Key Information

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Diane Connell on 9th November 2024. Diane, and indeed the Connell family, have a long and dedicated history with Endeavour MAT, and Wilmington Grammar School for Girls in particular. Diane was a student at the school in the 1960s. Later, she renewed her relationship with the school as a parent and quickly became a dedicated and valued member of its governing body, serving as a governor from 1992 and as Chair from 2005.

Diane’s steadfast support for the school continued through many changes over the years. This included her becoming Chair of Trustees when the school transitioned into a single-school trust in 2011. Diane then played a key role in the formation of Endeavour MAT as a collaboration with Wilmington Grammar School for Boys in 2017, during which time she served as both Chair of the school’s Local Governing Body and as a Trustee of the MAT.
Diane stepped down as Chair of the Local Governing Body in the summer of 2021, after an extraordinary 29 years of service. She remained a Trustee of the MAT until August 2023, and even then, keen to maintain her connection with the MAT and its schools, Diane became a Member. However, even this whistle-stop tour of Diane’s contributions barely scratches the surface. After becoming a Member (one of the guardians of our vision and values), Diane continued her hands-on involvement. She “returned to the shop floor,” so to speak, by volunteering to support the reading programme at Wilmington Primary School and attending our annual Staff Awards to present the award so aptly named in her honour: The Diane Connell Award for Outstanding Contribution to Governance.
Diane’s commitment extended beyond our schools. She was also an active volunteer with St John Ambulance in the county, serving as a Youth Leader and Trainer.

For those of us fortunate enough to have known her personally and worked alongside her, Diane brought kindness and warmth to every situation. She made everyone feel valued and had a remarkable ability to challenge us to think deeply, always prioritising the welfare of the young people in our care.

Diane will be sorely missed by all within Endeavour MAT.

Governance

Endeavour MAT has five Members, all of whom are highly committed and experienced individuals with a range of relevant public and private sector experience.

A team of Trustees oversee the strategic direction of the schools and ensure that the general control and management of the Trust’s administration is carried out in accordance with the Articles of Association.

The Trustees meet six times a year. The Trust Board is supported in its work by two committees, the Finance, Resources, Audit and Risk Committee and the People Committee. The Trustees’ term of office is four years. To read more about our Trustees and Members please click here

OUR TRUSTEES

Governance Documents

The Trust’s governance documents and recent Annual Reports/Financial Statements are available to download below. Please note that some of these documents are large.