Our Governors

Woodlands School is proud to boast committed and well-informed Governors to ensure we are moving in the right direction and in the right way, driven by out ethos of Aspiration, Resilience, Opportunity and Excellence.

Please click on the link below to see the list of roles and responsibility for each of our Governors.

Click here for Governors Roles and Responsibilities

Mrs Karen Lay - Chair of Governors  - KLay@woodlandsschool.essex.sch.uk

THE COMPASS EDUCATION TRUST

With effect from 1st September 2023, Woodlands School ceased to be part of Takely Education Trust and has been transferred to Compass Education Trust (Companies House number 07666213). Compass Education Trust is a multi-academy trust that includes The Billericay School in Billericay and The Bromfords School in Wickford and The Appleton School in Benfleet.

Further information detailing how the trust is governed and managed may be found in its annual report on compasstrust.org .

Each individual school within the trust has a local governing body, which monitors standards and pupil outcomes and makes recommendations to the Trust Board. The local governors also approve and monitor the school’s budget.

The local governing body for Woodlands School is constituted by members of our local community and includes elected parent governors and staff governors.

Details of Trustees and Members of The Compass Education Trust can be found via the following link: 

https://compasstrust.greenhousecms.co.uk/Governance-Membership/

Local Governing Body 

Listed below are the names of Woodlands School Governing Body:-

• Karen Lay -  Chair - re-appointed 28th June 2024
• Jaynie Vincent - Vice Chair - appointed 4th December 2023 
• David Wright - Head Teacher - appointed 23rd April 2019
• Sue Elliott - Associate Staff Governor - appointed 30th June 2021
• Bhakti Deodhar - Co-opted Governor - appointed 27th June 2022
• Phillip Rutter - Parent Governor - appointed 15th July 2022
• Sarah Allotey - Co-opted Governor - appointed 20th January 2023
• Namdi Ngoka - Co-opted Governor - appointed 13th March 2023
• Lucy Hutchins - Parent Governor - appointed 10th March 2025
• Barrie Drewitt-Barlow - Co-opted Governor - appointed 10th March 2025

• Ben Brown - Vice Chair - resigned 4th December 2023
• John Perreira - Parent Governor - end of term 6th December 2024
• Michelle O'Connor - Teaching Staff Governor - resigned 4th April 2025

Committees

Declaration of Interests

Directors have made the following declarations in relation to their business interests although the Trust does not trade with or receive any benefits from these businesses.

Directors are also asked to declare any potential conflicts of interest arising from any matter or agenda item discussed by the Board at each meeting and this is formally recorded.

• Karen Lay - Director of The Compass Education Trust

Any requests for governors minutes must come through Mrs Liz Purser (Head Teacher's PA) on lpurser@woodlandsschool.essex.sch.uk