Sara Glennie has been involved with governance at Meridian Trust since September 2021. In January, she took on the role of Governance Lead, following the departure of Magda Syposz. We caught up with her recently to find out about her journey with us so far.
How long have you worked with Meridian Trust? Tell us about your time here
I’ve been with Meridian Trust since September 2021, when the Sharnbrook Academy Federation joined the Trust. Initially, I was part of the Core team, involved in governance. Since being with Meridian Trust, I have focused on governance work, including supporting Academy Council recruitment. Additionally, I assisted with various trust committees and served as an executive assistant for some of the Executive Principals. My role also included interim clerking for Academy Councils, which I think has provided me with valuable insight into the work of our dedicated volunteers and how their efforts and expertise can best support the academies across our trust.
Tell us about your new role of Governance Lead? How have you found it so far?
As Governance Lead, my primary focus is on ensuring smooth and effective governance within Meridian Trust. I support Academy Councils in their role as critical friends to the schools they serve, assisting with recruitment, training, and various governance processes such as reviewing permanent exclusions. I aim to provide consistency across the trust and be a helpful resource for governance-related matters. My role is evolving, some responsibilities like involvement in data protection will be looked after by a new colleague moving forward; further updates on the expansion of the team responsible for data management to follow. So far, I’m finding it incredibly fulfilling and extremely busy! The warm welcome I’ve received from colleagues across core departments and within schools has made me feel valued and happy that I made the decision to take on this role.
What do you anticipate your priorities will be over the next year?
Over the next year, my priorities will involve implementing positive and exciting changes following the recent external governance review. I’m eager to collaborate with everyone to identify and address the key priorities for governance across the trust.
Prior to working with Meridian Trust, what did you do before, work-wise?
I previously worked in a number of hands-on roles in both a local preschool and primary school, and my 3 children all benefitted from their time in our local schools, which are all now part of Meridian Trust. My most recent role prior to joining SAF was as a Personal Assistant to the head of a local CofE primary school, in which I undertook a wide range of responsibilities, providing support in various aspects of school administration. It gave me a valuable insight into the workings of schools and a better understanding of the challenges faced by educators.
What do you enjoy about working for Meridian Trust?
There is a really strong emphasis on prioritising children and young people at the core of everything we do. I love the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues who have such a diverse range of expertise and experience. Being part of a larger trust allows us to leverage our collective skills, knowledge, and experiences so that we can benefit the education of our children and young people. It’s a really supportive environment to work in, with plenty of opportunities for networking, sharing best practices, and building relationships across different areas. The culture at Meridian Trust is something I think is quite unique, I feel well supported and I know I am going to enjoy being part of the trust leadership team.
Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love going to see live music at local pubs and clubs, spend my weekends going for walks with family and friends and watching both my son’s colts rugby team and the mighty Bedford Blues, which is our club. I am keen on DIY, but only really because there is much to do since we moved house recently, and also because my husband is rubbish with a paint brush! We are also landscaping a fair bit of our new garden, so I look forward to getting out there again this spring and trying to tame a bit more if it.
We enjoy family holidays that involve outdoor pursuits rather than sunbathing, but as all three of our kids are now older and much better than us at most of the activities, I think they only really need me there for adding comedic value!
