Academy Council

Priorswood Primary School is part of the Cabot Learning Federation, a multi-academy trust that is responsible for a number of academies across Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Gloucester and Somerset. Governance for a multi-academy trust operates at two levels. At trust level, there is a Board of Directors. The directors are accountable to the Department for Education and external government agencies, including the Charity Commission, for the quality of the education the trust provides and the effective use of the associated academy funding. They are required to have systems in place through which they can assure themselves of quality, financial probity, safety and good practice. The Board is provided assurance on a number of these areas through various sub-committees, as shown in the diagram below. Visit the CLF website for more information about the board.

At a local level, each academy has an Academy Council comprising of up to 9 Academy Councillors. Academy Councils are responsible for holding Principals and their leadership teams to account for the quality and effectiveness of the academic experience of the students under their care with the aim of securing effective school improvement. They do this through monitoring performance against an annual academy improvement plan, through monitoring risks and responses to risks, and by overseeing systems and processes for the safeguarding of children and the health, safety and wellbeing of academy staff.

Chair of Academy Council

TBC, Chair of Academy Council

Local Academy Councillors

Carly Ellis, Principal

I began my career as a Nursery Nurse and was a Teaching Assistant before attending university. My dream, since the age of 5, was to become a teacher, and after a lot of challenges, I finally achieved it! The only encouragement I had, to follow my dream and persevere, was from my family, not my educators. Therefore, it is really important to me that children are supported and guided to reach their full potential.

I started teaching at Redstart Primary School in Chard in 2006 and became a Maths Lead. I trained and completed The Primary Mathematics Specialist Teacher Programme (MaST), became a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE) in Maths and completed a master’s degree in Primary Education with a focus on mathematics. With a maths focus, I visited Shanghai and welcomed Chinese teachers to Redstart to support and promote the implementation of mastery.

In 2016, I taught in Minerva Primary School as a maths lead developing the maths curriculum and supporting teachers. The following year I was appointed as Assistant Head and then as Acting Head of School. I left this post to have my daughter in 2018 and returned from maternity leave as Head of School at Priorswood Primary School. I have since had a son - I have been busy!

The Priorswood team have recently celebrated the success of moving the school from an Ofsted judgement of inadequate to good.

Lucy Davis, Deputy Principal

Daniel Sumner, Support Staff

I’m a parent of 6 children, the youngest being 14 and my eldest being 26. All of which attended Priorswood Primary School. I have also worked at the school for around 5 years where I did various roles from mainly being a lunchtime supervisor, to helping out in classes and fetes and other fundraising events.

I am a grandparent of two, aged 13 months and 3 years with which I now look after so their parents can go to work. As a family we enjoy swimming and visiting different beaches and going on walks around the countryside.

I have always loved the school and my children were always happy here, so when I was asked to join the Teaching and Learning Committee I was happy and honoured to join. I have now been a member for a number of years. I am passionate about seeing and helping the school progress and provide a happy and safe place to learn and educate young minds.