Governors

Our Governors

Endike Academy is governed by an Academy Scrutiny Committee.

Our governors are:

• Kate Buyukyilmaz
  Principal
  Kate Buyukyilmaz

• Helen Tan
  DRET Appointed Governor (Chair)
  Helen Tan

  I have worked with schools as a LA employee for several years and felt as though I have developed transferable skills that would benefit a school. I have a good understanding of the context of schools in Hull, having taught at Stepney Primary School and several Children's Centres, and would like to support more families in the city. I appreciate the importance of increasing outcomes for children and would like to continue to have a positive impact through working as a governor. I am a qualified primary school teaching, having worked in schools and Children's Centres in Hull. My specialism is in Early Years and I currently work as an Early Years Standards and Improvement Officer for Hull City Council, supporting schools and settings to improve outcomes. My interests including supporting children with English as an Additional Language, wellbeing and involvement, brain development and a trauma informed approach/adverse childhood experiences. I volunteer for Marie Curie and Guide Dogs which I find very fulfilling.

• Lee Pearson
  DRET Appointed Governor (Vice Chair)
  Lee Pearson

  Motivated by his passion for children's education and his belief in the importance of strong, inclusive governance, Lee became a Governor in January 2026.

  In this paid role, Lee works as a Partnerships Manager for a national charity, where he is responsible for building and managing strategic relationships with corporate partners across the UK.

  Alongside this, Lee is the Vice Chair of Pride in Hull, where he supports the strategic direction and governance of a large community organisation.

• Richard Crompton
  DRET Appointed Governor
  Richard Crompton

  Richard was appointed a DRET Appointed Governor on 21 June 2023. He is also a governor at other primary academies within the Trust. Richard decided to become a Governor so that he could support and challenge the academy to be the best that it could be. He previously worked for DRET as the Trust's Head of Estates, Facilities and Operations and is now employed as the Chief Operating Officer at Ivy Learning Trust. In his spare time, Richard enjoys going for days out with his son Albie and dog Skye. He enjoys Walking, lunches out and plenty of socialising.

• Alan Garratt
  DRET Appointed Governor
  Alan Garratt

  Looking to give back to his adoptive city, Alan became a Governor at Endike Primary Academy in June 2026.

  In his paid role, Alan isthe Executive Director of Infrastructure Services at the University of Hull. Prior to his current role, Alan worked at Arco and was a British Army Officer.

  Originally from Scotland, in his free time Alan tries to spend as much time outdoors as possible.This is further encouraged by his Doberman, Nala, who has very strong opinions on the importance of being included in every activity. Alan also loves to travel and experience different countries in as authentic a way as he can. More broadly, Alan is fascinated by history and enjoys looking round churches.

• Peter Dirisu
  DRET Appointed Governor
  Peter Dirisu

  Looking to give back to his local community by sharing his skills Peter joined Endike's ASC in July 2026.

  In his professional role, Peter is a Chartered Accountant and outside of work, Peter enjoys football and reading.

• Jonathan Ellis
  DRET Appointed Governor
  Jonathan Ellis

  I decided to become a governor at Endike Primary because I am a passionate advocate for supporting children to reach their full potential; my career has been focused around identifying disadvantage and implementing change to reduce gaps in attainment, achievement and personal and social development. I want to support and challenge the school to champion vulnerable pupils, and wish to use my experience and enthusiasm to influence change at a strategic level and support school leaders to implement meaningful interventions which improve children's lives.

  I currently work for Hull City Council's Virtual School as the Early Years and Primary Phase Lead and SENCo. In this role, I support children and young people who are disadvantaged to reach their potential; specifically, this includes children looked after (CLA), previously looked after (PLAC), children in kinship care and children who have a social worker. I'm a qualified teacher having previously worked in mainstream and special schools, and I have spent several years working for local authority special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) teams, overseeing statutory processes relating to education, health and care plans (EHCPs).

