INSPIRA ACADEMY - Key Persons
Dr Aga Gordon has been a school Governor for 8 years, including 4 years as Vice- Chair. Over her time as a Governor she has undertaken a range of responsibilities, including quality of learning and teaching, and membership of the staff complaints and appraisal appeals panels. She was responsible for SEND and pupil premium, leadership and management, and was a member of the school federation's strategy group. She has also served on the Head Teacher appraisal panel and was previously a member of the Executive Headteacher appraisal panel.
Job Titles:
- Headteacher, St Stephen 's Infant School
Alice Edgington is the Headteacher at St. Stephen's Infant School in Canterbury. She has been in leadership of the school since 2017. Alice began her teaching career 20 years ago in an Infant School and is passionate about children's early education experiences and child led learning. Having taught in a variety of settings including Internationally, Alice became a Leading Teacher for English and Phonics. Alice worked with the Local Education Authority to train teachers to administer the Year One Phonics Screening check and supported teachers to become outstanding classroom practitioners. She wrote for The Times Education Supplement on a wide range of topics, from how to put on a star-studded Nativity show, to supporting Care Experienced children and teenagers in education. Alice is an advocate for Care Experienced people, respite fostering and supporting fostering social events. She is currently completing a Masters in Senior Leadership with the University of Roehampton and is thrilled to be part of Inspira Academy Trust.
After graduating from the University of Kent, Ben has spent the majority of his career in the Higher Education sector and he has been the Chief Executive of the Students' Union at Canterbury Christ Church University since 2014, leading on governance, strategy, and financial planning.
Ben became a governor of St. Stephen's Infant School in 2013 as a result of a desire to further contribute to the education sector in Canterbury, before becoming Vice Chair in 2016 and then Chair in 2017. In the role of Chair Ben initiated the partnership with Chartham Primary School and drove, with The Chair of Chartham and the Executive Headteacher, the project to form what became Inspira Academy Trust.
With 15 years experience in school leadership, Dean has held 2 Deputy Headships and 2 Headships of 2 large primary schools. Dean holds the National Professional Qualification for Headteachers and is currently a Kent Leader of Education and Executive Headteacher. Dean has leadership experience of a number of Ofsted inspections, moving schools from RI to securely good.
Over the last few years, Dean has coached experienced and newly appointed Headteachers in Kent and has supported schools with self-review as well as working closely with the local authority in supporting schools with school improvement. Dean is one of the Canterbury district representatives on the Kent Association of Heads board and he works collaboratively with other local Headteachers in a collaboration of schools in Canterbury. Dean is passionate about inclusion and curriculum creativity in schools ensuring all pupils receive the best, well rounded education possible.
Dr Gina Potts is a higher education professional with expertise in project management, building partnerships, knowledge exchange and corporate governance. She has particular interests in digital transformation in education, and how technology can improve working practices and student experience as well as breaking down barriers. Gina has spent the majority of her career in the UK higher education sector - previously as a lecturer and researcher and more recently in professional services as project and partnership manager. She also spent over 10 years in the private sector running her own business providing training & mentoring and working in IT and web development. Gina brings her professional experience and passion for raising aspirations through education. She joined the Inspira Academy Board of Trustees in Autumn 2022 and is Health and Safety Trustee.
She worked as university lecturer for several years, has run her own company, and founded and manages a Polish supplementary school. She has significant experience of managing complex projects and currently works at Canterbury Christ Church University as a Project Manager and Research Fellow in the Faculty of Education. Aga is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, and has a PhD in Chemistry and an MBA.
Emma joined Chartham Governing Body in October 2017 as a Parent Governor and has been Vice-Chair of Governors since September 2018. She has been in Primary Education for over 20 years, as a KS2 teacher with a subject responsibility for music. Latterly, Emma has been running her own peripatetic music teaching business, working across a number of schools. Whilst in her role as a KS2 teacher, Emma spent 7 years as a Staff Governor with responsibility for monitoring teaching and learning and assessment. As a governor at Chartham Primary School, she is able to utilise her experience in the Primary sector to provide insight into the strategic leadership aspects of school life. As part of the Strategy Group, Emma has been involved with the development and growth of the shared vision and ethos of both Chartham and St Stephen's Infants, witnessing first-hand the ever-growing benefits of the partnership.
Using her knowledge and experience of teaching, Emma has monitored strands of Quality of Education and Teaching and Learning.
Emma has also been responsible for finance monitoring, which has required her to develop her knowledge and understanding of the financial systems used within education.
