Governance

All such correspondence will be passed to the Chair of Governors via the Clerk to Governors.

The governors act as the trustees for the charitable activities of St Matthew Academy and are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law. Governors are appointed by the Sponsors or in accordance with the requirements of the Articles of Association and the funding agreement. The minimum number of governors is two and there is no maximum.

Welcome from the Chair of the Governing Body

The Governing Body works alongside the Education Schools Commission for the Archdiocese of Southwark (Sponsors). Together with the Academy Leadership Team, we all strive to ensure every child at the Academy receives the best education possible, whilst also addressing some of the issues that are impacting on progress.

Our Governors and the committees that they sit on are detailed below:

Tony Halmos - Reappointed April 2020

Governing Board
Resources Committee

Tony was appointed in September 2018. He was Director of Public Relations for the City of London Corporation for 21 years until retirement in October 2015. He is now a visiting professor in the Policy Institute at King's College, London, focussing on key London issues. He is a Community Director and Company Member for St Matthew Academy.

Joan Forrest - Reappointed June 2022

Governing Board
Resources Committee
Pay Committee

Joan was appointed as a Foundation Governor at SMA in September 2018 and has been a Foundation Governor at St Thomas the Apostle College for 5 years and is a member of Southwark Schools HR service. Joan is a solid and determined governor and has a strong skillset with her expertise in HR being invaluable. She is committed to making a positive contribution to the children's education at St Matthew Academy to 'Let their Light Shine.'

Claire Garland, Staff Governor - Appointed October 2022

Claire Garland was appointed as our Staff Governor in October 2022

Martina Maurer, Parent Governor - Appointed in October 2022

I have lived on and off in Greenwich since 2010 and my twin daughters attend SMA.

I am a secondary school teacher for Maths, RE and Drama, having worked at various schools in the UK and abroad.

After the birth of my girls, I took a career break and supported our family to transfer to the US.

There I worked as a volunteer for the council and other charities. Mainly tutoring maths at schools across the district and helping vulnerable families by giving them the support needed.

I have 4 years of experience as a board member on a disciplinary committee at a German secondary school.

I am committed to using my skills and experiences to make a positive contribution to the children’s education and the wider school community at SMA.