Excalibur Academies Trust is committed to ensuring that all schools within the Trust maintain their individuality whilst benefitting from the support of being part of a multi academy trust. Every school has an Academy Committee, governors are volunteers from the parent body and local community. The purpose of the Academy Committee is to support and challenge the Principal to ensure that the best outcome is achieved for every child.
The responsibilities of the Academy Committee encompass: –
Culture, vision and ethos – working with the Principal to formulate the culture, vision and ethos for the school in
keeping with the values of Excalibur Academies Trust
Personal development and welfare of the pupils and staff welfare – supporting and challenging the Principal
to ensure all activity effectively contributes to personal development and welfare and report to Excalibur’s Board of Directors.
Behaviour and Attendance – supporting and challenging the Principal to ensure behaviour is effective in encouraging learning, inclusion and welfare and report to the Board.
Extra Curricular provision – ensuring extra-curricular provision is appropriate and good quality and report to the Board
Safeguarding – monitoring to ensure that the school is carrying out its statutory duties and supporting and challenging the Principal to do so effectively
Engagement and promotion of the school within local community – promote and champion the school in the local community; helping to build productive links between the school and community, including parents.
Parent governors are elected by and from the parent community, staff members are elected by their colleagues and community members are local people appointed by the Board on the recommendation of the Academy Committee.
The governors on the Cabot’s Academy Committee are:
Albert Gardiner – Community Governor & Chair of Governors
Term of Office: Appointed 09/02/2024 to 08/02/2028
Link Governor: Behaviour & Attendance
Albert is a committed community activist, leader and Social and Emotional, Mental Health practitioner. He brings a wealth of experience in education and community engagement. As part of his professional role, Albert relocated to Bristol and joins the Governing Body with a wealth of knowledge in governance having completed eight years as a Chair of Governors. He is currently a Chair of Governors at another school within the trust. Outside of governance, he is heavily involved within the Voluntary and Community Sector and is the Chair of Trustees at GL Communities and Vice Chair at VOSCUR.
Felicity Llewelyn-Hodgson – Principal
Term of Office: Appointed 01/09/2022 (ex-officio)
Mrs Llewelyn Hodgson is our Principal and is a member of the Academy Committee in an ex-officio capacity.
Elfreda Kebbie – Parent Governor & Vice Chair
Term of Office: Appointed 31/03/2023 to 30/03/2027
James Almond – Community Governor
Term of Office: Appointed 13/10/2023 to 12/10/2027
I have worked in Bristol primary schools for over 20 years and am currently the Vice Principal at May Park Primary which is also part of the Excalibur Academies Trust.
It’s great to work with governors from other backgrounds and share the experience I have. I have particular interest in maths, humanities and sport and have recently completed a Masters in Education Leadership.
Daniel Brown – Staff Governor
Term of Office: Appointed 24/05/2024 to 23/05/2028
I went to this school as a child, and grew up in the local community. I always knew one day I would return to this school to help become a positive role model for children of today.
Gemma Davies – Staff Governor
Term of Office: Appointed 14/12/2021 to 13/12/2025
I am the Reading Recovery teacher and Reading lead at Cabot. I have worked at Cabot for nearly ten years and love being part of the community. Before that I was a class teacher in a range of Bristol schools. I have worked with children and young people aged 4 to 20 with particular expertise in KS1. I have been a governor for some years and enjoy working with professionals from a variety of backgrounds, sharing with them the achievements of our children and staff.
Gemma Davis – Community Governor
Term of Office: Appointed 24/05/2022 to 23/05/2026
Link Governor: Safeguarding
I have been a governor at Cabot Primary since summer 2022. I have worked with schools for most of my career.
I was a primary school teacher for a number of years teaching in and around Bristol. I have worked in the charity sector since leaving teaching in 2015.
For a while training front line professionals such as police and social workers on their statutory duties responding to Modern Slavery. But more recently I have worked in education again.
I am currently the programmer director for an education charity working in partnership with Primary Schools around the UK to support and improve Parental Engagement.
Jean Lee-Wright – Community Governor
Term of Office: Appointed 09/12/2022 to 08/12/2026
Link Governor: Health & Safety
I am a Caribbean trained Tertiary Educator with 27 years of classroom and middle management experience.
I have always had a great passion for volunteering in Education, wherever I find myself. I’ve been serving as a Governor since 2019 and am currently employed in the role of Literacy Intervention Lead at St Brendan’s Sixth Form College.
At Cabot, I apply my Education and Human Resource Management skills to focus my attention on:
Staff Wellness, Processes/ Systems to ensure that all students receive an effective and meaningful start on their educational journey.
Dr Rafael Mitchell – Community Governor
Term of Office: Appointed 04/04/2021 to 03/04/2025
Link Governor:
Currently Lecturer in Education, University of Bristol, I have worked in education for 20 years and previously served as a secondary English teacher in Bristol. Much of my work focuses on education in Africa, with collaborations in Ethiopia, Somalia and elsewhere. I also work with networks of teachers and schools in the Southwest to support professional learning and action for racial justice in education.
Robin Nash – Community Governor
Term of Office: Appointed 09/12/2022 to 08/12/2026
Link Governor: Finance & Risk Register
Faisal Rahman – Parent Governor
Term of Office: Appointed 31/03/2023 to 30/03/2027
Link Governor: SEND
