Each school in DNDLT has a local governance committee called the Academy Council (AC). The membership of the AC is made up of at least 11 councillors who are either ex-officio, appointed, co-opted or elected to the Academy Council. All councillors bring specific skills and knowledge to the role.
The AC meets half-termly and is responsible for the following functions:
- Strategic planning of the school;
- Monitoring the progress of the school’s priorities for improvement identified in the School Improvement Plan;
- Holding the school’s senior leaders to account for the outcomes and progress of pupils;
- Monitoring the school’s budget.
All Academy Councillors declare any interests at the beginning of the school year and this is recorded and kept on file.
Download – Governance at Stanhope Barrington
Our Academy Councillors
| Name | Term of Office | Representing | Responsibilities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Dr. Sarah Haynes, Chair As a Church of England School, Stanhope Barrington has three Foundation Governors who are nominated by the Church. I became a Foundation Governor of Stanhope Barrington School about 19 years ago, when my daughter was in nursery and I was pregnant with my son. Although they’ve both left, I’ve stayed on! I have been the Stanhope Church secretary throughout, and one of my aims has always been to encourage good links with the Church. It has been good to see this build and develop, together with the warm ‘family’ atmosphere fostered within school, a living embodiment of ‘love thy neighbour’. | 11.02.17 – 10.02.25 | Foundation | SEND including Looked After Children (temp); CPD; Safeguarding & CP |
 | Mrs. Angela Johnson, Vice Chair I was born in Darlington, where I grew up with my parents, two sisters and several animals. I moved to Weardale in 2006 to a derelict house, which my husband and I renovated. I have a son who attended Stanhope Barrington C of E Primary School. I enjoy walking the dog, reading, crafts, cooking and helping at the school where I became a Co-opted Governor in March of 2019. I look forward to contributing my skills to continue to make Stanhope Barrington an outstanding place to learn. | 28.03.23 – 28.03.27 | Co-opted | Science; EYFS |
 | Mrs. Deb Cross, Head Teacher I enjoy working closely with our Academy Council who are incredibly proactive and involved in the day to day life of the school. For our school to thrive and succeed it is essential that all members of our Stanhope Barrington family work together, putting the children at the centre of everything we do. It is fantastic to see Foundation Councillors, Parent Councillors, Staff Councillors and Elected Councillors all working together for the benefit of our school community. Many people bring many diverse and different skills to the AC (Academy Council) and this helps to keep us dynamic and forward thinking. It is incredibly useful to have an objective eye and different perspectives all of which combine to ensure our school is the best it can possibly be. | 20.11.21-20.11.25 | Ex Officio | |
 | Mrs. Kathleen Norman I have recently joined the Academy Council as a co-opted member and literacy link person. Before I retired I spent all of my adult life teaching and supporting the teaching of English in both Primary and Secondary Schools. Encouraging children and young people to develop a lifelong love of reading is my passion and I am extremely impressed with the enthusiasm of Stanhope children in engaging with all aspects of literacy – I feel privileged to be part of this vibrant and friendly community. I live in Stanhope with my husband, John and Polly the cockapoo. I enjoy exploring the area with Polly and, of course, reading. | 06.07.21 – 06.07.25 | Co-opted | Literacy (Writing – Spelling & Handwriting; Reading & Phonics); History (temp); Geography (temp); Attendance |
 | Mrs. Liz Johns I joined the Governing Body as a Co-opted Governor. I have 3 small children – the eldest of which joined reception in September 2018. I have been very impressed with the education he has received so far and the school as a whole – the staff are always friendly and very approachable and it is clear they strive to ensure the children reach their full potential. Because of this I would like the opportunity to be more involved in the school and to support them to continue to be the outstanding school that they are. I work full-time as a Manager for Durham County Carers Support which is a large charity supporting family Carers. I love spending time with my family and together we enjoy being outdoors, exploring new places and looking after our pets. I am excited to be involved in the future of Stanhope Barrington. | 28.03.23 – 28.03.27 | Co-opted | PE; Computing; Website; Character Development (temp) |
