RALEIGH EDUCATION TRUST - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Support Service Core Team
- Literacy Lead
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Support Service Core Team
- Primary Curriculum Lead
Job Titles:
- Member of the Extended Leadership Team
- Woodlands Academy Principal
Job Titles:
- Allotment Education - Routed in Kindness, Cultivating Strength
- Martin Sinclair Behaviour Therapist
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Professor of Education at the University of Nottingham
Bernadette Youens is a Professor of Education at the University of Nottingham. Throughout her career she has combined her twin interests of science and education with roles including research scientist, chemistry teacher, teacher trainer and Head of the School of Education. A driver for all of her work is making science and education accessible to all students. Bernie's research interests include better understanding how beginning teachers learn with a particular focus on how we best prepare new teachers to work inclusively with all students in their classrooms.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Support Service Core Team
Job Titles:
- Physician
- Trustee
- MRCGP FFOM FFTM Trustee
Bill is an occupational physician who has developed occupational health practices for organisations in about 50 countries. He started his medical career as a hospital physician in general medicine including paediatrics, and spent a year as a GP. He has been a senior manager in Mars and a global health, safety and environment director in United Biscuits and Vodafone. He has run his own company since 2006 assessing workplaces and local healthcare facilities and expertise, and developing health strategies for blue chip companies internationally. He is author of a book for managers on Positive Attendance Management. His professional interests are in assessment, prevention, and management of risk. Bill is married with 3 grown up children and 4 grandchildren.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Central Executive Team
- Executive Assistant & Governance Professional
Claire is a high calibre governance professional following five years as a volunteer EYFS setting LGB Chairperson, and subsequently, the Trust governance professional. In this role, Claire has been instrumental in the design and development of the Board committee structures and the introduction of local governance arrangements across the Trust (see Hub model), including creating all Terms and successful recruitment and induction activities.
When Claire isn't managing all of our members, trustees and governors, she finds time to manage the chief executive as his Executive Assistant.
Following the successful completion of a LLB Hons Law with Psychology in 2011 through Nottingham Trent University, Claire has gone on to complete the Department for Education funded ICSA accredited Level 3 Certificate in the Clerking of School and Academy Governing Boards in 2019, and her CIPD Level 3 Qualified 2022.
Claire has supported undergraduates more widely as an Ambassador Mentor and Victim Support Volunteer.
Claire is passionate about education and all things related to compliance as the Trust Data Protection Officer.
Job Titles:
- HR Advisor
- Sally Boaden Chief Finance & Operating Officer
Job Titles:
- Susan Thornton Chair of Members
David works as a programme manager and senior leader in the Department for Education (DfE). He has had a long relationship with the Trust, serving as a community governor, pupil progress lead, chair of governors, chair of directors and currently as a trust member.
Beginning in the private sector while studying, David worked for a number of years as a labourer and civil engineering management trainee for Airfield Pavements Ltd. He worked on and led construction teams in Royal Air Force bases across the UK laying a range of specialist runway surfaces and technologies. After graduating he joined Siemens' energy division in the UK, working on and then leading a number of national infrastructure projects and multinational business development projects. With a strong desire to move into a job which made a real and positive difference for people, David moved into the public sector in 2009, joining the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL). In his work at the NCTL and, now in the DFE, he has worked in a range of policy & delivery roles and has developed a network of strong school leader contacts and relationships across the country.
David's programme and project leadership in DfE has included the globally leading Longitudinal Education Outcomes Programme; School Leadership policy and delivery (e.g., playing a central role within the redesign and development of the National Professional Qualification for School Leaders and the School Governance qualifications); STEM specialist teacher supply (support for the "Teacher Subject Specialism Programme"); Succession Planning for School leadership; The Leadership Models and Partnerships Programme (e.g. helping schools to understand and become Academies and Federations to meet school improvement goals); the 14-19 Agenda and the development of the School Business Management profession.
David S Stewart OBE DL is a former head teacher in Nottingham City with over fifty years experience of working with children and young people with severe learning disabilities. He is a member of several local Trusts, charities and governing bodies and is Chair of The Nottingham Education Trust. He has a particularly interest in Arts education and PHSE . He is a Deputy Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, an honorary Doctor of the University and holds the National One Dance Award for Most supportive leader for Dance.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Attendance and Welfare Team
- Attendance & Welfare Officer
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Head of Technical Education at Nottingham Trent University
- PFHEA Trustee
Dr Brendan Coulson is the Head of Technical Education at Nottingham Trent University, he brings a wealth of experience in the realm of education, with a primary focus on pre- and post-16 students, predominantly within Further Education, and later culminating in Higher Education.
