BARTON COURT ACADEMY TRUST - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Headteacher / Barton Court Grammar School
Mr Hopkins commenced his role as Headteacher at Barton Court Grammar School in January 2020.
Prior to joining Barton Court he had worked for over 14 years at both the girls and boys grammar schools in Sittingbourne as either a Deputy Head or the Headteacher. During this time he completed The National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH). These years provided him with invaluable experience but more importantly instilled a determination to work hard for young people to realise the advantages that a grammar school education can bring.
That resolve and ambition for young people is something he conveys on a daily basis to the staff and students at Barton Court. Without doubt a driving force in his motivation to do his job well is making sure a grammar school education opens up as many opportunities for young people as possible.
Job Titles:
- Trust ICT Strategy & Project Manager
Mr Blake is the Trust ICT Strategy and Project Manager within the Business Management Team for BCAT.
Mr Blake is responsible for ICT Strategy and Development within the Trust, and manages the School ICT Support Teams; ensuring that ICT can be utilised to enhance Teaching & Learning, engage learners, and support the administrative functions of the Trust and its schools.
Mr Blake also provides the Executive Headteacher and Senior Leadership Teams with project management support; ensuring projects are completed successfully and on schedule.
With a background in IT Management, Mr Blake joined Barton Court Grammar School in February 2011 as ICT Strategy Manager and led the significant improvement of ICT across the School.
Mr Adams joined the Trust in November 2021 as Site Manager for Charles Dickens School and Estates Manager for all three schools reporting to the Finance and Premises Manager. In 2023 he took on full responsibility for Premises and now reports directly to the Executive Headteacher.
Mr Adams has worked in School Estates since 2017 having previously looked after Ursuline College, Westgate and Sir Roger Manwoods, Sandwich. He holds the NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety.
Job Titles:
- Headteacher / Barton Manor School
Mr Morgan is the headteacher at the Barton Manor School.
Mr Morgan has been part of BCAT since the beginning, firstly working at Barton Court Grammar School as a Senior Leader until he went to CDS in June 2016 for school improvement. Mr Morgan left CDS in July 2023 following supporting school improvement from a ‘special measures' Ofsted rated school to a ‘good' Ofsted rated school in March 2023. Mr Morgan worked at BMS for one day a week when it first opened in September 2022 to support with implementing policy and procedure. He then became headteacher in September 2023.
Job Titles:
- Headteacher / the Charles Dickens School
Mr W Smith is the Headteacher at The Charles Dickens School.
Immediately prior to joining CDS in June 2019, Mr Smith was KCC's Principal School Improvement Advisor and had been Principal of The Folkestone Academy, the largest school in Kent, leading that school to an Ofsted ‘good' grade for the first time in October 2015. Taking over CDS with the school still in Special Measures, Mr Smith has led the school to a very secure ‘good' grade in March 2023, and the school's best ever results in 2022, and again in 2023.
Job Titles:
- Senior Deputy Headteacher
Mrs Bénard-Grosso is an experienced teacher in the Department of Languages at Barton Court Grammar School and teaches a range of students from Year 7 to Year 13. Mrs Bénard-Grosso has been working for more than 18 years at Barton Court Grammar School and joined the Senior Leadership Team in 2013. She line manages a number of departments at Barton Court Grammar School and works in collaboration with the Teaching and Learning Teams at The Charles Dickens and Barton Manor Schools. Due to the nature of her role, Mrs Bénard-Grosso spends one day a week at the Barton Manor School to lead, support, and monitor the quality of Teaching and Learning. One of her main tasks is to develop teachers in to becoming greater practitioners in the classroom for the benefit of all students. Mrs Bénard-Grosso has successfully developed Thinking Schools across the Trust resulting in three consecutive years of "Advanced level" accreditation recognised by the university of Exeter. Mrs Bénard-Grosso has also introduced this new Teaching and Learning initiative at Barton Manor School.
Mrs Bénard-Grosso works in partnership with various Teaching Alliances and Initial Teacher Training providers to develop future teachers. She also provides support and opportunities for development to staff through a robust and thoughtful professional development plan in both Barton Court and Barton Manor Schools. Mrs Bénard-Grosso is a Thinking School and Thinking Maps trainer, an Advanced Skills Teacher (AST) in her specialism (Languages), an accredited coach from the Institute of Education in London, and is also an accredited Specialist Leader of Education (SLE). These roles enable her to have the expertise necessary that her role demands in improving the quality of Teaching and Learning across the Trust.
Mrs Cuddington began supporting the Trust in September 2022 and became Chief Finance Officer in January 2023.
Mrs Cuddington is a Chartered Accountant who has specialised in the Academy sector since 2010.
Job Titles:
- Trust Personnel & Marketing Manager
Mrs Light is the Trust Personnel Manager within the Business Management Team.
Having previously worked for Meridian Television, a large advertising agency in the South East, MotorsportVision at Brands Hatch and The Hop Farm, Mrs Light has been at Barton Court Grammar School since 2010 and now works across all three schools in the Trust.
Job Titles:
- CEO / Executive Headteacher
Ms K Cardus is the CEO/Executive Headteacher of Barton Court Academy Trust and the Lead Professional and Accounting Officer of the Trust.
Ms Cardus joined Barton Court Grammar School in September 2010 as Headteacher. In March 2014 the School was judged "Outstanding" by Ofsted. "The Headteacher has a clear and ambitious vision for the School based upon high standards and secured through a drive for consistent and high-quality teaching" - OFSTED 2014.
In March 2015, Ms Cardus was awarded National Leader of Education (NLE) and Barton Court Grammar School a National Support School (NSS). NLEs along with staff in their school - designated a National Support School - use their success and professionalism to provide additional leadership capability in other schools.