Sunfield Garden School
Governance at Sunfield Garden School
Sunfield Garden School’s Accountability Framework outlines where responsibility and accountability sit for the key functional areas within its educational provision among tiers of governance and management.
The Board of Trustees for the schools are the legal governing body for the school. The Board holds and fulfils all statutory responsibilities, in terms of charity, company and education law. It approves and monitors the school’s educational and financial plans and budgets, admissions, workforce planning and holds legal liability for the Single Central Record and statutory policies. Always following the Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles).
• Selflessness
• Integrity
• Objectivity
• Accountability
• Openness
• Honesty
• Leadership
Our Board of Trustees
The Trustees at Sunfield Garden School provide strategic leadership; setting a path for the school and its students that results in the best standards of education and care. Our Trustees bring with them a wide range of experiences and skills that ensure the school is well led and managed and that the vision of the Trust is braided through all that we do.
Aonghus Gordon OBE - Proprietor
Aonghus has pioneered Ruskin Mill Trust’s unique method of Practical Skills Therapeutic Education (PSTE), inspired by Rudolf Steiner, John Ruskin and William Morris’s ideas about social renewal, healthy human development and the importance of art, crafts and land work.
Helen Kippax - Chair and lead for Safeguarding and Health and Safety
Helen joined Ruskin Mill Trust in 2004 and was tasked with setting up the Trust’s third centre, Freeman College in Sheffield, where she served as Principal until 2012 when she became a Trustee of Ruskin Mill Trust.
Tara Gratton
Tara started her career in education in 1992 as a teacher in a primary school. In 2004, Tara took up her first Head Teacher role and over the following years has worked with a range of schools and education federations, as a head and executive head, to improve their outcomes and quality. Tara was appointed co-CEO of Ruskin Mill Trust in September 2024 and transitioned to CEO in September 2025.
Dr Constantin Court
Constantin joined Ruskin Mill Trust in 2007 and has vast experience in social and educational establishments, working across different regulative frameworks in organisations who apply the insights of Rudolf Steiner in a contemporary way.
Vivian Griffiths
Vivian brings knowledge and experience of biodynamic agriculture and Camphill Communities to Ruskin Mill Trust. As a Trustee, Vivian has responsibility for quality assuring Biodynamic Practices across the Trust.
Janine Christley
Janine has worked for Ruskin Mill Trust since 1992, initially as Personal Assistant to the Director then as Head of Development and Director of the Ruskin Glass Centre. In 2011 she was appointed Director of Fundraising across the Trust’s twelve centres and has raised over £17M for the Trust.