Academy Council
The Academy Council
The Academy Council is the name for the governing body of an academy and we work closely with the Headteacher and other staff to set a strategic direction for Foley Park Primary Academy. We act as a ‘critical friend’, complementing and enhancing the school leadership by making sure all statutory duties are met. These include appointing the Headteacher, providing support and challenge, and holding the school to account for its impact on improving outcomes for all pupils. This continues to be particularly important following the school’s "Journey to Good", and beyond.
The Headteacher, who is a member of the Academy Council, runs the school on a day to day basis. The Academy Councillors are responsible for the strategic overview of the school and for overseeing the curriculum. We also handle formal complaints, personnel issues, buildings, health and safety, policies and some disciplinary matters.
The Academy Council includes representation from school staff, the community and parents; people who have experience and skills that enable us to support and advise on school issues.
The Academy Council meets regularly and has a number of sub-committees which look in more detail at such areas as health and safety, disadvantaged pupils, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), safeguarding, and the curriculum. The Academy Council feeds into the Victoria Academy Trust Board.
If you have any matters that you'd like to raise, please let us know.
Our Academy Councillors
Richard Collie
Role: Chair - Community Councillor
Link Councillor: Teaching & Learning, Safeguarding & Maths
Appointed: 18/10/2019, reappointed 18/10/2022
Term of Office: 3 years; Expires 18/10/2025
Business/Pecuniary Interests: None Declared
I became a Councillor to help the school to push its boundaries in continuing to provide a safe and progressive learning environment not just for my grandchildren who attend the school but also for all pupils. Whilst I am a link councillor for specific subject areas, I am interested in all aspects of the curriculum and the school day. I am always happy to talk about the school so feel free to stop me in the playground (Tuesdays and Wednesdays are when I can normally be spotted) to have a chat.
Before I retired I ran a management consultancy company for over 20 years which focused very much on improving operational performance. I am married, have two daughters with one working at Kidderminster College and the other teaching Year 6 children in Birmingham. Although a while back now, when my daughters were going to school both my wife and myself became heavily involved in their school lives, my wife as a governor whist I chaired the PTA for 6 years.
Sobia Shaw
Role: Community Councillor
Link Councillor: Pupil Premium, English
Appointed: 2022
Term of Office: 3 years;
Business/Pecuniary Interests: None Declared
I joined Foley Park Primary Academy School in 2022 and believe it is an integral part of the local community and I hope to positively contribute to its continued excellent achievements and to develop as a diverse, safe and vibrant place to be educated and play.
I have over 37 years of experience of working in the charity, local authority, public and academic sectors. I was CEO of a Women’s Organisation, a registered charity for 30 years tackling domestic and sexual violence providing services across the East and West Midlands.
I have been responsible for designing and developing projects, research, training, policy, practice and strategy work in relation to domestic violence and abuse, homelessness, mental health, safeguarding, equality and diversity, social justice and inclusion. Raising over 30 million pounds for my organisation, I have extensive experience and sound understanding of funding and fundraising, governance and leadership, partnership working, research and development, policy and practice in social care, safeguarding, social and criminal justice, ecology and environmental sustainability, health and safety, managing within tight budgets, high pressure environments and competing demands, volunteer and service user engagement and involvement. I am committed to establishing models of services, projects, practice and governance that have equality equity inclusion and diversity at their core.
Having worked studied and lived in Kidderminster, my first job being a Neighbourhood Worker on the Foley Park Estate in the late 80’s and later in 1995 I supported the development of a domestic violence and abuse service in Kidderminster for the Wyre Forest area, involving writing a Business Plan and applying for funding. More recently during 2021 I was appointed as Vice Chair of Kidderminster Town Hall Trust and supported the Town Hall by co-ordinating and co-writing a funding bid to the Department of Levelling Up Housing and Communities to the value of 176K over 2 years and contributed to a Lottery’s Heritage Fund bid to the value of 250K.
Currently I am overseeing a community project on a voluntary basis for the Kidderminster Business Improvement District (BID) whose work is focused on improving the town centre on all levels and in creating a town centre for the 21st century that is an integral part of the lives of all the local communities and areas of Kidderminster and I hope to make a positive contribution towards its prosperity and develop as a diverse, safe and vibrant place to live work and play.
Being a kidney transplant patient I was invited to become a member of the Birmingham Bio-Medical Research Centre’s Liver and GI Public and Patient Involvement Group funded by the National Institution of Health Research. I joined in 2020 and have been involved in various pieces of work/research as a patient contributor. In October 2022 I was presented with the St Georges Cross by the BRC which was awarded to the NHS by the Queen, for my contribution to the Equality Framework and my wider work within the organisation. In November 2022 I was appointed as the Vice Chair of the Liver and Gastro-Intestinal Patient and Public Involvement Group.
Laima (Newly appointed)
Role: Parent Councillor
Link Councillor: EYFS
Appointed: December 2023
Term of Office: 3 years;
Business/Pecuniary Interests: Nail Business owner
Lucy Valentine
Role: Parent Councillor (appointed by parents)
Link Councillor: Health & Safety, Science
Appointed: February 2024
Term of Office: 3 years
Business/Pecuniary Interests: None Declared
Micaila Price
Role: Non-teaching staff councillor
Link Councillor: SEND
Appointed: December 2023
Term of Office: 3 years; Expires
Business/Pecuniary Interests:
Vacancy
Role: Community Councillor
Link Councillor:
Appointed:
Term of Office: 3 years; Expires
Business/Pecuniary Interests: