Governance
Saint John Southworth Academy Trust (SJSCAT) is a Catholic multi-academy trust in the Diocese of Westminster. The Trust is a private company limited by guarantee registered with Companies House. It is also an exempt charity.
The Board of Directors governs the Trust and is legally responsible for each individual school. Mary Benton is the Chair of the Board of Directors. To get in touch with the Chair, email chair@sjscat.co.uk or write to Mary Benton, Saint John Southworth Catholic Academy Trust, 89 Addison Road, London W14 8BZ.
Governance Structure, Remit and Exercise of Functions
Our governance structure mirrors the structure in other companies. There are members, directors, committees with delegated functions and an executive tier.
The Members are guardians of the governance of the Trust. They have ultimate control, appoint some of the directors and can change the constitution. Members hold the Board of Directors to account for the effective governance of the Trust and adherence to its charitable purpose. They have a minimal role in the actual running of the Trust, which is the responsibility of the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors governs the Trust and is legally responsible for each individual school. The Board is the key decision-making body. Its purpose is to provide:
- Strategic leadership: It defines the Trust’s Catholic vision for high quality and inclusive education in line with its charitable objects. It establishes and fosters the Trust’s culture and sets and champions the strategy, including determining the governance functions delegated to local governing bodies.
- Accountability and assurance: The board has robust effective oversight of the operations and performance of the Trust, including the provision of education, Catholic character, pupil welfare, overseeing and ensuring appropriate use of funding and effective financial performance and keeping the estate safe and well-maintained.
- Engagement: The board has strategic oversight of relationships with stakeholders. It involves parents, schools, parishes and communities so that decision-making is supported by meaningful engagement.
The Board meets twice a term to conduct business. Many aspects of its strategic work are carried out by committees, which meet regularly throughout the year, or by lead directors who visit our schools to focus on particular areas. The terms of reference for committees and lead director roles shows which responsibilities have been delegated and records the names of those appointed.
Each school in the SJSCAT has a local governing body, which is a committee appointed by the Board to conduct three core governance functions at local level: ensuring clarity of Catholic vision, ethos and strategic direction; holding school leaders to account for educational performance and ensuring money is well spent. Local governing bodies are accountable to the Board of Directors and must follow Trust priorities when exercising their responsibilities. The powers, constitution and proceedings of local governing bodies are set out formally in a Scheme of Delegation and a Delegation Matrix. Use these links to find out more about our local governing bodies and how they function.
Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School
St Augustine's Catholic Primary School
St John XXIII Catholic Primary School
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Cadogan Street
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Maida Vale
St Thomas More Language College
Governance Documents
In common with other companies, the SJSCAT has a memorandum and articles of association. The memorandum sets out the names of the initial members of the academy trust and the articles are the rules that govern the running of the company. The terms upon which the Academy Trust is funded are set out in a funding agreement with the Secretary of State for Education.
Governance People - Our Directors
DIrectors (ID 1311)
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Andrew NdocaResources & Audit Committee
Andrew Ndoca
Andrew Ndoca’s background is in finance and business. Dedicated to his Catholic Faith, he has worked as a volunteer in the Diocese of Westminster and his parish. He is currently a diocesan trustee and has served on the Caritas advisory board, the finance board and the investment committee. Andrew served as a school governor with a lead roles in SEND, finance and Religious Education before joining the Southworth Trust board. He has an MBA from Loyola University Chicago.
Andrew is chair of the Trust Board and serves on the board’s resources and audit committee.
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Mary BentonChair of the Trust Board, Standards Committee
Mary Benton
Mary Benton has worked as a city solicitor, a lay hospice chaplain, a school chaplain and a university lecturer in Catholic Education and Religious Education in Primary Schools. She has a particular interest in the promotion of Catholic Life in schools and has carried out research in this area. She is a graduate of Cambridge University where she read Law and has MAs in Pastoral Theology and Catholic Education from St Mary’s University. She has been a school governor/director for many years. She is also a trustee of a homeless charity based in London and a Trustee of the Diocese of Leeds.
Mary is vice-chair of the Trust Board, chair of the board’s standards committee and lead director for religious education and Catholic life.
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Robert BinyonResources & Audit Committee
Robert Binyon
Robert Binyon served as a governor in his local parish primary school for many years before joining the Southworth Trust board. He has extensive experience in the banking industry internationally and has held a number of non-executive chairman and directorship roles. He currently works with churches overseas and is a trustee of Missio in England and Wales. Robert graduated in Modern History from Christ Church Oxford.
Robert serves on the Trust Board’s resources and audit committee.
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John CreakResources & Audit Committee
John Creak
John Creak has a sales, marketing and sponsorship background in the oil industry and in motorsport, working in Formula 1 and IndyCar racing in the UK and USA. As well serving as a local governor at St Augustine’s Catholic Primary School, John has served in other voluntary roles within his local Catholic community and worked, too, with St Augustine’s Church in Hammersmith on its regeneration project and First Holy Communion programme.
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Anne EvansLead Director - RE & Catholic Mission, Standards Committee
Anne Evans
Anne Evans has many years of experience as a primary school teacher. She has held school leadership, moderator and mentoring roles and has subject lead knowledge in Religious Education, Personal Social and Health Education and Relationships and Sex Education. Anne brings her prior service as a school governor to her role as a director of the Trust Board and her skills as a police officer, specialising in drugs education, prior to joining the teaching profession.
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Mary KelliherLead Director - SEND, Standards Committee
Mary Kelliher
With a degree in Education, Mary Kelliher has worked in Catholic primary education for over 30 years, most recently as headteacher of a school graded Outstanding by OFSTED during her tenure. Her skills include strategic planning, effective curriculum delivery to pupils with diverse needs and mentoring. Mary is committed to Catholic education and brings her experience as a school leader to her work as a director of the Trust.
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Dr Cornelius KellyChair of Standards Committee & Whistleblowing Lead Director
Dr Cornelius Kelly
Cornelius Kelly is the Chief Medical Officer of Central and North-West London NHS Foundation Trust; this is a Board position. He previously worked as a psychiatrist specialising in the care of older people and has held a number of medical management roles. He served as a school governor before joining the Southworth Trust Board.
Cornelius serves on the Trust Board’s standards committee and is whistleblowing lead director.
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Jonathan LaganVice-Chair of the Trust Board, Safeguarding Lead Director, Resources & Audit Committee
Jonathan Lagan
Jonathan Lagan has worked as a banking and corporate lawyer for over twenty years spending much of this time in leadership roles at UK publicly listed companies. He is currently the General Counsel of the US Fintech, Tradeshift Inc. He was previously the Group General Counsel at CAB Payments PLC and spent ten years at Tesco PLC as Legal Director - Finance, Corporate and Technology.
Jonathan serves on the Trust Board’s resources and audit committee and is the safeguarding lead director.
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Professor Teresa PawlikowskaStandards Committee
Professor Teresa Pawlikowska
Teresa Pawlikowska trained as a doctor and was an oncologist before entering general practice. She went on to pursue a career as an academic, developing medical education programmes for the EU and World Bank which progressed patient-centred care. As inaugural director, she established the Health Professions Education Centre at the Royal College of Surgeons University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Ireland (RCSI), which is focussed on applying research and best practice in teaching and learning. She continues as Professor Emeritus at RCSI.
Teresa serves on the Trust Board’s standards committee.
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Kerry WallaceChair of Resources & Audit Committee
Kerry Wallace
Kerry Keane has over 25 years’ experience setting up and running technology, operational and change functions in complex regulated businesses. She is currently Director of Business Management in the CEO Office at LCH (London Stock Exchange Group) with responsibility for Business Continuity, Crisis Management and Property. With a passion for diversity, equity and inclusion she is a sponsor of the LCH apprentice programme, and a member of several inclusion networks. She graduated in Economics and Politics from the University of Liverpool and served as a parent governor at CVMS before joining the Trust Board.
Kerry serves as chair of the Trust Board’s resources and audit committee.
Registers of Business Interests and Meeting Attendance
At Saint John Southworth Catholic Academy Trust, we must ensure that decisions taken by the SJSCAT Board and our local governing bodies are free from personal bias and do not unfairly benefit any individual or company connected with the trust. To that end, directors and local governors must register their personal and business interests at the start of the year and declare potential conflicts of interest if they arise.
Members
The Board of Directors and Senior Staff
Register of Interests and Record of Meeting Attendance
Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School Local Governing Body
Register of Interests and Record of Meeting Attendance
St Augustine's Catholic Primary School
Register of Interests and Record of Meeting Attendance
St John XXIII Catholic Primary School
Register of Interests and Record of Meeting Attendance
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Cadogan Street, Local Governing Body
Register of interests and Record of Meeting Attendance
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Maida Vale
Register of Interests and Record of Meeting Attendance
St Thomas More Language College
Register of Interests and Record of Meeting Attendance
Financial Reports
The Trust maintains accounting records and prepares an annual report and accounts in line with the Charity Commission's Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) and Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) Accounts Direction. Our reports and accounts will be published on this website by 31 January each year.
