Every school and academy has a local academy committee to represent the public and its stakeholders. At William Gilbert School we are a group comprising representatives from the Trustees of the school, St. Alkmund’s Church, parents and staff. We make a number of collective decisions about the school’s aims, values and policies and are legally bound to fulfil a range of statutory duties. Our role is to ensure that your children’s safety, welfare and learning are at the forefront of all decision making at our school and we have a strategic responsibility for managing the school resources to optimise the standards of education.

The Local Academy Committee of William Gilbert School is made up of twelve members.

8 foundation Local Academy Committee Members
2 parent Local Academy Committee Members
2 staff Local Academy Committee Members

You can contact the Chair (Mrs K Woods) via email (chair@williamgilbertend.derbyshire.sch.uk) or in writing to the school’s address:

William Gilbert Endowed (CofE) Primary School and Nursery,
Vicarage Lane,
Duffield,
Belper,
Derbyshire.
DE56 4EB

Local Academy Committee Role & Responsibilities 2024 – 2025

Each Local Academy Committee (LAC) member is linked to a specific area:-

• SEND – L Sheppard & K Rees

• Safeguarding – N Ruggins & L Sheppard

• Health & Safety – K Woods & K Gallimore

• Pupil & Sports Premium – K Marsh & J Hughes

• Children known to Social Care – K Woods & K Marsh

All of our LAC members have or have had children at this school, and we feel fortunate to have a diverse range of professional backgrounds from which the school can draw. The LAC members serve for a minimum of 4 years and, indeed, some of us have served for considerably longer.

We meet together officially once every half-term, and the sub-committees also meet at least once every half-term. The minutes of our meetings are public documents and hard copies are always available at the school office.

All LAC meetings documentation is also securely stored on Governor Hub along with Governor Health Checks and evaluations. 

We are happy to deal with enquiries or concerns from parents in conjunction with the headteacher and within a strict code of confidentiality. This can either be via the clerk to the local academy committee at the school office, via email at emercer@williamgilbertend.derbyshire.sch.uk or, informally, via any of the LAC members in person – some of whom are regularly at the school gates.

We are not all educational experts, but we do strive to provide an independent view and a common-sense approach. We continually seek to uphold the school’s vision and values in which your children can learn and flourish in a safe, happy and Christian environment and where every child is respected as an individual.