I am a highly experienced HR and Office Administrator that has previously worked for the NHS. During my time working in a hospital environment I supported the Outpatients Department in booking appointments for all clinics across 6 of our hospital sites. I then moved internally to the HR Department as an HR Systems Support Officer assisting daily with Payroll, Recruitment Team and Employee Relations. For two years working in HR I was the sole person responsible for ensuring that we had funding in place from Finance to support 8,500 staff across the Trust and to allow the Recruitment Team to raise further vacancies across all sites and departments.
Job Titles:
- Headteacher, Chartham Primary School
Jamie Noble is the Headteacher at Chartham Primary School just outside Canterbury which he started in September 2022. He has been in school leadership since 2016 having worked as assistant and deputy head in two large schools in South London. Jamie began teaching 15 years ago and has taught and led phases in both Key Stage one and Two as well as both English and Maths, implementing curriculum changes and having a positive impact on attainment. Jamie is passionate about teacher development, maximising potential for all learners and personal and social development in schools. Furthermore, he has worked as a moderator and led maths mastery across a cluster of schools and is completing NPQ in Senior Leadership.
Job Titles:
- Audit Supervisor at Kreston Reeves LLP
I am currently an Audit Supervisor at Kreston Reeves LLP and began training with the same firm in August 2008. I qualified with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in 2014 and have been a Fellow of the Association since 2019.
In my job I have a focus in leading and managing Charity and Not for Profit audits, with a specialism in Multi-Academy Trust audit and advisory work.
Consequently, I have developed a passion and commitment to the Education sector. I also supervise teams undertaking audit work for a diverse portfolio of clients, which include large corporate international groups, Pension Schemes and Not for Profit entities, including private schools. I undertake extensive training and CPD for my role which encompasses specialist Academy and Education finance training. I have been a co-opted governor at St Stephens Infant School since 2016 and at Chartham Primary School since 2019. I find these roles extremely rewarding and enjoy contributing to the vision and future of these schools. I am born and raised in Canterbury, and live locally to both schools within the trust, with my husband and dog.
Richard has been a Governor at Chartham Primary School since September 2014 becoming Chair of Governors in September 2018. Richard has successfully completed the NGA Development for Chairs Training Programme and has a clear understanding of strategic leadership within the context of governance. He became a Governor at St Stephens Infant School in October 2018 In order to further develop his understanding of the governance role in school improvement.
Richard was member of the joint governing body strategy group and pay committee, Executive Headteacher Performance Management Panel and was the Safeguarding Governor for Chartham Primary School. Richard brings a wealth of experience, enthusiasm and commitment having worked in the Civil Service for over 20 years and has a naturally inquisitive mind. He has a proven track record of motivating people through change, building continuous improvement and coaching newly trained investigators.
The Chair of Trustees Richard Hover who can be contacted using the email address rhover@inspiraacademy.co.uk
I have worked in Education for 18 years in both Kent maintained schools and academies including through conversion to academy status and re-brokering from one trust to another. As Business Manager I provide strategic leadership for all financial and business aspects relating to Financial Resource Management, Administration Management, ICT, Human Resource Management, Facility and Property Management and Health and Safety Management across both schools.
I am responsible for ensuring financial compliance and statutory reporting. I ensure the schools operate as cost- effectively as possible. I prepare annual budgets using knowledge of current practices, proposed developments, and planned changes to deliver the School Improvement Plan whilst also reflecting the vision and values of each school. I submitted successful CIF bids at 2 of my previous academies.
I have also been involved in an application for a free school; setting a suitable budget to meet the needs of the proposed growing school was core to the application ensuring the school could provide an excellent diverse curriculum. My varied experience, together with my passion for enabling children to have the best experience at school, drives me to carry out my role whilst ensuring adherence to all policies, procedures, deadlines and regulations.
Toyin is a qualified social worker and has over 40 years of experience in the field of social care and social welfare both as a practitioner and as an academic. Toyin is an external PhD examiner for the Tavistock Portman Foundation and University of East London. He have been involved in research and have written and co-authored academic publications in practice related areas, including children and families, discrimination, and equality. Toyin has also been involved as a panel member on several committees and tribunals for over 20 years. He currently sits on the Mental Health Review Tribunal; Immigration and Asylum Tribunal; Employment Tribunal and the Ministry of Defence Service Complaint Tribunal. He is involved in a Lord Lieutenant's project encouraging the active involvement of Primary School Children in life skills groups. Toyin is a trustee of the Primary Shakespeare Company and Leadership through Sports and Business.