Local Governing Body
Queen Mary’s College is the founding member of the North Hampshire Education Alliance (NHEA), a multi academy trust centred in Basingstoke. Within the Trust, QMC operates a Local Governing Body, appointed by the Board of Trustees to focus on the academic progress and welfare of the students at Queen Mary’s. The Local Governing Body meets each half-term and discusses reports on, for example, examination results, quality improvement, student welfare and where students progress to after college. In addition, Local Governors visit the College during the working day both to see the College in action and to monitor specific areas of responsibility such as Safeguarding, SEND and Careers.
The Local Governing Body consists of between ten and thirteen Local Governors who provide a range of knowledge and skills to support and challenge the College Senior Management Team. The majority of Governors are appointed from the local community and include those employed in education and the wider public sector as well as other current and retired professionals and business people. The QMC Principal is a Local Governor as are two parents and two members of teaching staff. In addition, two students are elected each year, by their peers, to attend Local Governing Body meetings.
Statutory information about the North Hampshire Education Alliance can be found here.
Information about the Local Governing Body
The Local Governing Body consists of between ten and thirteen Local Governors who provide a range of knowledge and skills to support and challenge the College Senior Management Team. The majority of Governors are appointed from the local community and include those employed in education and the wider public sector as well as other current and retired professionals and business people. The QMC Principal is a Local Governor as are two parents and two members of teaching staff. In addition, two students are elected each year, by their peers, to attend Local Governing Body meetings.
David O’Donnell: Chair, NHEA Trustee and Local Governor
Maria Benedit: Parent Governor
Mandy Buchanan: NHEA Trustee and Local Governor
Liz Cooper: Local Governor
Jackie Day: Vice-Chair and Local Governor (also SEND representative)
Shahpor Golshani: Staff Governor
Mark Henderson: QMC Principal (NHEA CEO)
Kirsten Johnston: Local Governor (also Careers representative)
Mark Kingswood: NHEA Trustee and Local Governor (also Safeguarding representative)
Neil Maxfield: Parent Governor
Anne Sharp: Trustee and Local Governor
Agnus Wisniewska: Staff Governor
2025/26 Student Representatives (June 2025 to June 2026)
Ireti Odewale
Maya Barton
Local Governing Body Meetings
Minutes from the last twelve months of Local Governing Body meetings are published on the website along with the dates of upcoming meetings. Please note that minutes are not uploaded until they have been approved at the following meeting so it may take a while for them to be published. If you would like any further information about LGB meetings please contact the Academy Secretary, Toni Baldwin.
21st January 2025
18th March 2025
13th May 2025
17th June 2025
30th September 2025
25th November 2025
20th January 2026
17th March 2026
28th April 2026
9th June 2026
Local Governing Body Documents
The Local Governing Body is a sub-committee of the NHEA Trust board, and its responsibilities are set out in a scheme of delegation. The LGB supports and strengthens the leadership of our academy by holding our Principal to account for the performance of students and staff, through challenge and the scrutiny of quality. It upholds and champions the Trust’s values and founding principles and is “the eyes and ears” of the Trust within the College
LGB Membership 2025/26
Register of Interests 2025/26
Attendance Records 2024/25
Contact the Local Governing Body
Any person wishing to contact the Chair of the Local Governing Body should do so through the Academy Secretary (details below).
The Local Governing Body is always interested in potential new Local Governors. The LGB meets each half term on a Tuesday evening at 5.30pm (six times each year) and Local Governors also visit the College during the day at least once a year. Training is required for the role and Local Governors attend an initial training course, usually at least one other training session each year and also take several statutory online courses. The position of Governor is unpaid, but reasonable expenses may be claimed.
Queen Mary’s College is committed to promoting equality of opportunity and seeks to recruit Governors with the skills that are required for the effective operation of the Board and who reflect the diversity of staff and students at QMC, the community in Basingstoke and the wider area served by the College. If you would be interested to learn more about what is involved in being a Governor of Queen Mary’s College, please contact the Academy Secretary at: toni.baldwin@qmc.ac.uk
Dr Toni BaldwinQueen Mary’s CollegeCliddesden RoadBasingstokeHampshireRG21 3HF
