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Governance

Welcome from the Chair

Thank you for your interest in the Governance of Stanmore College, a flourishing college based in North London.

We provide post-16 academic and vocational education in multiple locations across London and are consistently delivering outstanding teaching & learning, leading to very strong outcomes for our students.

This is an exciting time for the College. There has been significant investment in our buildings and facilities over the last year and these will continue to take shape over the coming months. This will allow us to create some of the very best learning facilities in the region. We are also proud to have been rated “Good” by OFSTED in 2023 and have secured excellent financial health. We do not rest here though. Our Governing Body continues to be both focussed, and committed to further transforming our Corporation into an Outstanding College.

We are passionate about helping our students and community develop the skills they need for both the careers of today, and of the future. We also believe that this development happens best when people feel safe, known and cared for. Our smaller college allows our staff to know the students they are working with and best support our community’s needs. We have ambitious goals, but we believe that it is by working ever more closely with our partners they can be achieved.

The quality of leadership and governance we are able to provide will be key to our success. That is why we regularly review our governance model and continued to strengthen our board from across industry, students and our staff. The recruitment and development of outstanding leaders will continue to be a key priority for us going forward and if you would like to be considered for our Board membership, please look at our website for details on how to do this.

We are extremely proud of our College and what we and our students have achieved over the last few years. We are now, more than ever, driven to improve further still.

Mrs Hannah Butland
Chair of the Board of Governors

Become a Governor

As a governor, you will serve in a voluntary capacity, bringing your skills, expertise, and experience to a vital role. This position carries significant responsibility, and you will be expected to adhere to the seven principles of public life, known as the Nolan Principles. You will also need to sign a code of conduct that outlines what is expected of you as a board member, as well as what you can anticipate from your service on the Board.

  • The Board has a Governance Committee that oversees the recruitment of new Governors. The standard term of office for an external Governor (someone who isn’t a staff or student governor) is four years. We do not have a regular recruitment cycle, instead, we look to replace members who are nearing the end of their term or who are unable to continue serving.

    Each year, the Board conducts a skills audit to ensure that the expertise of members aligns with the College’s needs, and recruitment usually focuses on filling specific gaps in our skills matrix.

  • All governors serve on the Board and participate in at least one additional committee. Your commitment will involve attending four Board meetings and three committee meetings each year, along with participating in a training day, typically held on a Saturday. Meetings last about 1½ to 2 hours on average, while the training day lasts approximately 6 hours. This means your full year commitment will be around 30 hours.

    As a Governor, you are encouraged to attend College events such as award evenings, employer events, networking, or other such occasions. Additionally, we have a Governor engagement program that allows you to explore different aspects of the College in more detail.

    While Governors are not paid for their work, you can claim travel expenses.

  • Click here to view the Governor recruitment leaflet.

Board Members

Hannah Butland

Hannah Butland

Chair of the Board of Governors, Chair of Governance Committee

Hannah has 15 years experience as a teacher during which she specialised in A Level teaching and was a Deputy Head.

Click here for more of Hannah’s Bio

Hannah Butland

As a senior leader, Hannah has had responsibility for teaching and learning, staff development and the use of technology in the classroom. She is a passionate advocate for education, having been the first person from her state school to attend the University of Oxford. She wants every young person to have access to the transformative benefits of a high quality, inspirational education and has a particular interest in community education. As a mother to an autistic boy she is passionate about SEND education. Hannah has previously sat on the board of two state primary schools and has a Master’s degree in Education. 

Sundeep Bhandari

Sundeep Bhandari

Vice Chair of the Board of Governors, Vice Chair of Governance Committee

Sundeep is an Independent Non-Executive Director with Ghana International, PNB International, and British Arab Commercial Bank, where he chairs the Board Risk Committee.

Click here for more of Sundeep’s Bio

Sundeep Bhandari

Sundeep is a Trustee of the charity 15billion-EBP, supporting career related programs for young people, and mentors the CEO of Maanch, an impact platform advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Previously, Sundeep built an extensive international career in financial services with Standard Chartered Bank and Barclays, holding senior roles in London, Singapore, Mumbai, Hong Kong, and Dubai. His positions included Managing Director, Co-Head of Wholesale Banking, and Global Head of Internal Audit. Sundeep is passionate about community engagement and has been a guest speaker at HKUST MBA on ethics and management dilemmas. Born in Northern Ireland, he is married with two children. A graduate of the University of Ulster, he holds an MBA from City, University of London.

Photo of Annette Cast

Annette Cast

Principal and Ex-Officio Governor

Annette Cast joined Stanmore College as Principal on 1st August 2022.