Brendan is also a published author; he has written a book dedicated to aiding early readers in coping with anxiety. His commitment to education extends beyond the academic realm, as evidenced by his role as a Trustee for Raleigh Education Trust. Driven by an unwavering passion for education, Brendan is particularly dedicated to ensuring exceptional educational opportunities for every student. His overarching goal is to provide all pupils with the means to succeed, realise their individual aspirations, and actively engage as citizens within their respective communities.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of Trustees
- Trustee
Eileen Hatley was born and educated in London beginning her teaching career in Docklands. Most of her teaching was in secondary schools in deprived areas of Nottingham and Derbyshire. On retiring she became firstly a gardener then Chair of Bilborough Sixth Form College which she guided to join the Better Futures Multi Academy Trust which she currently chairs. She served on ALC as an advisor to the BLS department and is an active member of SFCA.
She became a Trustee because she is passionate about local children getting the best possible education despite living in deprived circumstances. Her teaching experiences created in her a drive to improve quality of education and life chances for children by society for reasons of behaviour or rejected particular educational needs. One of her drivers is the lack of opportunity for children who have been excluded from mainstream schools and whose life chances are thus diminished.
She is involved in all areas of the Trust, liaising both with teaching and non-teaching staff and working very closely with the Chief Executive in her capacity of Board Chairperson.
Eileen Hatley was born and educated in London beginning her teaching career in Docklands. Most of her teaching was in secondary schools in deprived areas of Nottingham and Derbyshire. On retiring she became firstly a gardener then Chair of Bilborough Sixth Form College which she guided to join the Better Futures Multi Academy Trust which she currently chairs. She served on ALC as an advisor to the BLS department and is an active member of SFCA.
She became a Trustee because she is passionate about local children getting the best possible education despite living in deprived circumstances. Her teaching experiences created in her a drive to improve quality of education and life chances for children by society for reasons of behaviour or rejected particular educational needs. One of her drivers is the lack of opportunity for children who have been excluded from mainstream schools and whose life chances are thus diminished.
She is involved in all areas of the Trust, liaising both with teaching and non-teaching staff and working very closely with the Chief Executive in her capacity of Board Chairperson.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Central Executive Team
- Member of the Extended Leadership Team
- Executive Principal for Alternative Education
Elizabeth joined the Trust in September 2022 having worked in schools/academies for 26 years in a range of roles including senior leadership, headship and at Trust level. She began her career as a Mathematics teacher before becoming a pastoral middle leader, senior leader and qualified SENDO. Elizabeth was a principal in a large mainstream secondary academy prior to working for Raleigh Trust.
She is a specialist in SEND, mental health, behaviour and safeguarding and has provided expertise nationally as part of a multi academy trust. This role included wider school improvement including curriculum development and governance responsibilities in over 30 academies nationally, in challenging communities and across both phases.
Elizabeth has worked with the DFE and National Schools Commissioner to inform statutory policies. She also completed external reviews in safeguarding, SEND and Mathematics as a school improvement partner on behalf of the DFE.
Elizabeth is committed to improve the wellbeing of young people and adults by delivering quality training to raise awareness of mental health in the workplace. She is an experienced Mental Health Instructor, delivering training for MHFA for adult and youth (MHFA England) for the past 7 years.
Elizabeth continues to be passionate in her role as a leader to make a difference to all children and young people.
Emma is a specialist in workforce development, talent management, change management, succession planning, organisation design and development.
Emma brings expertise within Human Resource Management, Target Operating Model design, staff development and rewards to SUMS members and clients. Through her work, she delivers innovative solutions to workforce requirements and enables pragmatic, best practice solutions that are informed by appropriate insight, legislative and regulatory risk.
Emma joined SUMS in 2021 after a number of years supporting different institutions within the HE sector, but her career to date has also seen her work as a change expert for the British Red Cross. Emma brings experience of managing transformational change projects, organisation design and development initiatives and working with all academic and professional services functions to create integrated, co-designed cultures and practices.
Emma is passionate about workforce development, talent management and succession planning which considers all aspects of equality, diversity and inclusivity and strives to implement sector-leading solutions that respond to the global landscape, trends and patterns. She has been involved in successful Athena Swan submissions, academic development programmes and principle-led strategic approaches to structural design which have led to improved engagement and a stronger alignment to strategic priorities and values.
Emma holds chartered membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and has a particular passion for American sports.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Finance Committee
- Trustee
Gloria retired as a manager of the Nottingham City's Housing Benefit Fraud Section and Welfare Visitors. During her many years working for the Local Authority she became experienced in recruitment, staff appraisals, disciplinaries & dismissals, working with unions, redundancies, conciliation, finance & workload management. She had also been a union representative.
Currently she is also involved with her local branch of The University of the Third Age.
When her own children started school she became aware that some of their friends found, for whatever reason, accessing education challenging.
She had already seen the difference that a good education had made to her life. She felt, & still feels, that treating children according to their needs would give them better outcomes & life skills so she became a School Governor to support the schools in giving all children better life chances.