  
  Professionally, I am passionate about improving outcomes for disadvantaged children and young people through the use of evidence-based interventions and strategies, as well as strategic planning which has a real operational influence. Outside of work, I enjoy playing cricket, reading, listening to music and travelling. I also have three cats!

• Trina Smallwood
  Staff Governor
  Trina Smallwood

  Trina was appointed a Staff Governor on 17 October 2019. As Assistant Head, Mental Health and Safeguarding Leads for the academy, being a governor gives Trina the opportunity to share the academy's successes with others and discuss what they have in place, to not only safeguard the children, but to move the academy forward. Being a governor gives Trina the opportunity to discuss the policies and practices that they have in place with others from outside the academy and have honest discussions about how they can be adapted or developed to improve outcomes for the children. Trina started off as the Phase Leader at Endike and has taken on the role of temporary Vice Principal for six months. She is very passionate about teaching and providing the children with the best opportunities. The needs of the children should always come first. Trina is a classically trained singer and believes that singing helps with mental health. She has recently joined a local choir. Trina is also very passionate about enrichments and creativity and loves bringing the whole academy together for whole academy creative arts events.

• Jemma Routledge
  Staff Governor
  Jemma Routledge

  Jemma was appointed a Staff Governor on 22 December 2022. Jemma wishes to improve the school for students and staff, ensure that staff workload is taken into account and children have access to a range of opportunities to enhance learning. She is currently working as a class teacher and Art/DT subject lead at Endike Academy. She is hard working, reliable and good at problem-solving. Jemma is also good with technology and can adapt well to change. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her son, family and friends. She also enjoys baking and attends dance classes.

• Jodie Southwick
  Parent Governor
  Jodie Southwick

  I became a governor as I am a primary school teacher myself and have a keen interest in the education offered to pupils around my local area. I work collaboratively amongst others and will be happy to challenge others too. I am organised and committed to doing a good job for the benefit of the pupils and school. I enjoy spending time as a family, baking and reading.

• Oghenovo Nzenwa
  Parent Governor
  Oghenovo Nzenwa

  Oghenovodecided to become a governor because she is passionate about supporting children and young people to achieve their full potential within a safe, inclusive, and high-quality learning environment.

  In he paid role,Oghenovoworks as a Project Coordinator for Youth Aspire Connect, a youth-focused community organisation based in Hull. In this role,Oghenovocoordinates a range of programmes and initiatives that support children and young people through education, digital skills development, mentoring, wellbeing, leadership, and community engagement activities.

Current Governors

 Former Governors

Below is a list of Governors that have served in the past 12 months. 

Contacting Us

The Governance Officer for Endike Academy is Victoria Linthwaite. Victoria can be reached at governance@dret.co.uk. 

To contact a governor, please contact the Trust Governance Team by emailing governance@dret.co.uk.

If you are looking to contact a Governor to make a complaint or share a concern, please note that as per our Complaints Policy, governors do not investigate complaints at Stage 1 or Stage 2.  This enables them to be impartial should a complaint be escalated to a Stage 3 governor panel. If you wish to make a complaint, please complete this form and your complaint will be investigated accordingly.

Scheme of Delegation

Information about the David Ross Education Trust’s scheme of delegation is available here.

Minutes of the Academy Scrutiny Committee

Should you wish to view a copy of the minutes of the ASC at this academy, please contact the Trust Governance Team, (governance@dret.co.uk) who will be able to provide you with an electronic or paper copy of the minutes.

Are you interested in becoming an academy governor?

We are looking for new governors to support our academies. Our governors work closely with their academies to support the Trust’s goal of broadening the horizons of young people through a world-class education, equipping our students with the skills and experiences to become their confident, academic best, no matter what.

If you have an interest in, and commitment to, improving education and would like to make a difference within your community, please register your interest in becoming a governor by completing our governor application form. If you have any questions about a governor’s role or responsibilities please contact us at governance@dret.co.uk or review our information pack below. 

aug 2025 governor recruitment booklet.pdf

What is it like being a Governor with DRET?

What training do Governors receive?

We offer an extensive range of training opportunities. Take a look at what is on offer for the current academic year.