 | Mr. Julian Haynes I am a Co-opted Academy Councillor. I have been a Governor/Academy Councillor at Stanhope Barrington C of E Primary School for many years and am involved in the community in a variety of ways. | 26.04.22 – 22.03.26 | Co-opted | GDPR |
 | Ms. Sarah Ingwersen I have been a Governor since June 2012, first as a Parent Governor and more recently as a Foundation Academy Councillor. As a Foundation Academy Councillor, I support and develop the Christian ethos of the school. Ensuring the school is a compassionate, supportive and enjoyable place to learn, where every child feels valued and empowered, is my primary focus. I have three children that have attended Stanhope Barrington. My interests include drawing, painting, reading, hiking, swimming and herpetology. I value the opportunity to contribute my time and experience to help make Stanhope Barrington C of E Primary School an outstanding place to learn. | 01.02.2024 – 31.01.2028 | Foundation | Art/Design; Design Technology; Wellbeing |
 | Mrs Claire Anderson I have recently become a councillor at the school as I want to help contribute and support the school to deliver the best education to our children. I have been very impressed with the school in terms of delivering education through to the ethos of the school and the teachers’ dedication to our children. I have a daughter who attends and loves the school. I also have an older son who attends Wolsingham comp. We are from Washington but moved to Stanhope 5 years ago and love every aspect of what it has to offer. I work full time for a social landlord and in my spare time I have a horse and enjoy horse riding, as a family we enjoy taking our dogs out, (3 of them) looking after our chickens and being outside! We often venture to the lakes for camping. I am really looking forward to watching the children thrive and helping the school by being a dedicated member of the Academy Council. | 14.05.24 – 13.05.28 | Parents | French and History |
 | Donna Peadon I have recently joined the Academy Council of Stanhope Barrington as I have 2 children currently in KS2 at the school. Both children thoroughly enjoy their time at school and I want to support the school to ensure that every child’s early education experience is a positive one as I feel this is fundamental to instilling their love of learning throughout life. The staff and children I encounter at school are always friendly and approachable and it is clear that the school’s ethos of Kindness, Fellowship and Confidence is exhibited by all members of school, staff and children alike. I work full-time as Incoming Lab Manager at the pharmaceutical company GSK which is a challenging, diverse yet rewarding role which I love. Away from work I love being outdoors exploring both the countryside and cities with my family. We enjoy many physical activities such as football, gymnastics and dance but also like snuggling up with a good book. I’m looking forward to my new challenge supporting Stanhope Barrington School. | 14.5.24 – 13.5.28 | Parents | Maths and Geography |
 | Rev Michael Baldwin My name is Michael Baldwin, and I joined the Academy Council in August 2023. After moving to Weardale in the summer of 2022, I served as a deacon and then as a priest. My goal is to encourage and support staff, parents, and children, fostering the Christian ethos that is integral to our school. It has been a joy to be part of the school community, assisting with school assemblies and leading a boxing class. In my free time, I enjoy travelling and am always up for an adventure. Additionally, I love surfing, dancing, watching live music, and reading theology. | 5.6.23 – 4.6.26 | Foundation | RE and Collective Worship |
 | Mr. Chris Storey I have worked at Stanhope Barrington for four years now and have worked closely with all members of the Academy Council in many capacities. Ensuring the cohesive team continues to work effectively is something I am passionate about, and working closely with our teaching team I feel we can continue to grow as a school. I feel proud to represent a fantastic school and envisage we continue to thrive in the coming years. | 19.3.24 to 18.3.28 | Staff | Music |
| ACADEMY COUNCILLORS WITH TERMS THAT HAVE ENDED IN THE PAST YEAR | ||||
| Ms. Saskia Callaars-De Gruyter, Vice Chair | Resigned | Parent | ||
| Mr. Ian Dargue | Resigned | Parent | ||
