Governors                               

Our Governors

Malcolm Arnold Preparatory Academy is governed by an Academy Scrutiny Committee.

Our governors are:

• Jolen Grantham FRSA
  DRET Appointed Governor (Chair)
  Jolen Grantham FRSA

  Jolen was appointed on 21 June 2018. He has worked within the system as a practitioner, teacher, leader, consultant, and governor, with a track record of success in securing outstanding outcomes across primary and secondary schools. Understanding the power of education to change people’s lives, Jolen is passionate about improving life opportunities for young people through education – especially in areas of socio-economic disadvantage. Jolen leads governing bodies to be part of the ‘beating heart’ of schools, working with leaders at all levels to champion fantastic practice taking place on the ground. He is currently the Chair in three schools - primary and secondary - and sits on the governing bodies of a further four schools in Northamptonshire – a governance journey that spans neatly a decade. During this time, Jolen has provided coaching and support to evolving governing bodies and their chairs, in the heart of sharing good practice, to support overall improvements in education within Northamptonshire and beyond.

  Jolen achieved ‘National Governor of the Year’ in December 2023, and received this prestigious award in the 2023 National School Awards in recognition of his commitment to governance across the system, and with the David Ross Education Trust.

• Natalie O'Donnell
  Parent Governor (Vice Chair)
  Natalie O'Donnell

  Natalie joined the Joint ASC on 18 September 2018 as a Parent Governor. Â She has since been re-appointed a DRET Appointed Governor. Â She is passionate about education, particularly that of her children and the community she lives in. Â The experience for her was so positive when her children joined MAPS that she wanted to be part of helping the school thrive and also understand how big business can best support local schools and grass roots programmes. Â As a result, she has been able to provide matched funding for charitable initiatives at the school as well as establish a coding programme for the children facilitated by Barclays called 'Code Playground'. Â She is passionate about diversifying the ASC, ensuring that all minority groups have a voice in how the school is governed on a day to day basis. Â Natalie is the Head of the Portfolio Control Office in Global Fraud Technology at Barclays Bank Plc. Â She oversees all areas of Controls; Finances, Change Governance, Audits, Resourcing, Vendor Management and Executive MI Reporting. Â Natalie is a passionate advocate of Diversity & Inclusion (D&I). As a Company Director and Senior Leadership Team member on the Barclays Northampton Campus, she utilises her status to 'Lean In' and support others through Mentoring and Coaching Programmes globally. Â She also supports a number of grass roots initiatives and Young Enterprise activities across the County.

• Deborah Godfrey
  Foundation Governor
  Deborah Godfrey

  Deborah joined the ASC in May 2024. As Principal of another DRET primary, Abbey CE Academy, Deborah had strong links with Malcolm Arnold Prep School, and understood the importance of having a Foundation governor, particularly in relation to SIAMS.

  Outside of work, Deborah loves reading and all aspects of English. Deborah particularly enjoy musicals, and enjoys spending time with her family.

• Lauren Pheasant
  Staff Governor
  Lauren Pheasant

  Lauren joined the Joint ASC as a Staff Governor on 18 September 2018, and has since been re-appointed for a second term. Â She is a Class Teacher at Malcolm Arnold Preparatory School. Â Her interests are Education and Horses.

• Ross Jardine Wight
  Staff Governor
  Ross Jardine Wight

  Ross joined the ASC in May 2024, having worked at Malcolm Arnold Academy for two years. Passionate about improving quality at Malcolm Arnold Academy, Ross joined the ASC and he believes that every child in the school matters.

  Prior to Malcolm Arnold, Ross worked in at theatre school for three years leading on pre-vocational training, culture and behaviour, he brings experience from all areas of education.

  Ross was also a Stage Manager in the West End and around the UK.

  Outside of work, Ross enjoys spending time with his son who he and his husband adopted in 2023, they love family days out and spending time at home with their dog.

• Sarah Wise
  DRET Appointed Governor
  Sarah Wise

  Sarah was appointed a DRET Appointed Governor on 4 May 2023. Her children attended and completed GCSEs at MAA and she is keen to be part of the ongoing development of both MAA and MAPS. As a former employee working as part of the DRET Music team, Sarah is familiar with DRET as an organisation and supportive of the ‘Broadening Horizons’ ambition. She trained as a primary school teacher with English as her main subject and has over 30 years’ experience working in primary schools in London, West Sussex and Northamptonshire. Over the past 10 years Sarah has built on musical skills and knowledge developed as a child and become a specialist in music education especially within the Early Years and KS1 currently working for Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust. A keen gardener and with an interest in home design and architecture, Sarah supports sustainable and responsible consumption and is often found looking for new homes for furniture and items others have thrown away.

• Tohwo Oseruvwoja
  DRET Appointed Governor
  Tohwo Oseruvwoja

  Tohwo joined the ASC in January 2024 as he wanted to learn more about life in Britain and give back to his new community.

