Pennine Way Junior Academy

Our Governing Body

Dear Parents and Carers,

On behalf of the Governing Body, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Pennine Way Junior Academy.

The Governing Body work hard to support the Co-Headteachers, the staff and our pupils with the aim of ensuring that our school is the best it can be. We are extremely proud of the achievements of our children, the high standards they set in their behaviour and their positive attitudes to learning.

Whilst we recognise the importance of academic achievement, at Pennine Way we believe that a child’s time at school should be about so much more. With this in mind, we are delighted to be able to offer specialised teaching in PE, French and Music alongside an extensive range of curricular and extra-curricular activities and visits.

We acknowledge that our duty as Governors is to ensure that the children receive quality education at school however you, the parents, play an important role in helping the children to develop and broaden their knowledge of the world outside of the school gates. We look forward to working with you in building a strong partnership between home and school and helping our children to reach their full potential.

The role of the Governing Body is to ensure that the school’s statutory obligations are met and ensure that the vision for the school is both challenging and realistic. It is the responsibility of the Co-Headteachers to run the school however, it is the role of the Governing Body to support and strengthen the Co-Headteacher’s leadership and hold them accountable for the performance of children and staff.

All of our Governors bring with them a range of different skills and experiences to enhance the leadership and management of the school. Each individual Governor links with a specific area of school life and makes regular visits into school to stay fully informed. 

The Governing Body meets every half term and covers areas such as staffing, curriculum, finance and health and Safety.

Should you wish to join our committed Governing Body, please contact either Hannah Falder (Business Manager) on hfalder@pennineway.derbyshire.sch.uk or myself on cog@pennineway.derbyshire.sch.uk.

Yours sincerely,

Emma Gemmell

Chair of Governors

Pennine Way Junior Academy

School Address: Pennine Way, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE11 9EY

Governor Details 2025 - 2026

Governors are expected to attend 5 Local Governing Team (LGT) meetings each year for approximately 2 hours per meeting, alongside Local Governing Team forums held by Embark.  During the LGT meetings Governors look at a wide range of information to monitor how well the school is performing. Detailed reports including safeguarding, data and finance are discussed at these meetings, as well as a more general headteachers report.

Governor Support

To support the work that goes on, Governors are encouraged to participate in school visits twice a year for approximately an hour. Governors observe what is happening in school, look at the school environment and talk to the young people about their school.

New Governors

If an individual is interested in being a member of our LGT they should meet with the Chair and Headteacher and discuss what they could bring to the team. Following the recruitment process they would then be invited to attend the LGT meeting where they would be appointed. Governors are appointed for a 4-year term of office. Once appointed Governors receive an induction and training for the role.

Our Local Governing Team

We are proud to have a committed team that is made up of individuals with a range of backgrounds and experience.

For more information, please contact the Governance Professional, Hannah Falder at hfalder@pennineway.derbyshire.sch.uk

Governor Information

Governor vacancies

Parent Governor x 2

Historic (Governors stepped down in the last 12 months)

Matthew Bacon:  Parent Governor, Elected by Parents, 01/04/2024 – 23/09/2025

Richard Bullock:  Parent Governor, Elected by Parents, 16/09/2024 – 04/12/2025

Attendance 2024/25

LGT Attendance 24-25  

Embark Documentation

Please refer to the Embark Scheme of Delegation https://embarkfederation.com/scheme-of-delegation-and-accountability-framework and the Articles of Association https://embarkfederation.com/articlesandmemorandumassociation

Financial Reports

Download Annual Report and Financial Statements 2024  

Download Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023  

Download Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022  

Download Annual Report and Financial Statements 2021  

Download Annual Report and Financial Statements 2020  

Download Annual Report and Financial Statements 2019  

Download Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018  

For additional information in connection with any aspect of the running of the Academy, please contact Mrs Hannah Falder, Business Manager, Pennine Way Junior Academy, tel: 01283 223697 or email hfalder@pennineway.derbyshire.sch.uk