Governance
Chair of Trustees: Stuart Secker
Email: clerk@blenheim.surrey.sch.uk
Vice-Chairs of Trustees: Kate Herbert
Blenheim High School operates a governance structure with three standing committees:
- Education, Colleagues & Community (ECC) - Chair: Janet Leigh
- Finance, Audit & Risk (FAR) - Chair: Faye Thorp
Link Trustees:
Safeguarding / Child Protection |
Bill Donnelly |
SEND |
Maxine Howells |
Careers |
Markos Papadopoulos |
Wellbeing |
Mark O’Connell; Christian McBride |
Trustee induction and personal development |
Vice-Chair / Clerk |
Blenheim High School Trustees / Governors
Name of Trustee / Governor |
Type of Governor |
Term of Office |
||||
Start date |
End date |
|||||
Anthony |
Bodell |
Member Appointed / Headteacher |
18.04.2017 |
21.06.2025 |
||
James | Coote | Co-opted | 24.03.2023 |
23.03.2027 |
||
Bill |
Donnelly |
Member Appointed | 29.11.2021 | 28.11.2025 | ||
Kate |
Herbert |
Member Appointed | 17.09.2021 | 16.09.2025 | ||
Maxine |
Howells |
Co-opted | 10.03.2023 | 09.03.2027 | ||
Janet | Leigh | Member appointed | 11.11.2022 |
10.11.2026 |
||
Rob | Mayo | Co-opted | 15.11.2022 |
14.11.2026 |
||
Christian | McBride |
Co-opted |
30.11.2022 | 29.11.2026 | ||
Karen | McGuigan | Co-opted | 10.03.2023 | 09.03.2027 | ||
Mark |
O'Connell | Parent Governor | 26.01.2021 | 25.01.2025 | ||
Markos |
Papadopoulos |
Parent Governor |
26.01.2021 |
25.01.2025 |
||
Stuart |
Secker |
Co-opted |
09.12.2020 |
09.12.2024 |
||
Faye | Thorp | Member Appointed | 07.10.2021 | 06.10.2025 | ||
Administrative Support for the Board: |
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TBC |
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Company Secretary |
|
|
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TBC | Clerk to the Trustees | |||||
Trustees who have left in the past 12 months: |
||||||
Amalia | Pateman | Member Appointed | 18.09.2019 | 17.09.2023 | ||
Dave | Stevenson | Member Appointed | 24.03.2021 | 31.08.2023 | ||
Sandra | Balkwill | Member Appointed | 17.03.2016 | 31.12.2023 |
Governors can be contacted through the Clerk of Governors via the school on 01372 745 333 or by email, clerk@blenheim.surrey.sch.uk
Members of the Blenheim High School Academy Trust
As a not-for-profit organisation, the school does not have shareholders. This level of accountability is fulfilled by the Trust’s Members.
Our Members are:
Vanessa Hackett |
Claire Hadcocks |
Jean Inwood |
Sheila Morrison |
Amalia Pateman |
James Porter |
Members who have left in the past 12 months:
N/A
Agendas, Minutes and Board Papers
Agendas, Minutes and Papers for Board Meetings can be made available for inspection at the school or can be emailed on request. Please note that certain documents are classified as confidential and these cannot be released.
Please also note that papers are not automatically available in paper format to minimise our impact on the environment but may be made available in printed form on request.
Please contact the Clerk to Trustees to make the appropriate arrangements.
Email: clerk@blenheim.surrey.sch.uk
Trustees Register of Business Interests
View full Register of Business Interests
Further documentation can be found below under downloads.
Governor Profiles
Governor Profiles
Mr A.A. Bodell
Headteacher and Member Appointed Trustee
I am proud to be Headteacher at Blenheim High School and have been in post since 2017. Blenheim is my fifth school. The previous four were all co-educational comprehensive schools; three in Surrey and one in Wokingham.
During my teaching career I have held many positions including teacher of Physical Education, teacher of Science, Head of Year, Duke of Edinburgh Co-ordinator, Head of Department, Head of Sixth Form, Deputy Head (Curriculum) and Headteacher.
I am supported in my role as Headteacher by a fantastic Leadership team, all of whom I have appointed. The team is large and has expertise that covers all areas of school life ensuring that well-informed and timely decisions are made and that, where necessary, expedient action is taken. I am optimistic about the future of Blenheim and am relishing the opportunity to continue to develop the academy.
Bill Donnelly
Member Appointed Trustee
Following a salaried career in HR with two global companies, I developed my own international management consultancy which included creating links between UK and Chinese school leadership staff and pupils. As one of the original Investor in People assessors I enjoyed the privilege of assessing the Department of Education for the first time, and many schools and national and local government agencies. More recently, I have established a local not-for-profit CIC company to provide business experience, skills development and employability training for unemployed young adults. I live locally and my children were all educated at local state schools, as now do my grandchildren including one at Blenheim. I look forward to helping the school grow even further in performance and breadth of education for ALL of its pupils.
