Local Governance

Victory Park Academy is governed by an Eastern Regional Academy Executive Committee.

The concept of the Committee is based on a belief in the importance and power of shared leadership. Parents, faculty, administration, and the community work together to provide advice regarding academy policies in accordance with the mission of the academy and the policies of the Parallel Learning Trust.

The primary function is to provide advice and assistance to Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team

Committee members offer their experience and expertise to strengthen the decision making process. This assistance is provided through the function of committees such as: planning, policy development, finance, public relations/marketing, development/fundraising, and assessment.

Our Governors

Lorne Stefanini	Chair
Martyn O’Donnell	Executive Director of Performance and Standards
Adam Packer	Staff Governor
Marc Nutall	Governor
Anne Sturman	Governor
Jonathan Sandling	Governor
Liam Forde	Governor
Kirsty Horseman	Governor
Jon Morgan	Governor
Kalpna Sharma	Governor

Lorne Stefanini

Lorne Stefanini is Chair of the Academy Council, bringing expertise from 20 years experience in teaching. Lorne currently works in a senior independent school with responsibility for pupil learning and progression following many years teaching in London. Lorne holds Chartered Teacher (leadership) Status, and is committed to ensuring excellence for all learners, of all abilities through development excellent classroom practitioners. Lorne is focused on the importance of balancing high expectations with expert support, encouragement and recognition of potential in all teachers who in turn can bring out the best in our young people.

Anne Sturman

Anne has been in education since 1988 and has been a member of the Kennington Park Academy team (part of PLT) since 1998 – 19 years in a leadership capacity. Anne has led the team through 4 successful Ofsted inspections. She has extensive experience of supporting pupils, families, colleagues and primary schools in the area of SEMH and for 18 years was part of the KPA behaviour support advisory team –which also included delivering CPD to schools, SenCos and NQTs.

Kirsty Horseman

Kirsty is a Co-opted Governor with more than 20 years of experience in local government in a variety of strategic and operational roles. Kirsty has worked in both the private and public sector but has devoted most of her career to supporting the City in which she lives – Southend-on-Sea. Kirsty has specialisms in media, internal and external communications, stakeholder engagement and crisis management. She was Southend-on-Sea City Council’s Media and Communications Manager for more than eight years after training to be a Journalist. Since having her own family, Kirsty now works as a Sport and Leisure Project Manager for the Council, a role which leads and manages different sport and physical activity programmes, which aim to reduce the barriers that prevent many children, young people and families from engaging in sport. Kirsty also develops sport and physical activity-based intervention programmes to help break the cycle of offending behaviour and criminality that some young people can find themselves caught up in. She is extremely passionate about children and young people and helping them to discover their true potential no matter their circumstances.

Jonathan Sandling

Jonathan is a senior leader with almost twenty years' experience in the further and higher education sectors. Currently working for Coventry University, he oversees the academic provision across two London campuses. His specific areas of knowledge and experience are associated with teacher development, curriculum design, quality assurance and learning analytics. Jonathan is a Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, a member of the Chartered Management Institute, a member of the International Society of Humour Studies and a reviewer for the European Journal of Humour Research. In addition, Jonathan is currently undertaking a Doctorate in Education (EdD) at the University of Cambridge. Jonathan is proud to be working with the Senior Leaders and Governors at Victory Park and Sutton House Academies.

Adam Packer

Adam has been working in education for over 15 years. He started out as a primary school teacher working in the heart of London, before branching out into alternative methods for delivering the curriculum. This journey began with the creation of Future Learning a free resource designed to help pupils get fit whilst learning key elements from the curriculum. Adam then went onto work at outdoor activity centres to expand his skill base before starting work at Victory Park Academy where he now has the roll of primary lead.

Liam Forde

Liam is an experienced HR professional having worked in both private sector and government organisations. He specialises in the straight forward design and implementation of change management that improves organisational effectiveness. Liam is passionate about developing people capability and helping organisations achieve better HR practice - with experience in all HR specialisms. Having graduated from Leeds Beckett University with a bachelors degree in Human Resources Management, whilst he will always consider himself a ‘Northerner’, Liam is now a Southend resident and enjoys living by the coast.

Jon Morgan

Jon is Deputy Head at a large secondary school in Kent, and has 25 years experience behind him (15 years in a senior leadership capacity). He has a wealth of experience in leading and developing the curriculum, with a passion for ensuing that curriculum creatively meets the needs of all through experiences both inside and outside the classroom. He holds an MA in Creative Education and an NPQH. He has extensive experience in data analysis systems, timetabling and the use of technology to support effective educational provision. He is a Southend resident, musician and currently learning to sail.

Kalpna Sharma

Kalpna began her career as an English Teacher in a Secondary school and then became Head of Year. Working in a school provided insight into the challenges which children and families face on a daily basis. While attainment and education were given the biggest importance, it was evident that more holistic support and guidance was need. It became clear to her that wellbeing of children was key to success in later life and that much more support was needed.

Kalpna now works as a Marketing Consultant and have gained experience across the automotive sector, health & beauty, theatre, insurance and luxury travel, supporting companies to achieve business goals. She enjoys working with organisations to create strategies that enable sustainable growth, across a range of functions.

Her weekends often involve long walks in the countryside and exploring National Parks.