Hello and welcome from the governors of Ashton Park School. 

We are proud to play a part in the ongoing story of this great community school and to support its values of Respect - Determination - Community.

Ashton Park School has been part of the Excalibur Academies Multi Academy Trust (MAT) since 2023, alongside fellow secondary school Redland Green and three local primary schools Ashton Vale, Compass Point and Luckwell. The core purpose of a MAT is to support school improvement in the widest sense: through collaboration between schools, with central support and shared values.

What do local governors do in our MAT?

Within the MAT the Academy Committee is a sub-committee of the Board of Trustees (see EAT website for more details). 

• The Academy Committee has a strategic and monitoring role. We support the school in setting its vision and strategy, and hold school leaders to account for the quality of education the school provides. We act as a ‘critical friend’ to the senior staff team, offering support and asking questions. 

• We ensure that the School is looking after the safety and wellbeing of all its pupils and its staff.

• We act as an advocate of the school in public and in the community and within the Trust.

We are not involved in the day to day running of the school, which is the responsibility of the Headteacher and the Senior Leadership Team.

All governors are volunteers. Our board has a maximum of 14 governors, 3 of whom are elected by parents as Parent Local Governors, and two are Staff Local Governors elected by staff.  The others are drawn from the community, and they bring their wide-ranging experience to the board. 

What does being a governor involve? 

We meet 6x per year as a full governing body, usually at school although over recent times many of our meetings have been virtual. In addition each governor is linked to an individual senior staff member and area of school life (for example safeguarding, special educational needs support, whole school literacy and attendance) and takes on responsibility for understanding and monitoring what the school is doing in this area. This information feeds back into the school’s improvement process and contributes towards the Trust’s knowledge of the school.

The minutes of our main committee are available from the clerk.

Current school Governors are listed below - also see Membership document on this page:

• Albert Gardiner.
  Chair & Community Governor
  Albert Gardiner.

  Albert is a committed community activist, leader and Social, Emotional, Mental Health practitioner. He brings experience in education and community engagement. As part of his professional role, Albert relocated to Bristol and joins the Governing Body with a wealth of knowledge in governance having chaired the Gloucester Law Centre, acted as Secretary for the Gloucestershire Association for Voluntary and Community Action, Trustee and Company Secretary for Gloucestershire Race Equality Council, and currently serves as Chair of Governors at a local primary school, and as an Academy Governor, Chair of Trustees at GL Communities and Vice Chair at Voscur.

  Term of Office 19.05.22 - 18.05.26

• Richard Uffendell
  Headteacher
  Richard Uffendell

  Richard was appointed as Headteacher in September 2022 and is a governor by virtue of office. Richard graduated in 2000 from St. Luke's College, University of Exeter. He completed his PGCE at the same university. Richard completed his Masters in Education degree in 2011. He has worked in schools in Gloucestershire, Swansea, Devon, North Somerset and Bristol. Â Richard has held various roles including Head of Performing Arts and Head of Physical Education. He worked at South Molton Community College from 2016-2018 as a senior leader and at Priory Community School from 2018-2021 as Vice Principal before being seconded to Worle Community School in 2021-2022. Richard holds the National Professional Qualification for Headship.

• Jonathan Poole
  Staff Governor
  Jonathan Poole

  I started working at Ashton Park school in 2013 as a PE teacher, and I am currently Head of Apollo House. I continue to enjoy working at Ashton Park School, and endeavour to provide the best possible education for all our young people. I believe that it is important for me to provide a teacher’s voice within the governors as we continue on our journey to excellence.

  Term of Office 01.09.23 - 31.08.27

• Daisy Hedges
  Staff Governor
  Daisy Hedges

  I started working at Ashton Park in September 2018 as a Family Link worker and I'm currently Athena and Apollo Assistant Head of House. I continue to enjoy working at Ashton Park and thrive off the positive relationships I have built with our students and their parents/carers.

