CONNECT ACADEMY TRUST - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Senior School Operations Lead
Job Titles:
- Chairman of Trustees
- Trustee
- Chairman of the Wave Multi Academy Trust
Christian has over 30 years of commercial experience gained within the professional services and property sectors with a focus on business development, innovation, entrepreneurship, technology and media. Within these sectors he has held senior operational and leadership roles holding full P&L accountability, strategic development and delivery, business development and financial budgeting and accountability. His leadership skills were developed in early career as an army officer and have been enhanced in other leadership roles within the charity, NFP and public sectors.
Christian is also Chair of the Wave Multi Academy Trust, a Member of the Marine Biological Association and Academic Mentor with the University of Exeter Business School.
Job Titles:
- Headteacher ( Maternity Leave )
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Vice Chair of Trustees
Ian has been closely associated with school governance since 2010, having specialised in holding leaders to account for academic results and ensuring school finances are deployed to provide the best possible outcomes for children. During this period, he has held the position of Chair of Governors for one of our Trust's schools. Ian has fully embraced the role and spent a considerable amount of time in schools with head teachers, teachers, business managers and children. This has given him a comprehensive understanding of how schools are run. Through owning his own business and school experience, he has strong strategic planning skills and likes to look at the bigger picture. Ian is the link trustee for disadvantaged pupils.
Both of Ian's daughters attended a primary school within the Trust. He started his own estate agency and lettings business 20 years ago and he now employs 21 local people, his award winning business is regarded as one of the market leading property businesses in the South West. Ian is a member of the Plymouth Area Business Council, the Plymouth Area Property Professionals Association, a Fellow of the National Association of Estate Agents and a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor. Ian gains great satisfaction from supporting schools and finds it very rewarding giving some of his free time to an organisation that's sole purpose is to provide children with the best education and childhood experiences possible.
Job Titles:
- Trust Wellbeing Consultant
Job Titles:
- Deputy Premises Manager Facilities
Job Titles:
- Deputy Premises Manager Health and Safety
Job Titles:
- Senior School Operations Lead
Stuart has been involved in education for over 20 years, starting as a teaching assistant in Shute village primary school in Devon. He then qualified as a teacher in 1998 and has taught in schools in Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Hampshire. Stuart started his first headship in 2006 at Beaminster St Mary's Primary School, which had a special needs base for children with moderate learning difficulties attached to it, before being promoted to Blackbrook Primary School in Taunton. From 2014-2016, he worked for Ofsted as one of Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMI) in the South West and Midlands. In 2016, he began working for E-ACT, a Multi Academy Trust with 28 schools across England, becoming a Regional Education Director based in the Midlands working closely with 11 primary and secondary schools.
Having worked in the Midlands for 4 years, Stuart was keen to secure a leadership post closer to home in Devon and was delighted to be appointed as the CEO of Connect Academy Trust in 2018. During his first year, all 5 schools had highly successful Ofsted inspections, ensuring every child in the trust receives an education which is at least ‘good'. In addition, the pupils and teachers achieved some fantastic outcomes and readiness for secondary school in 2019. Connect Academy Trust enjoys working with a number of other local schools and organisations and has a clear ambition to further improve the education at their existing schools and grow the Trust, by welcoming other schools to be part of the successes already achieved.