Members are responsible for overseeing and holding the Trustees to account for the governance arrangements of the trust. The Members are the guardians of the constitution (Articles of Association) and the application of Providence Learning Partnership vision and objectives within the trust.
Members are responsible for trust development and Trustees accountability.
Carole Henderson
Mrs Henderson is a retired teacher, having worked at Durham Sixth Form Centre for 16 years. She held numerous positions at the Centre including Head of the Law Department and Leader of Learning for Human Sciences. After leaving university with an LL.B. (Bachelor degree in Laws) she qualified as a solicitor and spent 10 years in private practice specialising in crime and family work. Her post graduate qualifications include an LL.M. (Master in Laws) and a Master of Education in Practitioner Enquiry. She works with a leading exam board for both A Level Law and Level 3 Criminology. Mrs Henderson was born in the North East of England and is married with two grown up children.
Date appointed: 1st November 2023
Dennis Southwell
Dennis Southwell was educated at Cockermouth Grammar school, Cumbria. He is married with two grown up sons who both attended Durham Sixth Form Centre. After retirement, Dennis held the position of Contracts Manager for Durham City Council. He was historically a Governor of four local schools, he held the position of Director for four companies, was a Trustee of the Citizens Advice Bureau, a Board Member for Durham Police Authority, a County Councillor, a Durham City Councillor (Cabinet Member for Housing and Finance), Mayor of the City, a Belmont Parish Councillor (Chair) and has previously been listed in ‘Who’s Who’ as an Entrepreneur for Business. Previously the longstanding Chair of Governors at Durham Sixth Form Centre, one of his major achievements in this role was to achieve Freeman’s Quay Leisure Centre on the Durham Sixth Form Centre site for the benefit of the Centre, feeder schools and the community in general.
Date appointed: 1st November 2023
Richard Fletcher
Richard Fletcher is the Chief Executive Officer of the New Collaborative Learning Trust which includes three post-16 colleges, three secondaries and three primaries. Richard initially qualified as a teacher of PE before progressing through various roles to Principal of New College Pontefract prior to taking on the Chief Executive Officer role. All colleges within the New College Collaborative Learning Trust have been graded as Outstanding by Ofsted under Richard’s CEO leadership.
Date appointed: 1st November 2023
Kelvin Simpson
Kelvin is the CEO of the Advance Learning Partnership Multi Academy Trust, having previously held Headships in 3 County Durham Secondary Schools and been in Senior Leadership for 20 years. He was born and educated in Darlington before attending University in Leeds after which he commenced his career in the early 1990’s at Durham Gilesgate School and Sixth Form Centre. Kelvin is a National Leader for Education and supported numerous schools across the region on behalf of the DfE’s schools support programmes over the past 5 years.
Date appointed: 1st November 2023