her at The Milestone School, Longford Lane, Gloucester, GL2 9EU.

LAB members

 

Name Category Term Commenced Term Ends
Kate Hawkins Chair (Safeguarding) 01/06/2023 31/05/2025
Stephen Dowell Headteacher 01/09/2023 N/A – Ex-officio position
Tina Clark Community 26/06/2023 25/06/2025
Sue Antill Staff 26/09/2023 25/09/2025
Michael Williams Community 22/09/2021 21/09/2025
Amanda Phillips Community tbc tbc

Terms of Office are for four years unless otherwise stated, then a further two years if re-elected.

All members have voting rights.

Governor Responsibilities

Historic LAB member details

Left in the last 12 months.

Name Category Term commenced Term ends
Diane Taylor Headteacher 01/06/2019 31/08/2023
Stephen Dowell Community 15/06/2020 31/08/2023
Michael Lewis Parent 26/09/2019 21/07/2023
Elaine Marshall Community 28/09/2023
Andrew Williams Community 15/06/2020 14/06/2024

Other lab details

LAB Meeting Dates

Dates of Meetings for The Milestone School LAB 2024 – 2025

All meetings will commence at 10am

3rd October 2024, 28th November 2024, 23rd January 2025, 13th March 2025, 8th May 2025, 4th July 2025

LAB Register of Business & Pecuniary Interests

The Milestone School Governor Details

Governance Information, Annual Reports & Accounts

Please visit the SAND Academies Trust website for more details.

Governor Attendance 2023-24

Governor Attendance 2023-24

THE MILESTONE SCHOOL – GOVERNOR ATTENDANCE 2023/24
NAME CATEGORY Local Advisory Board ATTENDANCE %
28/09/23 30/11/23 18/01/24 29/02/24 02/5/24 20/6/24 % YTD
Kate Hawkins CHAIR Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes 83%
Sue Antill STAFF Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 100%
Tina Clark COMMUNITY Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 100%
Stephen Dowell HEADTEACHER Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes 83%
Andrew Williams COMMUNITY Yes Yes No Yes Yes NOA 80%
Michael Williams COMMUNITY Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes 83%
Amanda Phillips COMMUNITY Yes No Yes 66%
KEY In attendance Yes
Absent No
Not obligated to attend NOA

Governor Attendance 2022-23

THE MILESTONE SCHOOL – GOVERNOR ATTENDANCE 2022/23
NAME CATEGORY Local Advisory Board ATTENDANCE %
29/11/22 24/11/22 26/1/23 9/3/23 11/5/23 29/6/23 % YTD
Kate Hawkins CHAIR Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes 83%
Sue Antill STAFF Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 100%
Tina Clark COMMUNITY Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 100%
Stephen Dowell DEPUTY HEADTEACHER Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 100%
Michael Lewis PARENT Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes 83%
Elaine Marshall COMMUNITY Yes No Yes No Yes Yes 67%
Diane Taylor HEADTEACHER Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 100%
Andrew Williams COMMUNITY Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 83%
Michael Williams COMMUNITY No Yes Yes No Yes Yes 67%
KEY In attendance Yes
Absent No
Not obligated to attend NOA

Governor Attendance 2021-22

Governor Attendance 2020-21

Governor Attendance 2019-20