Click here for more of Annette’s Bio

Annette Cast

Annette was formerly Principal at Lewisham Southwark College and previously Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the College of Professional Services and Student Experience. With a wealth of experience in further and higher education and a track record of driving innovation and success, Annette is focused on providing the best possible educational offer for Harrow residents.

Kate Parsley

Kate Parsley

Chair of Renumeration Committee, Safeguarding Link Governor

Kate Parsley has over 17 years’ experience in the London public sector, predominantly in public health, including leading interventions in FE Colleges and NEET programmes.

Click here for more of Kate’s Bio

Kate Parsley

Kate has worked in Zimbabwe and Uganda supporting orphans and vulnerable children. She is also currently Trustee of ADVANCE, a charity supporting women with criminal justice and domestic abuse situations; Board member of Ekaya Housing Association, supporting single-mothers from global majority backgrounds and running a small community nursery; and Board Advisor for We Hold A Hand, raising awareness of mental health. Kate holds a Master’s in community health psychology from the LSE and is currently studying an MBA. Kate is a freelance consultant, helping public and voluntary sectors with service design, strategy and insight research. Kate is passionate about social justice, wider determinants of health and community engagement and is an active ally for people with global majority heritage and the LGBTQI+ community.

Paul Goodman

Paul Goodman

Governor

Paul is a CFO and Commercial Director with extensive experience in the creative, events, hospitality, fashion, travel, retail and
e-commerce sectors of industry.

Click here for more of Paul’s Bio

Paul Goodman

Paul is a chartered accountant (FCA) and a qualified Childline volunteer. He has a BA (Jt Hons) from University College London in English and History of Art. Paul was formerly a TV and film producer who made programmes for the BBC and independent production companies in the UK and Canada. He has a deep interest in promoting opportunities for disadvantaged people, and in advancing good financial education for all. In his spare time, he cooks and plays the piano.

Mike Bluestone

Mike Bluestone

Governor

Mike serves as Director of Security Consulting at Corps Security, bringing 25 years of senior level experience in private security.

Click here for more of Mike’s Bio

Mike Bluestone

Mike is renowned for his expertise in security management, investigations, and training. He is a sought-after commentator, regularly appearing on the BBC and speaking at seminars and conferences. Mike has authored over 40 articles on corporate security and related topics. He has held leadership roles in many prominent industry organisations and is a former Chairman of the Security Institute.

Julian Davies

Julian Davies

Governor

Julian’s career is distinguished by his leadership in professional and higher education, marked by successful academic and commercial client delivery.

Click here for more of Julian’s Bio

Julian Davies

Julian has a keen understanding of the strategic dynamics within the public and for-profit education sectors, making him an invaluable asset in his current role. His prior experience includes significant leadership positions where he demonstrated his expertise in strategic management and operational oversight. Julian’s accomplishments in these roles include driving business and technology growth, aligning educational programmes with global standards, and significantly enhancing student recruitment and programme development. Julian holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and has participated in specialised leadership development programmes in business school management.

Ambassadors

The College is pleased to appoint the following distinguished professionals as Ambassadors of the College. We thank them for their efforts to continuously improve the College and support positive outcomes for our students.

Dr Arthur Terrence David Butland OBE

Dr Arthur Terrence David Butland OBE

Ambassador

Dr Arthur Terrence David Butland OBE, known as Dr Terry Butland, is a physicist, who has worked at very senior levels in the British nuclear industry, and in British higher education, becoming Deputy Vice Chancellor and Deputy Chief Executive of Middlesex University.

Click here for more of Arthur’s Bio

Dr Terry has a BA (Honours) Natural Sciences (physics) degree from Cambridge University and a PhD from Bath University. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, a Chartered Physicist and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Commerce, and has an honorary degree from Middlesex University. He was awarded an OBE by the Queen in the 2012 New Year Honours List for his services to higher education.

Councillor Jean Lammiman

Councillor Jean Lammiman

Ambassador

Councillor Jean Lammiman was elected local Councillor for the Hatch End ward of the London Borough of Harrow in 1994, and was elected as Mayor of Harrow in May 2007.

Click here for more of Jean’s Bio

Jean’s focus for her mayoralty was the community, in particular young people. She chose Teenage Cancer Trust as her charity. Over £50,000 was raised and 700 engagements undertaken. She continued this work as Cabinet Portfolio holder for Community and Culture in Harrow Council. Jean sits on a number of trusts/ governing bodies including RELATE London NW & Herts, Stanmore College, Harrow Association for Disabled People, Middlesex Guildhall Art Collection, Harrow Holocaust Memorial Day, and London New Year’s Day Parade. She is also proud to be Chairman of Governors of Shaftesbury High School for children with special needs which was awarded an ‘Outstanding’’ report by OFSTED. Jean combines her role in public life with work as an HR practitioner, academic researcher, author and business consultant.

