Local Academy Committee
Local Academy Committee members
The Local Academy Committee (LAC) is composed of educationalists with years of experience, private sector professionals, civil servants and local parents. They have a record of excellence and of dedication to the service of our community.
Role of the Local Academy Committee members
Thomson House School is an academy within the Wandle Learning Trust. The Wandle Learning Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees and has oversight of all the academies in the Trust. A Local Academy Committee (LAC) is responsible for academy-specific matters - their role is to work in partnership with the school's Leadership Team to set a strategic vision which raises attainment across all aspects of school life.
Working closely together, the Board of Trustees and the Local Academy Committee (LAC) have the following core strategic functions:
- Provide strategic oversight of the education provision of the school
- Ensure that stakeholder voice is heard and helps to inform strategic decision-making
- Provide strategic oversight of compliance of the school with Trust policies
- Support the Board of Trustees to ensure good governance across the Trust
The LAC meet twice during the autumn term and once during the spring and summer terms. Within the LAC, there are key link role holders for:
- Safeguarding
- SEND
- Inclusion and equalities
- Stakeholder: Parent/Carer
- Stakeholder: Staff
- Stakeholder: Community
Link members play a key role in this by visiting schools and gathering feedback and insights from the school community. At least twice per year, link members meet as a group with the Link Trustee to share best practice, celebrate collaboration, and to hear from the member of staff who leads on the specific link area for the Trust.
Information on the composition, the role of the Board of Trustees and annual accounts can be found here.
If you have any questions about the work of Local Academy Committee members please contact the Chair, Kelly McEvoy, at kelly.mcevoy@thomsonhouseschool.org
Kelly McEvoy
Chair
Link Area: Leadership
Kelly grew up in Isleworth and attended Orleans Park School and Richmond Upon Thames College. She has lived in Sheen since the age of 16 and has two children at Thomson House.
After reading Modern Languages at university, Kelly began her career in the City and was a Bond Trader at the Royal Bank of Scotland for 13 years. She is now an Investment Consultant to Trustee Boards of corporate Defined Benefit pension schemes.
Heather LOcke
VICE CHAIR LAC Member
Link Area: Safeguarding
Heather graduated from King’s College, London University in Geography and then completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Education at The Institute of Education. Since graduating she has taught in a number of International Schools in the Caribbean, Kuwait, Spain and London. In 1999 she joined The Harrodian School in Barnes as Head of Geography, and was later appointed Deputy Headmistress, Director of Studies and Designated Safeguarding Lead.
MICHAEL pARSLOW
LAC MEMBER
link area: stakeholders (community)
Michael joined as a LAC member in September 21 and is the Chair of the Finance Committee. He has lived in Sheen for over 20 years and had two children at Thomson House.
Michael is a qualified accountant and has worked in financial services for over 25 years, primarily at Credit Suisse. He now runs his own local financial planning business.
HArry marten
LAC MEMBER (elected by parents)
Link area: Stakeholders (Parents/Pupils)
Harry was elected as a LAC member in November 2024. He has 2 children at Thomson House School. Having studied Politics at Edinburgh University, he spent the first half of his career with PwC, and has since worked in social care, health technology and sustainability. He is currently the Finance Director of a small company focused on carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas removal.
Ed RAWSON
LAC MEMBER
link area: Equality, Diversity and inclusion (EDI)
Ed is a Building Surveyor at a Central London and Surrey based consultancy. He has more than 10 years of experience in the property sector. Ed studied Business with Accounting and Law at the University of East Anglia before moving to London to complete his Master’s Degree. He aims to use his expertise and business acumen to support the governing board in their mission to provide an excellent learning environment. Living locally, when he is not on the tennis court you’ll find him out on the river where he is an active rower at a local club.
BernaDETTE Dooling
LAC Member
Link area: Send
With a career in education spanning over thirty years and a former deputy of two secondary schools, Bernadette brings a wealth of education experience to the LAC. She has a Masters in Psychology & Education and worked extensively in the areas of pastoral care, behaviour management and SEND. She has sat on Richmond LEA’s children's safeguarding board for ten years and is currently an improvement consultant focusing on inclusion, behaviour management and SEND provision. Since taking early retirement, Bernadette has worked for the NSPCC on their ‘Speak Out Stay Safe’ campaign in Primary Schools and also works for Surrey County Council Education Authority as an appeals panel member for admissions, SEND placements and exclusions.
Carla SAntos SILVA
LAC MEMBER
Link area: Stakeholders (staff)
Carla was elected as a LAC member in 2025. With over 15 years of experience in the care industry and a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation and Social Inclusion, she is passionate about supporting operational teams to deliver outstanding care services, enabling clients to live well at home for as long as they wish. Carla’s extensive experience includes previous roles as a Nursing Home Manager and Registered Manager at Riverstone, a Goldman Sachs-owned business specialising in high-quality retirement living. Outside of work, Carla cherishes time with her family and enjoys travelling and creating memories with her children.
GEORGE tHOMAS
lac member
George lives in Kew with his wife and is a Chartered Management Consultant specialising in organisational change and talent transformation. He currently works at JPMorgan Chase and has previously worked at Accenture, PwC and EY, supporting organisations through business transformation programmes.
George enjoys supporting education through delivering pro bono guest lectures at ESSEC Business School in Paris and helping his nephew in India with weekly English lessons.
Outside of work, George enjoys playing badminton, cooking and hosting friends and family.
CARLA SMITH
lac mEMBER
Carla grew up in Richmond and attended Roehampton University, studying Art and Education. Upon leaving uni, she worked in an Early Years setting in Sheen and qualified as a SENCO.
She is a founding family member of Thomson House School, with her two sons having made their journey through the school and now in secondary and higher education.
Carla runs her own company providing Art classes, SEND classes and holiday camps to all primary aged children and beyond.