Knowle DGE Academy Council

 

Kate Lee-Wells                  Head Teacher, KnowleDGE Academy

Aga Kowalska                    Academy Councillor

Ben Pickett                         Teaching staff Representative

Asha Abdi                           Support Staff Representative 

Stephen Bradshaw            Interim  CEO, Learn@ MAT

Caroline Down                   Link Councillor Children in Care / Young Carers, Pupil Premium and Safeguarding

Nick Taylor                         Academy Councillor

Tracey Price                       Parent/Carer Representative 

 

 

KnowleDGE Academy Link Councillor Roles
Role	Name
Chair
Vice Chair
Children in Care / Young Carers Councillor	Caroline Down
Finance Councillor
Health & Safety Councillor
Parent Representative
Parent Representative	Tracey Price
Pupil Premium Councillor	Caroline Down
Safeguarding Councillor	Caroline Down
Special Educational Needs & Disability Councillor
Support Staff Representative	Asha Abdi
Teaching Staff Representative	Ben Pickett

To contact the Clerk to the Governing Body, please telephone 0117 456 6513  or email using Elizabeth.Jahn@learnmat.uk

The Chair of the Academy Council, Sophie Smith can be contacted using

sophie.smith@learnmat.uk

 

MEET THE ACADEMY COUNCIL

Kate-Lee Wells, Headteacher

Appointed by Learn@ MAT Board, Ex-Officio

Kate is newly appointed  Headteacher at KnowleDGE.

She studied Psychology and then Teaching in Bristol and Devon and has worked in Special Education for the last 15 years. Kate lives in South Bristol with her husband, toddler and cat. Kate is passionate about ensuring that pupils coming to KnowleDGE have a positive experience and make progress socially, emotionally and academically and that staff is happy and healthy.

When not at school, Kate enjoys family time, walking, reading and visiting nice cafés for tea and cake. 

 

Agnieszka (Aga) Kowalska,

KnowleDGE Academy Councillor

Appointed by Learn@ MAT Board from 27 February 2020 - 26 February 2023

Aga is a passionate educationalist who wants to make a difference, SEN/ Autism theorist and specialist, a supporter of inclusive and restorative approaches in bridging the gaps in legislation, theory and practice in educational field(s).

Currently working at University of the west of England as Associate Lecturer in Psychology, Sociology and Criminology. Research interests and completions in the fields of: restorative approaches, homelessness, Autism and SEN, sexual harassment and exploration, Inclusion versus Integration in the Education (UK), domestic violence and behavioural strategies/ interventions: challenging behaviour. Aga is also a PhD student at UWE exploring the challenges and the realties behind the implementation of  restorative approaches in educational settings (UK) in relation to embeddedness of ‘behaviour for learning policies’ in secondary schools.

She is also a Director responsible for training and education at Autism Independence Organisation supporting the individuals from ethnic minorities in accessing the information, knowledge exchange and services for those who are diagnosed with Autism.

Aga was invited to contribute to the MSc Program at University of Bristol; School of Education where I am supporting the final year dissertation project students as their research supervisor.

Aga has an extensive knowledge of Special Educational Needs, and within this terrain, Autism and other hidden disorders, and have maintained my expertise through a platform of ongoing engagement with the field. Her own son has been undergoing a diagnosis of Autism, which has opened up opportunities for her to further her understanding of the complexities of Autism’s management across educational and medical settings.

 

 

Caroline Down

Safeguarding Councillor

Appointed by Learn@ MAT Board from 18 July 2022 - 17 July 2025

Caroline has 30 years experience as a teacher. Most of her career was served in East Bristol where she also opened an Alternative Provision Free School. For the last three years she was head of an SEMH school in Swindon, before taking early retirement.

She has a passion for children who struggle with mainstream settings and an in depth knowledge of trauma and SEN.

Caroline is also a trained therapeutic foster carer and enjoyed the challenge of fostering teenagers.

She now works for the NHS on the COVID vaccination programme and enjoys travel, reading and playing tennis in her spare time.

Asha Abdi

Elected by Staff from 21 March 2022 - 20 March 2025

Asha is a higher level teaching assistant at KnowleDGE  Academy where she has been for the past three and a half years.

Asha has  been given the opportunity to step up which has fuelled her desire to become a teacher. She has  returned to  university to get her degree and hopefully become a teacher soon.

Nick Taylor

Appointed by Learn@ Trust Board 12 December 2022 - 11 December 2025

Nick has worked in Human Resources for over 20 years, mainly with financial and professional services both locally and globally and has more recently stepped back and now takes on mainly short term consultancy projects. Whilst studying for his Masters in HR, Nick briefly taught human resource management at a local college. 
Born and bred in Bristol Nick is married and has a young son still at primary school. His main interest is travelling and has on occasion taken extended breaks between roles to spend time abroad. 
Nick has an interest in special educational needs and hopes to share  his personal and professional experiences within this role. 

Tracey Price

Appointed by Learn@ Trust Board 13 January 2023 - 12 January 2026

Mum of two teenage boys, Tracey currently work as a T.A in a small village primary school and before that she worked as a family support practitioner in Bristol.

Tracey is a qualified baby massage instructor and has a passion for sewing and loves teaching the children in school to sew.

Tracey also enjoy getting out and about on her paddle board or kayake, and also enjoy a bit of climbing with her boys

Ben Pickett

Elected by Schol Staff 27 February 2023 - 26 February 2026

[Bio and Photo Awaited]