Governors
The purpose of the Governance section is to provide you with background information on the body responsible for College governance (the Corporation), explain the roles and responsibilities of the governors and provide access to publicly available documents.
In accordance with the Department for Education's statutory guidance, the College commissioned an external governance review through the Association of Colleges. The review was carried out between May and July 2024.
David Wright - Chair of Governors
David Wright |  |
Chair of GovernorsDavid Wright is currently Chair of Corporation at Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College. With governance experience totalling 20 years, he was appointed a Further Education (FE) National Leader of Governance in March 2022 working as part of the FE Commissioners team in Board level support and Governance best practice. With senior management experience and professionally qualified skills, David is a self - motivated individual who always strives to achieve and maintain high professional standards and integrity in work and life. |
John Barnes - Foundation Governor
John Barnes |  |
Foundation GovernorJohn Barnes is Vice Chair of Corporation, Chair of the HR/Search Committee and is a member of the Audit Committee. John has over 20 years’ experience of governance across all sectors of education. Following his retirement from the accountancy profession, John now runs his own tax consultancy business. He is also a member of the Exam Committee of the Chartered Institute of Taxation and is Treasurer of two charities based in Leeds. John is a Eucharistic Minister in the parish of Our Lady of Kirkstall and is actively involved in many aspects of parish life. |
Fr Michael Hall - Foundation Governor
Fr Michael Hall |  |
Foundation GovernorFr Michael Hall is currently Chair of the Curriculum and Standards Committee and a member of the Audit Committee. For most of his time as a Catholic Priest, he taught Maths to 11- 18-year-olds and was a Catholic school leader. He is now Priest to two parishes in Calderdale. Leadership and the encouragement of others is an important principle to him, as are integrity and accountability. He would call himself an "optimistic realist", and his belief in the value of Catholic education inspires his service within the College. |
Dr Ann Marie Mealey - Foundation Governor
Dr Ann Marie Mealey |  |
Foundation GovernorDr Ann Marie Mealey (BA.TH. M- ès – Lettres (Paris IV), Ph.D) has recently been appointed to lead a Directorate for Catholic Mission that reports to the executive team at Leeds Trinity University. As the first Director of Catholic Mission at Leeds Trinity University, she hopes to make a positive contribution to the strategic direction of Notre Dame as regards its specific Catholic educational mission and its values. She has over 19 years of experience in multiple roles in HE – from teaching to middle and senior management level roles in Learning and Teaching and Ethics in the public and private sectors. She continues to publish in the fields of teaching and learning and Theology and Ethics, has co-chaired Leeds Citizens and been a national advisor to CAFOD (The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development). |
Dr Christine Bosch - Foundation Governor
Dr Christine Bosch |  |
Foundation GovernorDr Christine Bosch is an Associate Professor in Nutrition at the University of Leeds, School of Food Science and Nutrition in a combined teaching and research role, and with a focus on diet and health. Christine believes it is key to inspire and develop young people to support them finding their strengths and talents to achieve their full potential. She is of the opinion that everyone can make a meaningful contribution, no matter how large or small. She credits her catholic upbringing with helping to shape her behaviour and moral values, including integrity, respect and tolerance towards others. |
Matthew DiClemente - Foundation Governor
Matthew DiClemente |  |
Foundation GovernorMatthew DiClemente is a Foundation Governor. He sits on the Finance and Physical resources Committee. |
Helen Hayden - Foundation Governor
Helen Hayden |  |
Foundation GovernorHelen Hayden is a Foundation Governor. Her background is in secondary teaching where she spent a number of years teaching Religious Education. Latterly, she was elected as a local Councillor, where she does her best to improve the lot of people in Leeds. |
Paul Casey - Foundation Governor
Paul Casey |  |
Foundation GovernorPaul is a Foundation Governor and Chair of the Audit Committee. Paul has long established connections with Notre Dame: his son, nephew and two nieces all attended the sixth form college and his wife and four sisters-in-law attended Notre Dame when it was a girls’ grammar school.Paul trained as an accountant in industry, including several years in the internal audit function of a major UK multi-national business. In recent years Paul has led the finance functions of several large regional law firms. In 2024 he changed roles to become Bursar for a small college for higher education involved in the training of Anglican priests. |