After nearly 35 years as a Governor she helped to work towards the inception of the Raleigh Education Trust & became a Trustee.
Gloria has seen the Trust grow and does what she can to support it. She has a keen interest in data that shows how the different schools are performing & enjoys seeing the children around school & at their lessons.
Always having been employed in a financial environment Gloria has been a member of the Finance Committee since becoming a Governor & as a Trustee is currently the Chair.
Helen retired from teaching at Secondary School level after 33 years, having gained promotion as Head of Department, Head of Year and Assistant Head and SENDCO. Her experience is in management, pastoral support and in dealing with a variety of relationships within the educational context. The driving force throughout her career was to facilitate the holistic develo0pment of young people, as well as to educate and encourage them as fully as possible. The decision to take on the role of Trustee is an opportunity to continue to pursue this commitment in an over-arching and objective way, learning about the greater context in which educational establishments operate.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Extended Leadership Team
- Denewood & Unity Academies Principal
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Member of the Extended Leadership Team
- Principal
- Academy Principal
Lee leads his Academy with an unwavering determination to ensure "no child will be left behind"
Lee is a qualified Geography teacher who believes passionately about the world we live in today and the one we will leave behind for our children. With a degree in BSC Geography, Lee spent his early professional years teaching Geography and social sciences in secondary settings. He successfully progressed into leadership as an Assistant Headteacher focusing on low-attaining pupils (National Strategies Low Attainer Pilot and National Challenge Programme). Through the success of the programme delivery, Lee moved into his first Deputy Headteacher role with a broad remit in pastoral care and developed leadership experience in several MATs.
Lee joined the Trust as an associate Academy Principal in 2020 and completed his NPQH; he became the substantive Principal in 2021 and successfully secured a Good outcome that year. This inspection outcome followed a previous ungraded inspection that indicated a decline in standards. In addition to his headship, Lee has steered character education and PSHE across the Trust and believes success results from focus, hard work and purposeful collaboration.
Lee believes in the power of an outwardly facing school and actively engages in a range of Headteacher networks and opted to join the DfE Behaviour Hub programme. Not because he felt there was a problem but because he is determined to secure an outstanding experience for the children he serves. He is clear this ambition is more straightforward with the right mindset and attitude to working within the system and collaborating with others. Under his leadership, the SEMH setting has been transformed and is now considered by children's service partners as a high-quality setting for complex children and young people.
Mike has been in Nottingham all his adult life. He is married and has two grown-up children.
Mike's background is primarily in the financial services sector. He is currently a company Director and is responsible for all aspects of the business.
He has previously worked voluntarily in the educational sector in a school in a deprived area of Nottingham, where, working closely with the Deputy Head, he helped to develop a careers development programme, working closely with local businesses and educational establishments. He also helped develop and expand a work experience programme, giving pupils the chance to see the world of work and the opportunities available to them.
He passionately believes in equality and fairness for all, no matter their background, and that children should be allowed to see the opportunities available.
With an eye to the future regarding moving away from full-time employment, Mike is keen and happy to give his time in other directions.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Chairman of Local Hub
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Central Executive Team
- Member of the Extended Leadership Team
- Board Member of the DfE Nottingham Priority Area Local Partnership Advisory Board
- Member of Nottingham Citizens
Sean is an unapologetic advocate of children, particularly those with complex needs and vulnerabilities.
He is a highly qualified and experienced leader in education and has demonstrated a commitment to lifelong learning achieving a Master's Degree in Social and Emotional Behaviour and, most recently, the National Professional Qualification in Executive Leadership. This commitment has supported a highly successful school leadership career beginning as a SENCO, moving through assistant and deputy roles before accepting his first secondary Headship. Sean progressed to MAT school-to-school support roles in several Trusts, including Trust lead for SEND, Director of Education and a secondment to the Centre for British Teachers supporting a school in challenging circumstances.
Sean is an active Ofsted Inspector. His remits include mainstream secondary and primary phases, and he holds accreditation to inspect special schools and AP Independent/Free Schools. Ofsted has recently invited Sean to undertake Lead Inspector training in October. Sean believes this is an essential step for the whole organisation to ensure all settings are focused on what matters most and have access to the most current developments in school improvement, expectations and compliance.
Sean has successfully secured outstanding Ofsted judgements and led a school through more challenging outcomes. He considers that he has learnt a great deal about leadership and a polarised approach to school improvement through periods of challenge. He believes successes can lead to an incredible feeling of accomplishment, but they are no accident. They are the outcome of hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, a love of what one is doing.
Currently, Sean represents the Trust locally as a Board Member of the DfE Nottingham Priority Area Local Partnership Advisory Board, University of Nottingham - School and Colleges Advisory Board and Nottingham City Council (NCC) Education Improvement Board. He is also an active member of Nottingham Citizens, a regional Specialist MAT CEO network and the national SEND and AP CEO Network.