| Mrs. Andrea Parvin | Resigned | Staff | ||
Record of Academy Councillor Attendance 2023-2024
| Tuesday, 10 October 2023; 5:30 pm | Tuesday, 28 November 2023; 5:30 pm | Tuesday, 6 February 2024; 5:30 pm | Tuesday, 19 March 2024; 5:30 pm | Tuesday, 14 May 2024; 5:30 pm | Tuesday, 2 July 2024; 5:30 pm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs. Sarah Haynes (Chair) | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Cancelled | Attended |
| Mrs. Angela Johnson (Vice-Chair) | Apologies | Attended | Attended | Attended | Cancelled | Attended |
| Mrs. Deb Cross | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Cancelled | Attended |
| Mrs. Kathleen Norman | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Cancelled | Apologies |
| Rev. M. Baldwin | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Cancelled | Attended |
| Mr. Julian Haynes | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Cancelled | Attended |
| Mrs. Liz Johns | Attended | Apologies | Attended | Attended | Cancelled | Attended |
| Mr. Steve Burton | Apologies | Attended | Apologies | Resigned | Cancelled | Resigned |
| Ms. Sarah Ingwersen | *Sabbatical* | *Sabbatical* | *Sabbatical* | *Sabbatical* | Cancelled | Sabbatical |
| Mrs. Andrea Parvin | Attended | Resigned | Cancelled | Resigned | ||
| Ms. Saskia Calaars-DeGruyter (Former Vice-Chair) | Resigned | N/A | Cancelled | |||
| Mr. Ian Dargue | Resigned | N/A | Cancelled | |||
| Mr. Chris Storey | Attended | |||||
| Donna Peadon | Attended | |||||
| Mrs Claire Anderson | Attended |
Record of Academy Councillor Attendance 2022-2023
| Tuesday, 11 October 2022; 5:30pm | Tuesday, 29 November 2022; 5:30pm | Tuesday, 7 February 2023; 5:30pm | Tuesday, 28 March 2023; 5:30pm | Tuesday, 16 May 2023; 5:30pm | Wednesday, 19 July 2023; 5:30pm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs. Sarah Haynes (Chair) | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Ms. Saskia Calaars-DeGruyter (Vice-Chair) | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Mrs. Deb Cross | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Mr. Julian Haynes | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Mrs. Liz Johns | Attended | Attended | Attended | Apologies | Attended | Absent |
| Mrs. Angela Johnson | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Rev. C. McClelland | Apologies | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Mrs. Andrea Parvin | Attended | Apologies | Attended | Apologies | Attended | Attended |
| Ms. Sarah Ingwersen | Attended | Apologies | Attended | Attended | Attended (Zoom) | Apologies |
| Mrs. Kathleen Norman | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Mr. Steve Burton | Apologies | Attended | Attended | Apologies | Attended | Absent |
| Mr. Ian Dargue | N/A | N/A | Attended | Attended | Apologies | Attended |
| Mr. John Anderson | Attended | Resigned | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Record of Academy Councillor Attendance 2021-2022
| Tuesday, 12 October 2021; 5:30pm | Tuesday, 30 November 2021; 5:30pm | Tuesday, 15 February 2022; 5:30pm | Tuesday, 22 March 2022; 5:30pm | Tuesday, 17 May 2022; 5:30pm | Tuesday, 5 July 2022; 5:30pm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs. Sarah Haynes (Chair) | Attended | Attended | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Ms. Saskia Calaars-DeGruyter (Vice-Chair) | Attended | Attended | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Mrs. Deb Cross | Attended | Attended | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Mr. Julian Haynes | Attended | Attended | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Mrs. Liz Johns | Attended | Apologies | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended | Apologies |
| Mrs. Angela Johnson | Attended | Attended | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Rev. C. McClelland | Attended | Apologies | Apologies | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Mrs. Andrea Parvin | Attended | Attended | Apologies | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Ms. Sarah Ingwersen | Attended | Apologies | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Mr. John Anderson | Attended | Attended | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Mrs. Kathleen Norman | Attended | Attended | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Mrs. Amy Green | N/A | N/A | Attended (Zoom) | Apologies | Absent | |
| Mrs. Sarah Stancliffe | Attended | Resigned | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Record of Academy Councillor Attendance 2020-2021