Mark McEvoy - Foundation Governor
Mark McEvoy |  |
Foundation GovernorMark was a senior mental health nurse with over 25 years of experience working within several different Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services across the UK. A devout Catholic, his faith drives his passion for creating inclusive environments where everyone feels valued and supported. He believes education is a unifying force, capable of unlocking the potential in every individual. As a Governor, Mark draws on his professional expertise to prioritise student wellbeing and foster a community that is both nurturing and empowering. He is committed to ensuring the college embodies dignity, respect, and shared values, creating a space where all students can thrive. |
Graeme Brown - Co-opted Governor
Graeme Brown |  |
Co-opted GovernorGraeme is a former member of staff who held several different posts of responsibility in the 16 years he worked at Notre Dame. Since leaving in 2015 he has continued to be involved with the education of young people through his work as a senior associate for an exam board and, more recently as a governor at a High School in Bradford, where he was Vice Chair of the Board and Chair of the Policy Committee. |
Richard Hall - Staff Governor
Richard Hall |  |
Staff GovernorRichard Hall was appointed as Staff Governor in February 2024. He originally joined the College in May 2017 as the Media and Marketing Technician. In June 2018, Richard rejoined the College and was appointed as the first Marketing Manager. He is committed to helping Notre Dame thrive through his work and is an established and proud ambassador of the College. Richard has many interests including films, gardening, travelling and food. |
David Ellis - Parent Governor
David Ellis |  |
David Ellis was appointed as Parent Governor in April 2024. He is a committed father to three children: one that is a current student, one that graduated last summer, and one that hopes to apply in a few years’ time. Consequently, he has a strong vested interest in the college’s continued success and is empowered to uphold its mission and values. He is passionate about the transformative benefits that a quality, inclusive education can bring; having gone from a state sixth form to study at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. He has enjoyed a 30-year career in Financial Services and has acquired relevant skills in corporate governance and risk management. In his spare time, David can often be found walking, cycling, or golfing across Yorkshire’s amazing countryside. |
Victor Azubike - Associate Governor
Victor Azubike |  |
Dr Victor Azubike is an Assistant Professor (Lecturer) in Environmental and Energy Law at the University of Huddersfield in a teaching and research role. His research focuses on the intersection of, and interaction between, energy law (natural resource) and international and national environmental law (climate change action). He is committed to supporting Notre Dame in meeting its stewardship and sustainability goals. His research connects to wider discussions of net-zero targets, energy transition, energy security, climate change action, sustainable development goals for governments and organisations and how best to deliver on these. He has over 9 years of experience in environmental law and energy law, both within corporate practice and the United Kingdom’s Higher Education. His expertise extends to policy, governance, regulation, and fiscal regimes, positioning him as a leading authority on international energy issues. |
Denise Hark - Clerk to the Corporation
Denise Hark |  |
Clerk to the CorporationDenise was appointed as Clerk to the Corporation in January 2024, after having worked for a number of years in governance roles in the maintained sector and in a Further Education College. Her role is to support the governing board by providing independent advice and guidance. |
Vacancies
The Board of Governors at the College is seeking Independent Members to join the Board. The right candidates would be motivated, committed and dynamic with the ability and background to help shape the educational character, strategic direction and mission of the College.
The Board of Governors includes people drawn from a range of backgrounds and experiences reflecting the local community. The Board is looking for people able to offer strategic skills and a range of complementary experiences drawn from a business, professional, educational or voluntary sector background.
The role of College Governor is a voluntary position and involves a commitment to attend approximately 4 Corporation meetings per academic year. Governors are encouraged to join at least one of the Board’s committees.