  Tohwo works as a Caregiver but is also a Legal Practitioner.

• Louise Pickering
  DRET Appointed Governor
  Louise Pickering

  In March 2024, Louise joined the Malcolm Arnold ASC as she wanted to give back to the county she proudly calls home and enable young people the same positive learning experience that she was lucky enough to receive. Louise has a strong sense of social justice and believes that schools play a pivotal role in improving the lives of young people and their families.

  Louise works as a Head of Social Sciences at a local secondary school and has been teaching for 15 years.

  Outside of work, Louise has a keen interest in current affairs, horticulture and the theatre. Louise also love to travel and take part in volunteer conservation projects.

• Jake McLellan
  DRET Appointed Governor
  Jake McLellan

  Jake joined the ASC in September 2024 as he was passionate about students having a positive educational journey and believes that every child can achieve great things.

  In his paid role, Jake works as an Assistant Principal at Sir Christopher Hatton Academy in Wellingborough with a focus on behaviour and culture. He also teaches German and History.

  Outside of work, Jake enjoys travelling, food and listening to podcasts.

• Porsha McTaggart
  DRET Appointed Governor
  Porsha McTaggart

  I became a governor to further enhance my experience of the educational community and help support the academies in achieving the best pupil outcomes. I will be committed to ensuring a high standard of education that lays a strong foundation for young children. This will include evaluating assessments, monitoring developmental milestones, and supporting safeguarding practices to protect and nurture our youngest learners. I will also work to strengthen family engagement, recognising that parental involvement during these early years is vital for positive educational outcomes. I will support the academies in build partnerships with local universities and employers to enhance career advice programmes to that help students make well-informed choices for their futures. As an assistant principal at Caroline Chisholm School, I bring a valuable external perspective to the Academy Scrutiny Committee, along with a blend of practical leadership experience and fresh, objective insights. I’m passionate about reading and exploring new ideas, especially in areas like education, psychology, and leadership.

• Paul Macintyre
  DRET Appointed Governor
  Paul Macintyre

  Paul joined the ASC in February 2025.

  Paul brings nearly 40 years of education experience and has been a teacher, headteacher, consultant Head, Local Leader of Education, Ofsted inspector, and elected member of ASCL's council. Since retiring, Paul has worked with Youth Justice, the Prison Service, carried out leadership consultancy with schools in South Africa, Uganda and South Sudan. He also serves as a panel member for the Teacher Regulation Agency and supports admission appeal panels in Coventry and Leicestershire.

  Outside of education, Paul enjoys watching, coaching and playing football, cricket, rugby, walking and travel.

• Tracey Hudson
  Principal
  Tracey Hudson

• Vicky Bayley
  Clerk
  Vicky Bayley

  Vicky joined DRET as a clerk in December 2023 and is also a DRET appointed Governor and Vice Chair at Eastfield Academy. Her professional roles have encompassed public service as a midwife, working in a police force control room and as a one-to-one learning support assistant in a primary setting. Vicky enjoys using her leisure time creatively in various crafts, playing her baritone and likes to read.

Current Governors  

Former Governors 

Contacting Us

The Governance Officer for Malcolm Arnold Prep School is Victoria Linthwaite. Victoria can be reached at governance@dret.co.uk. 

To contact a governor, please contact the Trust Governance Team by emailing governance@dret.co.uk.

If you are looking to contact a Governor to make a complaint or share a concern, please note that as per our Complaints Policy, governors do not investigate complaints at Stage 1 or Stage 2.  This enables them to be impartial should a complaint be escalated to a Stage 3 governor panel. If you wish to make a complaint, please complete this form and your complaint will be investigated accordingly.

Scheme of Delegation

Information about the David Ross Education Trust’s scheme of delegation is available here.

Minutes of the Academy Scrutiny Committee

Should you wish to view a copy of the minutes of the ASC at this academy, please contact the Trust Governance Team (governance@dret.co.uk), who will be able to provide you with an electronic or paper copy of the minutes.

Are you interested in becoming an academy governor?

We are looking for new governors to support our academies. Our governors work closely with their academies to support the Trust’s goal of broadening the horizons of young people through a world-class education, equipping our students with the skills and experiences to become their confident, academic best, no matter what.

If you have an interest in, and commitment to, improving education and would like to make a difference within your community, please register your interest in becoming a governor by completing our governor application form. If you have any questions about a governor’s role or responsibilities please contact us at governance@dret.co.uk or review our information pack below. 

march 2024 governor recruitment booklet.pdf

What is it like being a governor with DRET?

To understand what it is like to be a governor with us, take a look at our testimonial booklet and videos which contain insights from serving governors.

governor testimonial booklet .pdf

 Emma Bennett 

Angela Watts 

Stephen Platten 

Garry Allen 

What training do Governors receive? 

We offer an extensive range of training opportunities. Take a look at what is on offer for the current academic year.