Kate Herbert
Member Appointed Trustee
I was pleased to join the Blenheim Governing Body in September 2021. I have twenty years’ experience in local government, having had roles in district and unitary councils focusing on effective governance and scrutiny; strategic business planning and policy development; equalities, diversity and inclusion; partnership working; and organisational transformation and improvement. I currently work for the Local Government Association, the national membership body for local authorities, as the Principal Adviser for councils in London.
I live in Ewell. I have two daughters and my eldest daughter attends Blenheim.
I sit on the Education, Colleagues & Community Committee (ECC), and the Audit & Risk Committee.
Mark O’Connell
Parent Trustee
I joined the Blenheim Trustee Board in January 2021 as a Parent Trustee.
I have worked in the Insurance world now for over 30 years, serving on various Boards and I hope to bring this experience to governance at Blenheim.
It is undoubtedly an exciting time to be part of the Blenheim team as we strive to maintain the excellent standard of education available to the pupils.
I have a daughter currently at the school and I sit on the Education, Colleagues and Curriculum Committee.
Stuart Secker
Chair of Governors
I have been a Trustee at Blenheim since December 2020 and currently chair the Audit & Risk Committee.
I’m a Chartered Accountant and a partner at a large accountancy firm, with over 20 years of experience advising clients in the financial services industry. I also have experience in leading people and strategy with a strong focus on risk management. Since 2016 I have been the Treasurer and chair of the Audit, Finance & Risk Committee at the MS Society, and before joining Blenheim I was a Trustee for 11 years at an infant school in Bookham.
I am passionate about the importance of a quality education in giving life opportunities to all, forming the basis of a successful society, and believe that effective governance is a vital part of supporting schools to deliver that.
Faye Thorp
Member Appointed Trustee
I work in Financial Services specialising in Compliance and Governance and since my children have started school I have teamed my professional experience and my passion for outstanding education by being a school Trustee.
I have held school governance roles including as a Chair in a Primary setting since 2014 and I hope to share my experience to support Blenheim in its journey to outstanding.
I am a parent to three children, one of whom is a student at Blenheim. I have a keen interest in SEN and I am very passionate about the drive to ensure that every individual reaches their full potential.
Markos Papadopoulos
Parent Trustee
I am a professional, multilingual Senior Board level officer with over 30 years of experience, holder of a Masters degree in Economics (MBA) and a BA degree in Business Administration and Economics, and a holder of the Galileo Masterclass certificate in Finance and Management of renewable energies in Construction and building.
I have extensive experience in international negotiations, managing large programmes, coordinating the teams involved and the stakeholders, planning and organising, staffing, and managing programme budgets.
I am a problem solver with a strong commercial and finance background having led businesses through transition and transformation. A natural leader who will lead by example and who has set, directed and implemented new strategies and visions.
Rob Mayo
Co-opted Trustee
I was formally appointed to the Blenheim Board in November 2022 as a Co-opted Trustee. I was previously Chair of Governors at another secondary school in Epsom. I have two daughters, one is studying Media Studies at Cardiff University and the other is in 6th Form at another Epsom school.
I have worked primarily in the Aerospace sector for 35 years following an Engineering degree at City University, London. Following stints with various airlines, helicopter operators and maintenance organisations I have been a consultant to the sector since 2015. My wife and I have established several businesses of our own and we currently own a Pre-School which she runs.
As a successful graduate of the state education system, I am passionate about that non-selective pathway for all. I am motivated to support and inspire pupils, staff, parents and my fellow Trustees to provide the best possible outcomes for all.
Academy status
Blenheim High School converted to Academy status on 1st March 2012. The paperwork relating to the conversion can be downloaded below.
Blenheim Funding Agreement ANNEX A - Memorandum and Articles of Association for Blenheim High School
ANNEX B - Admissions Requirements
ANNEX D - Serious incidents of misbehaviour leading to fixed period or permanent exclusion
Financials
Our latest annual accounts along with our latest School Improvement Plan can be downloaded below.
School Improvement Plan 2023-2024
School Improvement Plan 2022-2023
School Improvement Plan 2021-2022
Employees receiving benefits over £100,000 2019-2022
Benefits Band | 2019/2020 | 2020/2021 | 2021/2022 | 2022/2023 |
£100k - £110k |
0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
£110k - £120k | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
£120k - £130k | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
£130k - £140k | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
£140k - £150k | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
£150k - £160k | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
The benefits include salary, employers pension contributions, other taxable benefits, and termination payments
There was no union time in 2020/21.