Welcome from the Chair of Governors
I am incredibly proud to have been elected as Chair of Governors at Dame Dorothy, leading a strong, diverse, and dedicated team who are united in their commitment to the success and well-being of our school community.
Dame Dorothy holds a very special place in my heart. Both of my children have had the privilege of attending the school, and I have seen first-hand the care, dedication, and ambition that define its ethos. My passion for the school runs deep, and I am fully invested in helping it continue to grow As a governing board, our core purpose is to place our young people at the centre of every decision we make. We work in close partnership with the school’s leadership, providing both support and challenge to help ensure Dame Dorothy remains a happy, inclusive, and inspiring environment—not only for children, but also for the staff who work so hard every day.
Chair of Governors – Mrs Kay Adie
Structure and Roles of our Local Governing Body (LGB)
Dame Dorothy Primary School is part of Northern lights Learning Trust, our school has a Local Governing Body (LGB). This is a committee established by our board of trustees to oversee our school. While the trust board retains ultimate accountability, it has delegated certain governance functions to our LGB through the scheme of delegation.
Business and Financial Interests of members of Local Governing Body (LGB)
It is important that any personal, professional, or financial connections that could influence or be perceived to influence a governor’s decisions or actions in their role are declared. This includes:
- Directorships or partnerships in companies that may do business with our trust.
- Employment with organisations that supply goods or services to our trust.
- Ownership of shares in relevant companies.
- Governance roles in other educational institutions.
- Close relationships with individuals or organisations that may benefit from trust decisions.
The Department of Education Academy Trust Handbook states that every year the members of our LGB must declare the following: business interests, financial interests, governance roles in other educational institutions and any other interests that could conflict with our trust duties
This information can be found here
Local Governing Body (LGB) Attendance Records
Our school publish the attendance of individual LGB members at each of our meetings for the following reasons: transparency, accountability, compliance, governance effectiveness, stakeholder confidence and risk management.
Schools have to provide the previous academic year attendance of LGB members but schools in the Northern Lights Learning Trust also provide the current academic year’s attendance.
Attendance records 2025-2026
Northern Lights Learning Trust Scheme of Delegation
Our academy trust’s scheme of delegation is a formal document that sets out how governance responsibilities and decision-making powers are distributed across our trust. It defines who can make which decisions—from the trust board to committees, executive leaders, and our local governing body (LGB). This ensures clarity, accountability, and compliance.
Our Scheme of Delegation can be accessed here
Northern Lights Learning Trust Annual Report and Financial Statement
Academy trusts in England are required to publish a comprehensive set of annual accounts and financial statement to ensure transparency, accountability, and compliance with their funding agreement and charity law.
The annual reports for Northern Lights Learning Trust can be found here
Northern Lights Learning Trust Whistleblowing Policy
Academy trusts are required to publish a whistleblowing policy to ensure that staff and stakeholders can safely report concerns about wrongdoing, malpractice, or poor practice within the trust. This requirement is grounded in both legal obligations and principles of good governance.
Northern Lights Learning Trust Whistleblowing Policy can be found here
To view Get Information About Schools – Governance past and present click here
Local Governing Body Contact
Please direct any written correspondence to:
Chair of Governors – Mrs Kay Adie (Safeguarding and SEND Governor Link)
C/O Dame Dorothy Primary School
Dock Street
Sunderland
SR6 0EA