Trustees and Academy Trust
School trustees (also known as governors) provide strategic leadership and accountability for the school. As the school is an Academy, the Trustees are also legally directors of the school. The Trustees work closely with the Headteacher to agree the strategic direction of the school and make decisions about balancing resources.
What is the Governing Board for?
The three core functions of the Governing Board are:
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Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
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Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its students, and the performance management of staff;
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Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
All correspondence to members of the Governing Board should be addressed to them at
Woodbrook Vale, Grasmere Road, Loughborough, Leics, LE11 2ST.
If you would like a copy of the Governing Board minutes, or if you wish to contact a Trustee (governor) please call or email the Clerk to the Trustees, Mrs Mitzi Moran either through the school reception or by email.
The following profiles are designed to introduce the Trustees and to show the range of experience they bring to the school.
List of Trustees
Gavin Brown (Chair of Trustees and Member)
Chair of Trustees and Trust Member
Governor at Woodbrook Vale since 2008 and previously at Mountfields 
Lodge. Parent of a child who attended both and who has now successfully come out the other end. MD of a Management Development training company and also involved in wider school governance in Leicestershire. Previously lived and worked for many years in the former Yugoslavia and Serbia.
Rachael Fraser (Headteacher and Trustee)
Headteacher and Trustee
Rachael Joined Woodbrook Vale as Headteacher and trustee in June 2019. She
previously held roles as Headteacher, Deputy Head and County Consultant for English in Somerset and has 29 years’ experience in a variety of schools and contexts. She brings to the school a lifelong belief in, and passion for, the transformational power of education.
John Donoghue
Trustee
Governor since 2016. Chair of the Curriculum and Pupils Committee. I work for a multinational business in Leicester, and specialise in IT, Business Change and Operational Management. I have one remaining child at Woodbrook Vale School.
James Moore
Trustee
I have worked at Woodbrook since 2012, starting as a High Level Teaching
Assistant in English and Maths. Having completed teacher training and qualified as a teacher I now teach vocational subjects. I have a unique perspective of the school as I have been both a member of the support staff and now the teaching staff as well as a Pupil Premium Champion and form tutor. My 3 children have attended Woodbrook under 3 different head teachers. I am passionate about the school and about helping to make it the best it can be.
Barry Bookham
Trustee
I have over 25 years' experience of working in IT and have worked at
Loughborough University for the past 10 years. I have 3 children; one has completed their education at Woodbrook Vale and two are currently at the school. I was previously a governor at Outwoods Edge Primary School for 6 years.
Paul Murray
Trustee
I have over 35 years of experience in the Food industry, provided across Food
service, Retail Leisure, and Manufacturing sectors. I’m married with 2 children and 2 grandchildren. I have a full appreciation of the huge role early and lifelong education plays in how we learn, develop, and get along with each other. I am delighted to be on the Board of Trustees and welcome the opportunity to appropriately support, contribute and make a positive difference.
Sue Hart
Trustee
Having moved to Loughborough some 28 years ago, all three of my children
attended Woodbrook Vale. I have recently come to the end of a varied career as a management accountant working in sectors as diverse as manufacturing, insurance, airport management and finally apprenticeship delivery.
Amanda Muddle
Trustee
Amanda became a Parent Governor in 2021. She has a child at Woodbrook Vale and another at a feeder primary school. She is Professor of Engineering at the University of Nottingham.
Ali-Reza Bhojani
Trustee
Ali-Reza was co-opted as a trustee in 2022. He has lived near Woodbrook Vale for most of his life and attended one of its feeder schools. Two of his children are currently students at the school. He is a Teaching Fellow in Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Birmingham, and a practicing Optometrist involved in delivering primary eye care services across the local area.
Emma Nadin
Parent Trustee 
I have over 25 years’ experience working in Professional Services at Loughborough University. Prior to this I was a Youth Worker for Leicestershire County Council. I have a background in disability, in particular neurodiversity and I am Chair of the Staff Disability and Inclusion Network at Loughborough University. I am a qualified Neurodiversity Workplace Needs Assessor. I have 1 child currently at Woodbrook Vale and 1 at Outwoods Edge Primary School. I have previously been a governor at Outwoods Edge.
Mahesh Mistry
Parent Trustee 
I have lived in Loughborough since 2016 and have one child currently at Woodbrook Vale, with others to follow through the coming years. I am a Pharmacist by profession and have worked in the NHS and private healthcare over my career.
Richard Bailey
Trustee
I live and work on the outskirts of Loughborough, and have done all my life, where I run the family farm, which as well as farming we also have a variety of business units and a gift and coffee shop. I have carried out a variety of committee and trustee roles over the years, ranging from The Environment Agency to local Council. I am currently a Trustee of the Outwoods.
Abbie Wilson
Trustee
I have worked as a Maths and Business teacher at Woodbrook Vale since completing my PGCE in 2019. During my time here, I have had the opportunity to gain perspective of both curriculum and pastoral operations through leading a subject and being a Head of Year. I am passionate about representing the staff voice to support and aid Woodbrook Vale in continuing to thrive.
Toneya Sarwar
Trustee
Bio to follow.
Trust Members
Emma Moore
Member
Emma became a Member Trustee in 2018.
Andrew Gostelow
Member
Governor from 2011 to 2020, Andrew is a former Chair of Governors at
Woodbrook Vale. He is a committee member of Charnwood Athletics Club and Trustee at Arc Community Hub/Grange Park Centre. Extensive experience of project, communications and change management from over 25 years working in the gas, energy, engineering, research, consultancy and IT sectors.
Alistair Gibb
Member
Parent of three children who enjoyed their time at Woodbrook Vale a number of years ago. Teaching and researching as Professor of Construction Engineering Management at Loughborough University and a leader in a local Baptist church.
Jo Kavanagh
Member
Governor from 2012 to 2020 Jo is a former Vice Chair of Governors at
Woodbrook Vale. She is a nurse by background and has worked in healthcare for over 40 years, initially in the NHS and then in an independent hospice in Leicester. She has worked in senior leadership roles for the past 20 years and has extensive experience of people management, strategic and operational service development and governance. She has a special interest in safeguarding and equality, diversity & inclusion.
Officers of the Board
Mitzi Moran
Clerk to the Trustees
Appointed Clerk to the Governors in 2023. I have been providing clerking services to a number of Leicestershire schools since 2020, utilising my 25 years experience as a Governor in Leicestershire. I am married with two grown up children and two grandchildren.
Dave Green
Company Secretary
School Business Manager and Chief Financial Officer since 2011.
As part of the school leadership team I have been involved in the school converting to an Academy, becoming a 11-16 through school and been successful with capital bids for additional classrooms, new sports hall and dining hall extension.
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