Previously, he has represented education locally as a member of the NCC Safeguarding Board, the Children and Young People Partnership Board (vice-chair), and the City Headteacher Board. In addition, Sean has supported Teach First and the University of Nottingham ITT programmes. National system engagements have included acting as a DfE-appointed reference point for military ethos programmes, advisory board member for the Rowntree Foundation and Prince's Trust External Reference Committee. Sean also represented the sector at Buckingham Palace, following an invitation to join a national Educational Forum.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Extended Leadership Team
- Principal
- Ambleside Academy Principal
Peter retired as Headteacher of Top Valley Academy in 2015, having led the school through its transition from a Comprehensive School to a Specialist Engineering College and subsequently to Academy status in 2012. After fourteen years as a Head and thirty-six years in the teaching profession, he worked for two years as Trust Director for the Central College Academy Trust in Nottingham.
He has extensive experience of working with Governing Bodies and Trustees and is particularly drawn to the Raleigh Learning Trust's firm commitment to securing positive outcomes and experiences for students whatever their backgrounds and life-circumstances.
He believes that the role of Trust Member provides an important overview of the work of the Trust in ensuring that the vision and values of the Trust are maintained to the highest possible standard, in the interests of the children and young people for whom it is responsible.
Job Titles:
- Director of Education
- Member of the Central Executive Team
- Member of the Education Support Service Core Team
- Member of the Extended Leadership Team
Phil is an advocate of trauma-informed practice, the development of the whole child and providing positive learning experiences that last a lifetime.
Phil joined the Raleigh Education Trust in 2021 and has over 18 years of experience within education. Before joining the trust, Phil was an Executive Principal of two academies, where both schools were acknowledged for their trauma-informed ethos, achieving the Trauma-Informed Schools Award. The school's caring and kind approach was also recognised by the local and national press.
He has a proven record of school improvement, helping lead a mainstream school and a multiple site pupil referral unit out of special measures, as well as opening two alternative academy free schools.
Phil began his career as a teacher of ICT and Law, before becoming a pastoral middle leader, senior leader and qualified SENDCo, leading in both mainstream and alternative/special education. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a passion for inclusive education and supporting the most vulnerable children and families.
Phil was a member of the Youth Justice Management Board - Lincolnshire and has worked within the youth probation service.
A lifelong learner, Phil has recently achieved the National Professional Qualification in Executive Leadership and is about to embark on a level 5 qualification in coaching.
Phil has delivered modules of the NPQH programme and is currently a coach for NPQLBC cohorts. He was recently invited to present at two Westminster Insight conferences and to the Nottingham City's Youth Justice Management Board about the importance of early intervention and safeguarding.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Central Executive Team
- Member of the Extended Leadership Team
- Chief Finance & Operating Officer
- Sally Boaden Chief Finance & Operating Officer
Sally joined the Trust in 2021 following a hugely successful career as Chief Finance Officer of an Outstanding Single Academy Trust within the East Midlands and Humberside region. This experience, coupled with her current status as an accredited ESFA School Resource Management Associate (SRMA), has strengthened the Trust central executive team.
She brings expansive knowledge and experience to the Trust in all aspects of business support services, including governance, procurement, health & safety, human resources, finance and compliance from primary and secondary settings and academy trusts, bringing over two decades of School Business Leadership experience to the role.
Working tirelessly as a transparent and ethical leader, she has quickly established herself by developing purposeful relationships and processes across Raleigh Education Trust and strengthened external strategic partnerships.
Sally is a member of the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) and the National Network of Special Schools for School Business Professionals and accredited as an ESFA School Resource Management Associate. She actively supports the Association of BAME Business Leaders in Education group, WomenEd and the National College of Education. Sally has achieved a Masters in Educational Leadership and Management and a Level 6 School Business Management qualification.
She has a passion for ensuring MATs are well run through the proper use of public money and compliance with the regulatory frameworks. She strongly advocates that robust regulatory compliance is the bedrock of school support to deliver the best possible outcomes for our children young people.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Attendance and Welfare Team
- Member of the Education Support Service Core Team
- Attendance and Welfare Lead
Job Titles:
- Assistant Chief
- Finance Officer
Job Titles:
- Member of the Attendance and Welfare Team
- Attendance Administrator
Job Titles:
- Member of the Attendance and Welfare Team
- Attendance Administrator
Job Titles:
- Member of the Attendance and Welfare Team
- Attendance & Welfare Officer
Job Titles:
- Susan Thornton Chair of Members
Job Titles:
- Member of the Attendance and Welfare Team
- Deputy Attendance & Welfare Lead
Job Titles:
- Member of the Attendance and Welfare Team
- Attendance Administrator