Viresh Paul

Viresh Paul

Ambassador

Immediate Past President, London Society of Chartered Accountants at ICAEW, and local business owner of a growth focussed accountancy practice.

The Recruitment Process

A description of the role outlining the responsibilities of a Board member is available by request.
If you would like to learn more about serving on the Board, please email our Human Resources Manager:
Sayma Shah or contact us.

If you’re interested in becoming a governor, here’s how the recruitment process works:

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Initial Interest

After expressing your interest, you will have an informal briefing with the Director of Governance and Principal to discuss the role, responsibilities, and your suitability.

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Application

If you decide to apply and there is a vacancy, you will need to submit details such as your CV and a supporting statement to the Governance Committee, which will then conduct an interview.

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Recommendation

If you are deemed suitable, the Governance Committee will recommend you to the Board for approval of your nomination.

What Committees Do

Each committee reviews policies, documents, and proposals in detail, tracking progress and activities throughout the year. They report their findings and recommended actions to the Board at termly meetings.

The audit committee oversees risk management, and will meet with internal and external auditors. They typically gather once a term, and include the Principal and Deputy Principal to participate in their reviews.

Governor Committees

  • The Curriculum and Quality Terms of Reference
    • Last updated: 09.12.24
    • Type: PDF
    • Size: 80kB
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  • The Governance Committee Terms of Reference
    • Last updated: 09.12.24
    • Type: PDF
    • Size: 112kB
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  • The Resources Committee Terms of Reference
    • Last updated: 09.12.24
    • Type: PDF
    • Size: 81kB
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  • The Audit Committee Terms of Reference
    • Last updated: 09.12.24
    • Type: PDF
    • Size: 149kB
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  • Capital Build Working Party Terms of Reference
    • Last updated: 09.12.24
    • Type: PDF
    • Size: 113kB
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Board Effectiveness
Review 2023

Review can be found below, the next review is due in 2026.

Summary of findings:

Within the overall review of the Board’s effectiveness, there is an appropriate governance function at Stanmore College, increasingly enabling the Board to address the challenges of their sector. 
 
This summary of review outcomes should be read in conjunction with the full report as the report contains important contextual information, rationale, and evidence for all the recommendations made. The review considered the Board’s effectiveness and governance maturity across the 5 principal areas.

  • The Board has sought to recruit members with diversity of skills, expertise, and experience, to bring different perspectives to discussions and decisions. Setting out a detailed strategy/principles/KPIs for greater diversity and inclusion at Board level could support this work further. Board members understand how their skills and expertise are relevant to the College’s work and are committed to improving governance. Succession planning for both the Executive and the Board could be more formal as this is a key risk area, and therefore requires greater clarity. Using exit interviews is a fantastic way to support succession and governance improvement and should be considered.

  • The Board has been engaged in strategic planning discussions, agreeing the vision, values, and ethos of the College, and reviews risks on a regular basis. Expanding the governors strategic role to include a more generative mode of governance, could strengthen the Board’s alignment behind the strategy. As the Board becomes more familiar with the Local Skills Improvement Plan and the College’s Accountability Agreement, it’s members should gain a deeper understanding of local skills need, both immediate and future, and how the College’s curriculum plan aligns with this. 

  • Board members, which include a number of new members, are growing in confidence in their role as critical friend, providing constructive challenge. Members are committed and are keen to participate and feel appreciated. Members feel able to contribute freely and willingly to discussions in meetings. More detail in executive reports on the decision-making process underlying presented recommendations and actions, including implications on stakeholders and on the achievement of the strategic objectives, could give board members greater confidence in the decisions they make. 

  • There is a satisfactory level of candour and mutual respect between governors and between governors and the senior team. More opportunities for social interaction between governors and between governors and the Executive will continue to support relationships built on trust and openness. The Board seeks engagement with all stakeholders and wishes to see this element of the role increase, enabling greater triangulation of executive information and more understanding of the implications of discussions and decisions on stakeholders. 

  • The Governance Professional has collaborated closely with a National Leader of Governance to ensure governance structures and processes are appropriate, and statutory and regulatory compliance is being met. Roles and responsibilities are set out clearly in documentation and could be further clarified through the issuing of a Letter of Engagement to board members, and as part of a personalised induction programme. 

Board Effectiveness 5 Year Review

  • EGR Report October 2023
    • Last updated: 16.12.24
    • Type: PDF
    • Size: 660kB
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