Governance
Open Academy Governors 2026/2027
The Local Governance Committee operates as a sub-committee of the trust board, with specific devolved responsibility as laid out in the Trust scheme of delegation.
Our role is to work with school leaders to monitor the performance of the school in key areas, which include safeguarding, SEN, the school website, and the support offered by the school for careers. We also support the wellbeing of school leaders.
As a church school it is important that local governors hold the school to account for the provision of collective worship and religious education. We do this by speaking with school leaders, ensuring the curriculum is appropriate, and in ensuring that the school vision and values match the needs of the community the school serves.
The list of governors as of March 2026 is set out below.
The chair of governors Mr Bruce Gordon and the clerk, Mrs Michelle Shorten can be contacted through the clerk to the governing body. michelle.shorten@open-academy.org.uk
Bruce Gordon
Trust appointed Governor - Chair / Safeguarding /Website Compliance and Careers.
I am the Chair of the Local Governance Committee. I work for the company that supports the trust that runs Open Academy, I do have a child in the school. I am married, living in the east of the county, and have two other, adult children. I have been involved in school governance for 15 years, initially as a volunteer, and more recently as a paid governance support officer for the Diocesan trusts.
Dan Bagshaw
Principal
Caroline Hutton
DNEAT Member
My name is Caroline Hutton, I am a governor here at Open and the Chair of Governors of the Kingfisher Federation in South Norfolk. I am a Vicars wife with 3 teenage children and work for my husbands church as the schools worker. I support 4 schools with Collective worship, vision, values and ethos. I enjoy working with schools to help children and staff to flourish.
Callum Perry
SEND Governor
Norwich has been my home since birth. I was born in the old hospital, now flats, and attended local schools, sixth form and completed my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at UEA. I'm now completing my PhD at UEA and work as an Academic and Teaching Partner at UEA Library, teaching students' information and digital literacy skills.
In previous roles, I have been a SEND teacher at City College Norwich, have lectured in Inclusive and Special Education and been a manager in curriculum services, supporting EHCP consultation, timetabling learning support and arranging exam access arrangements whilst managing teams of LSAs. I have been involved in higher education initiatives and conversations related to quality including being OFSTED panel member, QAA strategic and quality board member, and more recently have become the membership officer for SCONUL AI and information literacy group.
Our community is a huge part of our identity and OPEN Academy is no exception to this. With huge opportunities for collaboration and joint work, we can enhance our educational excellence and enhance the experience for our students at point(s) of transition through to success. I have always been an active member of service and so I very much hope that staff, students, and parents will feel my presence around the school, and I hope to bring a fresh and innovative approach to governance at OPEN.
Duncan Anderson-Brown
DNEAT Trustee
Rachael Judd
DNEAT Deputy CEO
Rachael joined DNEAT as an Academies Group Executive Principal in 2019 and is now the Deputy CEO.
She has a degree in Law and is a qualified teacher. Rachael has worked as an Advanced Skills Teacher in early years and has experience of mentoring and coaching initial teacher training students. She was headteacher of a large, urban infant school and has been a National Leader of Education. She has worked as a Local Authority Senior Advisor for intervention and inspection and also as a Director of Primary Education for another Norfolk based multi academy trust.
She inspects for Ofsted and has inspection experience in primary, independent and special schools.
Sue Smith
Academy Executive Group Principal
Sarah Napthen
Staff Governor
Michelle Shorten
Clerk to the Governors
MEMBERSHIP OF LOCAL GOVERNING BODY
