Local Advisory Board

What is a Local Advisory Board (LAB)?

The Northampton International Academy Local Advisory Board is the local tier of governance of East Midlands Academy Trust, and it acts as a sub-committee to the Trust Board. Members of the Local Advisory Board as known as Governors.

The key roles of the LAB are:

To offer proactive support and constructive challenge to the Headteacher
To advise the board of trustees about local issues they need to consider that affect the academy.
To ensure that EMAT vision, mission and values are evident throughout the Academy
Represent the local community.
Represent the Academy in its community.

These roles translate specifically into the following tasks:

ensure that all children receive the best possible education
ensure safeguarding is effective
support the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team in the development and implementation of the School Development Plan and other relevant plans,
ensure the implementation of Academy policies.
regularly review the Academy’s performance.
oversee and monitor the effectiveness of local strategies
act as a key link between the Academy, parents, and local community.
support the work of the Academy in the community.

The LAB’s role is not to manage the Academy as such. This is done through the Board of Trustees. Therefore, the LAB is not required to take decisions on staff or financial matters affecting the Academy.

Governors at the LAB will gain an understanding of strategic issues that impact on the Academy and will be updated on them regularly by the Headteacher, but they are not required to have direct responsibility for them. Instead the LAB should be in a position to assess the impact of the Academy locally; how it is contributing to the local community, how it is relating to local families and how it understands local issues. This in turn, will enable the LAB to contribute effectively to decisions which may require LAB involvement.

The LAB is drawn from the staff of the school, parents and the wider community that the school serves. The usual term of office for a governor is four years but many members of the LAB stand for re-election and serve more than one term. Members of a LAB need to take a full and active role in fulfilling the role assigned to them by the Board. This will include regular visits to the Academy and attending up to six meetings per year.

To contact any of our governors, please email governance@emat.uk

Name	Position
Martin Serrao	Headteacher
Zahro Abdirizaq	Parent governor
Carrie-Anne Hall	Parent governor
Kayleigh Incles	Staff governor
Jennifer Nimmo	Joint Chair / Co-opted governor
Russell Norton	Co-opted governor
Andrew Hill	Co-opted governor
Olaseni Alaka	Joint Chair / Co-opted governor
Tariro Okoye	Co-opted governor
Maqsud Ahmed	Co-opted governor

Meet our governors

Zahro Abdirizaq

Zahro has joined the LAB as a parent governor. She also has more than 10 years of experience as a carer having worked in various positions within the industry. Having four children herself within the school and volunteering herself, she was motivated to help the children of this school began to happily engage in their education. There is a high percentage of ethnic minorities in NIA and as an ethnic minority herself, she can bring with her experiences of culture, language, and belief.

Kayleigh Incles

Kayleigh is an English Teacher and SENDCo. Kayleigh has worked in Education since 2007, starting her career as a Teaching Assistant and swiftly moving onto a HLTA, trainee Teacher, qualified teacher and qualified SENDCo. She is a huge Shakespeare fan and enjoys regular trips to The Globe Theatre and Stratford Upon Avon – the home of The Bard himself. Kayleigh also works for The University of Northampton as an Associate Lecturer in Education specialising in Special Educational Needs and Inclusion.

Kayleigh has an undergraduate degree in English and Education Studies, a postgraduate award for Special Educational Needs Coordination and a Masters degree in Education. She has also completed her NPQML (middle leadership) and is hoping to continue on to complete her NPQSL (senior leadership). She is a certified Senior Mental Health Lead completed as part of the DfE’s strategy to promote positive health and wellbeing in schools and other educational settings. Kayleigh is a member of The Chartered College of Teaching and has been since February 2020. In her previous role, Kayleigh worked closely with Governors in her previous school and in a wider trust role, offering training about the role of the SEND Governor. This is her first role as staff Governor but she is keen and curious about carrying this out in terms of understanding the role of school governance and the broader impact of this role. Having worked for a different Multi Academy Trust prior to working for EMAT, it is an exciting opportunity for Kayleigh and her continuing professional development.

Kayleigh began working for Northampton International Academy part time in January 2022 and accepted a permanent role in July 2022. She works as SEMH SENDCo and is a linked SENDCo for year 10. She manages and oversees the mental health hub as well as leading a team of dedicated staff who work closely with NIA’s most vulnerable pupils. She currently teaches key stage 4 English Literature and English Language preparing students to sit their GCSE exams later this year.