If you are interested in taking up the opportunity to assist in the governance of the College and would like more information, please contact the Clerk to the Corporation at d.hark@notredamecoll.ac.uk
An exciting opportunity has arisen at our Outstanding college to join our committed Board of Governors. We currently have two vacancies for Foundation Governors to take up post in the Autumn term 2024.
If you are a practising Catholic and are able to devote the time to attending governing body meetings, we would welcome an application from you which we will submit to the Diocese for them to consider your application.
For an initial discussion about the role please contact Denise Hark, Clerk to the Corporation at denise.hark@notredamecoll.ac.uk
A Guide to the Governing Body
Sixth-form College Corporations (Governing Bodies) have the legal status of statutory corporations and exempt charities. A College is a charitable activity undertaken by its Corporation.
The composition of the Corporation is laid down by the College’s Instrument & Articles of Government. This is a legal document under the terms of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 and establishes the Governing Body as a legal entity and defines what the Governing Body and the College may do.
The Governing Body (Corporation) has a total of 19 members, each of whom bring their own specific expertise, skills and experience to the role. All Governors give their time voluntarily and have always shown a high level of commitment to both the College itself and its mission.
The Governing Body comprises:
- 11 Foundation Governors, who are appointed by the Diocese of Leeds
- 2 Co-opted members selected because of their special expertise or standing in the community or links to the College
- 2 elected Staff Governor
- 1 elected Parent Governor
- 2 elected Student Governors
- The Principal
The Chair is David Wright.
The Responsibilities of the Governing Body
The key responsibilities of the Governing Body are:
- To set and communicate the College’s educational mission, vision and quality improvement strategy
- To hold executive leaders to account for the educational performance and quality of the college and the performance of staff
- To exercise effective control to ensure that funds and assets are used efficiently, and legal obligations are met
- To oversee the appointment, grading, suspension, dismissal and the determination of the pay and conditions of the Principal, Vice Principal, Finance Director and the Clerk
- To set a framework for the pay and conditions of service for all staff
- To contribute to the leadership of the College in ways which promote the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and raise student achievement. In addition, governors also commit to follow the Nolan 7 principles of public life, which are the ethical standards expected of people in public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
The Roles of Committees
The Governing Body meets at least four times per year. In addition, the following committees undertake detailed work on behalf of the Full Corporation:
- Audit: has legal powers to investigate all aspects of the internal control and financial systems of the College and employs a firm of auditors.
- Finance and Physical Resources: oversees the budget, monitors the duties of the Corporation as the employer and manages the resources and the estate.
- Curriculum and Standards: to support the Board in fulfilling statutory duties relating to curriculum, standards and safeguarding, understanding relevant data, provide a framework for effective self-evaluation, monitoring and evaluation.
- Human Resources/Search and Governance: the purpose of the Committee is to receive and consider annual reports from the Principal on Human Resources advise the Corporation on the appointment of its members, to advise on the induction, development and training of the Corporation Members, and to provide an oversight to Corporation governance arrangements.
Committee Membership
The Corporation conducts its business through a number of Committees. Each Committee has Terms of Reference which have been approved by the Corporation. These Committees are: Finance and Physical Resources, Human Resources (including Remuneration), Audit, Curriculum and Standards and Search. The Chair of the Corporation is Mr. David Wright and Vice Chair is Mr John Barnes.
Audit Committee
- J. Paul Casey (Chair)
- John Barnes
- Fr. Michael Hall
HR / Search and Governance Committee
- David Wright (Chair)
- John Barnes
- Justine Barlow (Principal)
- Graeme Brown
Curriculum & Standards Committee
- Justine Barlow (Principal)
- Helen Hayden
- Fr Michael Hall (Chair)
- David Wright
Finance & Physical Resources Committee
- David Wright (Chair)
- Matthew DiClemente
- Justine Barlow (Principal)
- Karen Petrillo (Director of Finance)
- Dr Ann Marie Mealey
- Dr Christine Bosch
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