| Tuesday, 30 June 2020; 5:30pm | Tuesday, 20 October 2020; 5:30pm | Tuesday, 1 December 2020; 5:30pm | Tuesday, 9 February 2021; 5:30pm | Tuesday, 23 March 2021; 5:30pm | Tuesday, 18 May 2021; 5:30pm | Tuesday, 6 July 2021; 5:30pm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Sarah Haynes (Chair) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) |
| Ms. Saskia Calaars-De Gruyter (Vice Chair) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) |
| Mrs. Deb Cross (Head Teacher) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) |
| Mr. Julian Haynes | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) |
| Ms. Sarah Ingwersen | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) |
| Mrs. Sarah Stancliffe | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) |
| Mrs. Liz Johns | Apologies | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Apologies | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Apologies |
| Mrs. Angela Johnson | Apologies | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) |
| Mrs. Andrea Parvin | N/A | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) |
| Mr. John Anderson | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Attended (Zoom) |
| Mrs. Kathleen Norman | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Attended (Zoom) |
| Mrs. Hannah Stembridge | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Apologies | Apologies | Attended (Zoom) | Resigned | N/A |
| Mr. Jonathon Emerson | Attended (Zoom) | Attended (Zoom) | Attended | Resigned | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Mr. Shaun Myers (Head Teacher Support) | Attended (Zoom) | Apologies | Apologies | Retired | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Mrs. Carol Stidwell | Retired | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Record of Governor Attendance 2019-2020
| 23 September 2019 5 pm- Finance Committee Meeting | 15 October 2019 3:30pm- Curriculum Committee Meeting | 22 November 2019 9:30am – Budget Review Meeting | 26 November 2019 5:30pm- Meeting of the Full Governing Body | 3 February 2020 5pm – Finance Committee Meeting | 9 March 2020 3:30pm-Curriculum Committee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs Sarah Haynes (Chair) | Attended | Cancelled | Attended | Apologies | Attended | Attended |
| Mrs Saskia Callaars- DeGruyter | N/A | Cancelled | N/A | Attended | N/A | Attended |
| Mr Shaun Myers (Headteacher) | Apologies | Cancelled | Attended | Attended | Apologies | N/A |
| Mrs Deb Cross (Deputy Headteacher) | Attended | Cancelled | Attended | Attended | Attended | Attended |
| Ms Sarah Ingwersen | N/A | Cancelled | N/A | Attended | N/A | Attended |
| Mr Julian Haynes | Attended | Cancelled | Attended | Attended | Attended | N/A |
| Mr Paul McArdle | Apologies | Cancelled | Apologies | Apologies | Attended | N/A |
| Mrs Sarah Stancliffe | N/A | Cancelled | N/A | Attended | N/A | Attended |
| Mrs Carol Stidwell | N/A | Cancelled | N/A | Apologies | N/A | N/A |
| Mrs Hannah Stembridge | N/A | Cancelled | N/A | Attended | N/A | Apologies |
| Mr Jonathon Emerson | Apologies | Cancelled | Attended | Attended | Attended | N/A |
| Mrs Liz Johns | N/A | Cancelled | N/A | Attended | N/A | N/A |
| Mrs Angela Johnson | Attended | Cancelled | Attended | Attended | Attended | N/A |
Register of Business Interests
- Register of Business Interests 2023-2024
- Register of Business Interests 2022-2023
- Register of Business Interests 2021-2022
- Register of Business Interests 2020-2021
- Register of Business Interests 2019-2020
Shadow Leadership Team
At the beginning of each Academy Council meeting members of our Pupil Voice Shadow Leadership Team give a presentation to the Full Governing Body on varying topics affecting our school.
How to become an Academy Councillor
If you are interested in joining our Academy Council then please contact the clerk to the DNDLT who will give you further information on how to do this. The contact the clerk by emailing: bill.deakin@berryeducation.com
Statutory Guidance for the Academy Council
As a member of Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust (DNDLT), Stanhope Barrington C of E Primary School has due regard to the guidance issued by DNDLT in relation to the operation of the Academy Council. The school also has due regard to the statutory guidance from the Department for Education in relation to the publication of information about governance on the school website.
For further information, please view or download the Scheme of Delegation for the school which is the primary governance document for the school’s Academy Council.