Jennifer Nimmo

Jenny is principal of Cambian Potterspury Lodge School, an independent specialist ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) provision for Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 5 students. Jenny has a portfolio of leadership experience as a headteacher, deputy headteacher, head of sixth form and teacher across maintained, independent, and special schools. Jenny also has experience of working in a local authority, and in 2019 was inclusion manager at Brent Council in London, which involved working with each of the authorities 75 Ofsted rated good and outstanding schools.

Jenny is a graduate of Ambition Institute’s flagship Future Leaders Scheme which trains school leaders, has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Sports Studies, and gained her Post Graduate Certificate in Education (Physical Education) from Loughborough University. Jenny holds Qualified Teacher Status and is a Level 3 Designated Safeguarding Lead holder.

While Jenny joins the NIA LAB as a new governor, she has sat on a number of governing bodies as an assistant principal, vice principal, and principal.

As a principal that also serves a student populous from Northampton and West Northamptonshire Jenny is delighted to join the governing body of NIA, and is an advocate for the vision, values, and high expectations that NIA has established for its students.

Russell Norton

Russell joined the NIA Local Area Board in March 2019 as a co-opted governor. His background is in developing and managing energy and commodities business recently focused on low emissions solutions. He has spent over 20 years working in Asia and also lived in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Russell grew up in Maidstone, Kent and has a M.Eng degree in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College, London.

Andrew Hill

Andy has been a professional educator for over 40 years and began his teaching career in Northampton and Wellingborough. Andy moved into International Education as an English teacher in Italy before becoming a Head of School in the USA, France, Belgium, Monaco, Kuwait and central Africa.

Andy has returned to Northants after ending his international career as a consultant and schools inspector for international schools. Andy qualified with a teaching degree from the University of Leicester at Nene College Moulton Park and completed his Masters in curriculum design at Michigan State University in the USA. Andy is also a qualified teacher of History with the International Baccalaureate.

Andy was Board Chair at Antwerp British School in Belgium for over ten years and has accredited school boards worldwide through his association with the Council of International Schools. As a student and NQT Andy lived in the neighborhood and on his return to the UK last year was intrigued by the international nature of the school, in particular the number of nationalities and languages spoken mirrors his own experience as an educator. Andy hopes his experience will assist the school moving forward.

Olaseni Alaka

Olaseni has joined the LAB as a co-opted Governor. He has over 25 years’ experience in Financial Services, having worked in various positions within the industry. He is motivated to join the governing board after observing that some young people in his local area of Northampton are not effectively engaging with their education. He hopes to utilise his business and management skills to help shape and influence the delivery of good and engaging education that meets the needs of diverse children within the community. Olaseni is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Securities & Investment. He is also a member of the Personal Finance Society.

Maqsud Ahmed

Maqsud (Max) is a qualified and registered social worker with ten years of experience working with children, young people, and families. She has a BA Hons in Social Work. PG Cert in special education needs coordination, PG Cert in Child, and Adolescent Mental Health, and currently completing PG Cert in supervision for Children and Young People’s Services at the University of Reading.

Max currently works at the Child Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) as an operational manager and clinical lead in the mental health support team in Luton. She believes that learning and academic experiences make lasting impressions on young people in their development into reflective and responsible citizens of society. Therefore, schools should take a holistic approach to their student's needs and ensure young people learn within supported and safe environments. Max is originally from Somalia, grew up in The Netherlands, and then moved to the UK with her family as a teenager. Max believes in celebrating different cultures and languages and making young people feel part of their school community.

Max became a governor in 2022 and hopes, with her experience, to contribute to the NIA community and support the school in its journey.

Tariro Okoye

Tari is a Manager at Deloitte LLP. She works in the Technology, Media and Telecommunications sector of the firms Enabling function with a focus on strengthening Deloitte’s relationships and footprint with its technology clients. She has over a decade’s experience in business development, sales and marketing predominantly in the Financial Services - Capital Markets sector. Prior to Deloitte, Tari worked at Morrinson Wealth Management where she built and managed their Financial Wellbeing Business which is still providing services to companies across UK to date.

Tari studied BSc Financial Computing at Brunel University in Middlesex after completing her A-levels at St Francis Xavier 6th from college.

Tari recently moved to Northampton with her young family from London and looks forward to making a positive impact and contribution in the county through her work with NIA.