What do Governors do?

REAch2 now has 65 primary schools and is organised into 10 clusters. You can find a complete list of the clusters on the REAch2 website. Our school is in Cluster 10.

Governors play an important role in our school providing strategic oversight, focusing on vision, finance, and accountability. They aim to ensure high educational standards and help set our school’s vision, ethos, and strategic direction. They also hold leaders to account for performance, oversee our finances, ensure a broad and exciting curriculum, and engage with the school community.

REAch2 Governance

We have 2 layers of governance in REAch2: local governing bodies which oversee individual schools and our Board of Trustees who are ultimately accountable to the Department for Education for the running of the Trust.

All our schools share the same governance structure and you can find information about the trust on the REAch2 website at www.reach2.org. The Governance page gives details of how the Trust is organised, including the Articles of Association, the Master Funding Agreement and all the documents which relate to how the Trust was founded and how it runs today. You can also find details of who our trustees are.

Our school, like most schools in the Trust, has a local governing body (LGB). There are terms of reference below, which detail how the LGB should work and what its responsibilities are. On the REAch2 website, terms of reference are available for all our boards, including the Trust Board. You can also find documents which show how all the different layers communicate and how responsibility and accountability is distributed.

Governance in our school

Our LGB holds 6 meetings during the year in which they help to support the school, its leadership and pupils, whilst challenging to make sure that everyone achieves as much progress as they can and should.

Our school’s LGB is made up of 4 trust-appointed members, who are volunteers, two parents, two staff and the headteacher. They can invite other members of staff in to meetings to discuss current issues. They have to declare that they are working for the school in an open and honest way and so fill in a declarations of interests form annually and declarations of interest is an item on every LGB meeting agenda.

There is also a shared services team with officers and business partners who specialise in providing support in areas such as finance, education, HR, health and safety, estates and governance.

Our Governing Body

Christine Thomas- Interim Chair of Governors (former Vice Chair of Governors)

My name is Christine and I have been deeply rooted in my local community for many years, particularly through my work at a nearby school, where I have spent over twelve fulfilling years. Currently, I serve as a Higher Level Teaching Assistant within the Additional Resource Provision (ARP), where I have the privilege of working with children who have autism. This role has allowed me to support these incredible young people in their learning and taught me the importance of patience, understanding, and resilience. Each day brings new challenges, and it is genuinely rewarding to see the progress of the children I work with.

My family is very important to me, and I am blessed to be married with five children and four grandchildren. Being a parent and grandparent has further enriched my experience in education. I understand the concerns and joys of raising children, and I strive to bring that empathy into my professional life. My family inspires me to be the best version of myself, and I am committed to creating a brighter future for them and the community around us.

Over the years, I have taken on various roles within my children’s educational environment, including serving on the school governing body and being co-chair of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). These experiences have strengthened my belief in the importance of collaboration between schools and families. I enjoy bringing people together to promote initiatives that benefit not only our children but the wider community as well. Additionally, being the secretary of my residents association has allowed me to foster connections and advocate for our neighbourhood, further instilling a sense of belonging and support among residents.

My faith is a cornerstone of my life. I find great comfort in looking to God for guidance in all that I do, whether in my personal or professional pursuits. As a churchwarden at my local church, I have the opportunity to serve my community in a different capacity. This role has deepened my understanding of community service’s spiritual and practical aspects. I believe that by giving back, we can create a positive impact that resonates through generations.

In summary, my experience in education and community engagement, combined with my dedication to my family and faith, has shaped my desire to make a meaningful contribution in all aspects of my life. I am eager to continue learning and growing, both personally and professionally, as I strive to support others and share in their journeys.

Olufisayo Noibi- Co-opted Governor

I currently work in investment management and have over 3 years’ experience in Finance & Capital Markets.

During my time at the University of Oxford, where I studied French & Arabic, I thoroughly enjoyed working with young people and took part in a number of Access & Outreach initiatives across the UK. In 2019, I founded my own mentoring/community-led scheme to provide resources, advice & support to young people, particularly to students from underrepresented backgrounds.

Having grown up in the borough myself, it has been a long-standing goal of mine to give back to the community and to help our young people to reach their full potential. I am keen to work hard as a new school governor to ensure DBJA students can achieve their aspirations and much more.

Rumi Forid- Staff Governor

Stacey Flint- Staff Governor

Vacancy – Parent Governor

Declarations being compiled for this academic year

Meeting dates for 2026-2027

14th October (moved to remote due to ill-health and resignation of CoG)
9th December 2026 – in person
3rd February 2027 – remote
10th March 2027 – in person
5th May 2027 – remote
14th July 2027 – in person

Additional Information about REAch2 Governance

REAch2 LGB Code of Conduct 2026-27

FINAL Terms of Reference for REAch2 LGBs 2026-27

Dorothy Barley Junior Academy

Governors Zone