The Diocese of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust (DCVST) is looking for Governors to join our dedicated and visionary Schools Governance Boards.
The Vine Schools Trust is a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) set up by the Diocese of Chelmsford. We are a family of Church of England primary schools located throughout Essex and Thurrock. Our vision is to serve our local communities by providing excellent education rooted in our Christian values. Learn more about the Trust, here.
As a Governor on your school Governance Board you will:
• Be an advocate of the Trust Board so that pupils and schools will flourish in a place where the Trust and School vision and values are translated into action
• Provide support and challenge to school leaders
• Know each school well through focused monitoring to gain assurance of school progress and policy in action which will inform decision making
The Vine Schools Trust is a multi-academy trust and is the accountable body for all twenty three of its schools. Therefore, the overarching responsibility for the governance of the Trust and its schools lies with the Vine Board of Directors. They fulfil the three core functions of governance:
To enable the Directors to fulfil their responsibility eight regional Local School Boards work on their behalf and undertake delegated local governance of between two and four schools. Community Boards in each school enable local support and provide information to enable good governance.
The key principle is that all three Boards together with Executive Leaders will provide an aspect of governance the other cannot as set out in this chart.
This model of governance is undertaken under delegated responsibility. For full details see below.
All Governors may be contacted via the school.
The school will pass on any correspondence as soon as possible after it has been received.
Chair of Governors: Mike Hope
Contact details: mike.hope@dcvst.org
| Full Name | Category of Member | Term of office ends | Areas of responsibility / focus | Business / pecuniary interests | Relevant personal interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Hope | Chair, appointed by Trust | 31/08/2024 | SEND | Head of Operations, Morelock Installations Ltd | None |
| Lorna-Rae Shearing | Vine Head/Deputy | 30/04/2025 | Quality of Education | None | None |
| Lisa Dale | Ex-officio (Headteacher) | N/A | Headteacher – Howbridge Junior School | None | None |
| Rebecca More | Ex-officio (Headteacher) | N/A | Headteacher – Rivenhall Primary School | None | None |
| Julie Taylor | Member | 31/08/2026 | Safeguarding | Chair of LGB, St Edwards C of E Academy, Governance Lead , Diocese of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust | None |
| Sunny Cooper | Parent | 29/09/2026 | Church Distinctiveness | Children at Rivenhall C of E Primary School | None |
| Rachel Lay | Finance Partner | Finance | Finance Partner: St James Church of England Primary School and Nursery (Colchester) St Andrews Church of England Primary School (Weeley) | None | |
| Howard William Schnaar | Ex-Officio foundation governor (appointed by foundation by virtue of the office they hold) | 01/09/2027 | Church School Distintiveness | Trustee- Parish of St Nicholas , Chipping Hill | None |
| Full Name | Category of Member | Term of office ends | Areas of responsibility / focus | Business / pecuniary interests | Relevant personal interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karen Jones | Appointed by Trust | 31/12/2022 | Vine Trust Headteacher | Headteacher Great Clacton Junior School – Husband member of Mistley& St Osyth LSB | None |
| Edit Davies | Finance Partner | 30/05/2023 | Finance | None | |