  Term of Office 01.09.23 - 31.08.27

• Lisa Durston
  Parent Governor
  Lisa Durston

  I live in Southville and have seen two children through Ashton Park School. My youngest is now in Year 8. I work for a specialist service that supports people affected by sexual violence and am passionate about the importance of quality SRE provision that focuses on consent and healthy relationships. I’m deeply committed to inclusion and look forward to supporting Ashton Park in offering an aspirational and well-rounded education to all the students in our local community.

  Term of Office 07.07.23 - 06.07.27

• Lucy Cartlidge
  Parent Governor
  Lucy Cartlidge

  I have lived and worked in Bristol since 2006. I am a qualified accountant, currently working in the Private Sector. Â I'm passionate about Secondary comprehensive education in my local community and want to help Ashton Park strive for the highest aspirations both academically and in their pastoral care.

  Term of Office 01.09.23 - 31.08.23

• Jeff Hurran
  Community Governor
  Jeff Hurran

  Career: Accountant, Geography and Geology teacher in three Bristol secondary schools, Deputy Head Teacher in Swindon, Senior Lecturer Sustainable Development and International Development UWE (Bristol) and Associate Lecturer The Open University, Education Consultant in Environmental Education, Governor and then Chair of Governors Henleaze Junior School, retired.

  
  Interests: Gardening, choral singing, walking, travel and languages, books, theatre, music - classical, jazz, world and folk, community development, understanding environments, climate change.

  
  Educational priority: supporting teachers in encouraging children to be better involved in understanding their learning, raising achievement, supporting school governance.

  
  Family: Daughter and son who attended state schools in Bristol.

  Term of Office 1.07.18 - 30.06.26

• Nick Hassey
  Community Governor
  Nick Hassey

  Nick is a researcher and data analyst with a track record of designing and delivering complex projects to help organisations work with partners to tackle large scale strategic issues. He currently works in the NHS focused on data, analytics and supporting better integration between health and social care. He was previously the Associate Director of research and evaluation at Teach First where he oversaw the re-design of their teacher training programme, and the set-up of their middle and senior leadership development programmes.

  Term of Office 01.09.21 - 31.08.25

• Simon Flynn
  Community Governor
  Simon Flynn

  I work as a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist in the NHS. Hence one of my priorities is a focus on young people's mental and emotional health. I also support the needs of staff well-being. Before re-training as a psychotherapist, I completed a doctorate in English Literature and spent 16 years lecturing at a number of UK universities.

  When not working, I enjoy reading, cinema, walking, local history, Tai Chi, and playing live music. Finally, I am also the father of two children who attend Ashton Park School.

  Term of Office 28.04.22 - 27.04.26

• Allan Paltzer
  Community Governor
  Allan Paltzer

  Allan is a teacher with a background in communications and public affairs. Having studied at the University of Bristol and currently working as Head of Futures at QEH Bristol, he is passionate about ensuring young people across the city believe in their potential and are supported to realise their aspirations. He has a firm understanding of national employment trends, the local labour market and post-16 and post-18 options. He also has theories about how Bristol City could improve their goals per game ratio, although none have been tested. He lives in Bedminster with his wife and two young daughters.

  Term of Office 28.04.22 - 27.04.26

• Andrea Becker-Ginster
  Community Governor
  Andrea Becker-Ginster

  Andrea has a keen interest in education and is especially passionate about equity, providing every student with what they need so they can experience the same opportunities. Having been a Governor at local schools since 2011, Andrea has been involved with the Gatehouse Green Learning Trust since its inception.

  Andrea works for Bristol City Council and has a background in architecture. She is an expert in adapting homes for persons with disabilities, enabling them to live their lives as independently as possible.

  Term of Office 13.07.23 - 12.07.27

• Chris Thomas-Unsworth
  Community Governor
  Chris Thomas-Unsworth

  Chris has been working in education for the past sixteen years and is a primary school Headteacher. He is passionate about education and supporting the local community. He has two children, one of whom attends Ashton Park Secondary School. In his spare time he enjoys watching football, cricket, live music and reading.

  Term of Office 01.09.23 - 31.08.27

Executive Pay

• Execs over 100l

Excalibur Academies Trust Governance Information

As a member of Excalibur Academies Trust, further Governance information can be found here.