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Meet the Governors

The Governing Body

The current Academy Council membership (correct as of February 2025):

Name Date of Appointment Term of Office Appointee Details
Emma Bellamy 01/09/2023 4 Years Chair of Academy Council
Dave Poulsom 02/03/2022 4 Years Vice Chair – Community Governor
Joel Hardwick 03/03/2022 4 Years Nexus Representative
James Gibson 01/04/2020 N/A Executive Headteacher
Stephen Ducey 23/05/2023 4 Years Staff Governor
Will Blakeney 04/10/2024 4 Years Staff Governor
Mitch Stringer 06/02/2024 4 Years Community Governor
Sue Creese 06/02/2024 4 Years Community Governor
Anthony Gore 02/12/2024 4 Years Community Governor

Previous Governors

Below is a list of those governors who have either reached the end of their term or stepped down within the last two years. Where a governor has had to make the decision to step down from the Academy Council, the dates of their term are listed.

  • Tracey Curtis — Staff Governor
  • Jenny Ashton — Parent Governor (March 3rd, 2022–September 26th, 2025)
  • Sapphire Johnson — Co-Opted Governor (March 2nd, 2022–June 5th, 2024)
  • Lisa Butcher — Staff Governor (September 1st, 2023–July 4th, 2024)

Governor Statements:

Emma Bellamy

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I joined Nexus as an Executive Assurance Partner in September 2023. Prior to this, I was a Headteacher of a Primary school in Sheffield. My responsibilities within the Trust are quality assurance and school improvement. I focus on all areas of school improvement, but I particularly support schools on behaviour, PSHE/RSE and family support. I feel privileged to be the Chair of Governors at Becton Academy.

Outside of work, I have two children who keep me busy with all their extracurricular activities! I live in Penistone and enjoy exploring the beautiful countryside.

David Poulson

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Dave first joined the Board of Governors as a Parent Governor in February 2016. Dave is a Chartered Accountant who has held a number of senior financial leadership roles in both the private and public sector. He has an MA in Leadership from Exeter University and is currently Director of Finance for Re-Form Heritage, a charity which specialises in revitalising communities through the regeneration of their historic buildings.

Having spent his early career in the construction and railway industries, Dave moved to the voluntary sector in 2006 as Director of Finance for the Children's Workforce Development Council. In 2012, Dave joined the Department for Education where he spent 5 years acting as senior Finance Business Partner for the Department's delivery agencies and the Education Funding Agency Schools Capital Programme.

In his spare time, Dave is an active trustee for four charities that focus on supporting disadvantaged children and young people, as well as being a keen gardener, motorcyclist and general lover of the outdoors.

Joel Hardwick

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Joel joined Nexus as Assistant CEO: Strategy & Partnerships in September 2020, coming from Sheffield City Council where he was Head of Commissioning for Inclusion and Schools.

Joel’s responsibilities in the central team cover a range of operational areas, including corporate and information governance, projects, contracts & procurement, assets, health & safety and digital technology. Joel also picks up the more strategic partnership work, often focused on growth and new developments, working with local authority colleagues across the area on securing funding to develop our offer to meet areas of growing demand.

Outside of work, Joel has a young family with three young children and takes every opportunity to shoehorn in a bike ride or a hill-walk to get away from (them) it all.

James Gibson – Headteacher

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I have the huge privilege of being Executive Headteacher of Becton School. I was appointed as Headteacher in January 2018 and have seen the size of the school expand significantly.

Previous to this, I worked as Deputy Headteacher at Sheffield Inclusion Centre, a Pupil Referral Unit for children who had been permanently excluded from school. I have a passion for supporting pupils with mental health issues and firmly believe that all children and staff deserve unconditional positive regard. With the correct support in place alongside high quality education, I fully believe Becton School can be the springboard for our pupils' lives.

Stephen Ducey – Staff Governor

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I have been a teacher at Becton School based at the Sheffield Children’s Hospital since 2019.

I started at Becton following a career in secondary school education – mainstream, special education and behaviour support.

Previous job roles have included Head of Department, Head of Year and being part of the Senior Management Team. In these roles, I have worked closely with governing bodies, management committees and other external professional bodies.

As a governor of Becton School, I bring a staff viewpoint and a staff perspective to discussion and debate. I seek to represent the views of our staff, whilst always working with my fellow governors to achieve the best possible outcomes for our students.

I am married with four children and two grandchildren, and have lived in Sheffield most of my life. I like to read and travel, spending holidays in Devon with my family. I love sport and spent my younger years playing rugby in Sheffield and Manchester. I enjoy raising money for charity, particularly Sheffield Children’s Hospital - by running marathons, abseiling, wild swimming and long-distance walking.

William Blakeney – Staff Governor

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A statement from William Blakeney will be added here soon.

Mitch Stringer

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A statement from Mitch Stringer will be added here soon.

Sue Creese

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Sue has worked in central government for over 30 years, with the last 8 years being at the Department for Education. Also, Sue was previously a school governor at a special school in Rotherham, so she has previous experience as a governor.

“I believe that all children and young people should have access to the highest quality education.”

Anthony Gore

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A statement from Anthony Gore will be added here soon.