Annual Report and Financial Statements year to 31 August 2024
Annual Report and Financial Statements year to 31 August 2023
Annual Report and Financial Statements year to 31 August 2022
Annual Report and Financial Statements year to 31 August 2021
Minutes of Board Meetings
Once agreed by the Board of Directors, the minutes of board meetings will appear here. Minutes of local governing body meetings are either available on school websites or by contacting schools directly.
Financial Information
The number of employees whose full-time equivalent gross remuneration (including on-costs) for the academic year 2021/2022 and private health cover, if applicable, employers’ pension contributions exceeded £100,000 was:
2022
No.
£100,001 - £110,000 1
£120,001 - £130,000 3
£130,001 - £140,000 1
£180,001 - £190,000 1
Volunteer as a Trust Board Director
Are you looking for a way to live out your Catholic faith and serve your local community at the same time? We are keen to hear from people from diverse backgrounds interested in serving as directors on our Trust Board. We’re especially interested in people with finance, education, estate management and special educational needs skills,
Our mission is to create a community of schools, built in solidarity and operating by subsidiarity, to give our pupils all they need to grow. Established in 2021, we have achieved a great deal in a short period, including:
- Working together to agree our shared values - dignity, service, perseverance.
- An agreed framework and systems in key operational areas
- Holistic monitoring cycles for safeguarding, school standards, SEND, Catholic mission and religious education
- A successful teacher training arm which delivers professional development across the career spectrum
- Work with schools and local communities to develop fundraising strategies to help respond to funding challenges in the sector
We plan to build on this work and grow our community of Catholic schools.
Trust Board Directors
Being a director requires drive and commitment. It is a rewarding role which supports our children’s growth and development. Directors work as part of a Trust Board which is responsible for all our schools. Its purpose is to provide:
- Strategic leadership: It defines the Trust’s Catholic vision for high quality and inclusive education in line with its charitable objects. It establishes and fosters the Trust’s culture and sets and champions the strategy, including determining the governance functions delegated to local governing bodies.
- Accountability and assurance: The board oversees the operations and performance of the Trust, including the provision of education, Catholic character, pupil welfare, use of funds and resources
- Engagement: The board has strategic oversight of relationships with stakeholders, including parents, schools, parishes and communities so that decision-making is supported by meaningful engagement.
Expectation
You will need to be able to attend hybrid board meetings in the evening twice a term and to serve on a committee as well. The term of office is usually one-year or four years depending on the appointment type. You must meet the eligibility criteria and we will need to obtain a Disclosure and Barring Service certificate for you. You’ll have the support of a governance professional and access to training resources.
Appointment process
Our Trust Board directors are co-opted by the board to serve for one year or they are Catholic foundation directors appointed by the Archbishop to serve for 3 to 4 years. Appointments are made on a skills basis when we have vacancies.
If you’d like to know more about being a director, please get in touch here. Our governance team will respond to answer your questions and let you know about vacancies and what happens next.
Volunteer as a Local Governor
Are you looking for a way to live out your Catholic faith and serve your local community at the same time? We are looking for people from diverse backgrounds wishing to serve as Catholic foundation local governors in our schools in Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster and Hammersmith and Fulham.
The role of a local governor
Our governors serve on school local governing bodies to provide strategic oversight. They engage with what goes on in school and drive school improvement. The core functions are to:
- ensure there is clarity of Catholic vision, ethos and strategic direction
- support and hold school leaders to account for the educational performance and Catholic character of the school
- oversee the school’s financial performance and make sure money is well spent
- ensure the voices of the school community are heard
Becoming a school governor requires drive and commitment. It is a rewarding role which supports our children’s growth and development.
Expectation
The term of office is usually 4 years. Governors attend six to ten hybrid evening meetings a year. You may also be asked to serve on a sub-committee or as a link governor focussing on a particular area. You must meet the eligibility criteria and we will need to obtain a Disclosure and Barring Service certificate for you. You’ll have the support of a governance professional and access to training resources.
Current vacancies and appointment process
Catholic foundation local governors are appointed by the Archbishop to serve for 3 to 4 years. Appointments are made on a skills basis when there are vacancies.
We currently have foundation local governor vacancies at:
St Thomas More Language College – Skills needed finance, marketing, public relations and development
If you’d like to apply for a vacancy or find out more about being a local governor, please get in touch here. Our governance team will respond to answer your questions and let you know what happens next.
