Governance

I would like to welcome you to Walthamstow Primary Academy - a popular, thriving local school for families in Walthamstow.

As part of United Learning, both Walthamstow Primary Academy and its sister secondary academy benefit from being part of an innovative, caring group of schools committed to bringing out the Best in Everyone. As schools we work closely together with our colleagues in London and across the country so that our educational practice, thinking and experience are second to none in what we are able to provide our pupils and staff.

At Walthamstow Primary Academy you will find a team of professionals who share a vision and purpose to prepare our young pupils for their entire education. From Reception onwards the team engage the children in new activities and learning that will become their favourite subjects, interests and ultimately their careers.

It is a privilege for all of us involved at the academy to have the responsibility for beginning our pupils’ interests in education. It is something we take very seriously and, as we grow as a school year on year, are building a team who share this commitment and responsibility.

I hope that our website inspires you to find out more about our school and we look forward to welcoming you here.

Chair of Governors

Details of Walthamstow Primary Academy LGB members' appointment and business interests can be viewed here. Our Chair of Governors is available at chair@walthamstowprimary.org.uk. You can also write to the Chair of Governors by using the school's address: Walthamstow Primary Academy, Billet Road, Walthamstow E17 5DP.Our LGB Code of Conduct can be found here.

Governors

Andrew Balfour

Chair of Governors

Prior to becoming a Governor at Walthamstow Primary Academy, Andrew spent twelve years as a governor of a secondary school in Islington. In that role he was heavily involved in a major campus re-development project, as well as being very active in other aspects of school governance. Andrew is now a member of the United Learning Risk and Audit Committee, which is responsible for reviewing risk and audit matters for the United Learning group as a whole. His other roles include being a trustee of a hospice and chair of trustees of a charity promoting human rights and the rule of law in Libya. Andrew’s career background was as a solicitor working at an international law firm in London. In his spare time Andrew enjoys walking in the countryside, going to the theatre and cinema and watching sport.

Governance

Walthamstow Primary Academy is a part of United Learning whose Trustees hold the ultimate responsibility for the governance of each United Learning school.

The Department for Education’s governance handbook 2020 identifies the essentials of effective governance as follows:

Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
Holding the executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the effective and efficient performance management of staff; and
Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.

United Learning’s Trustees delegate certain key roles and responsibilities to the school’s Local Governing Body (LGB) and these are set out clearly in our Scheme of Delegation which can be seen on the United Learning website.

Click here to view the Scheme of Delegation