Trustees

Chair: Trevor Sutcliffe
Area of expertise: Education

Biography:

Trevor has worked in schools since graduating as a qualified mathematics teacher. He has
held senior leadership positions, including carrying the role of Chief Executive Officer for
two different Multi-Academy Trusts.

Trevor is very experienced in supporting schools in their improvement journey and has
worked in all phases of education for two large local authorities and, currently, as an
independent advisor. He has an excellent track record through this work, resulting in
stronger leadership at all levels, better outcomes for children and improved inspection
grades.

Improving outcomes for disadvantaged children is key to Trevor’s work in his current role as
a Director of Challenging Education. He supports and challenges leaders in school to
consider how they can amend their current practice to help raise attainment, and therefore
improve life chances, for this crucial group of children.

CEO: Bernadette Hunter
Area of expertise: Education & School Improvement

Biography:

I am passionate about primary education and consider myself very fortunate to have worked in this phase for the past 38 years. I was a headteacher for nearly 25 years leading three very different primary schools in Staffordshire. During this time I was very fortunate to work with other schools and School leaders in a variety of different roles in Staffordshire including being Chair of the Primary Heads Forum, working as an Associate Inspector, a School Improvement Partner and a Local Leader in Education. I had a year’s secondment in 2013 when I was privileged to be elected NAHT National President, a role which provided many interesting experiences of working with educational agencies such as Ofsted and the DfE.

I retired from headship in August 2018 and took on my new role as CEO. I am very excited about the opportunities to work with different schools and their communities. I am a strong advocate of school to school support and I believe working in collaboration is the best way for school leaders to improve and develop the system in the future.

 

Phil Pusey
Area of expertise: Charity & Governance

 

Biography:

Originally from London, Phil has been involved in youth work in Staffordshire for over 25 years, moving into management and leadership roles first in a frontline youth work charity based in Burton upon Trent, and since 2011 has been Chief Executive of Staffordshire Council of Voluntary Youth Services (SCVYS), a voluntary youth sector infrastructure organisation.

In 2016 SCVYS successfully led a partnership bid to become the new Voluntary Sector Strategic Partner for Staffordshire County Council. The main objectives of the £800,000 contract are to reduce demand and cost in public sector services by mobilising the population through increasing levels of personal responsibility, family resilience, community resourcefulness and cross sector collaborations. SCVYS had a track record of success following the closure of the local authority youth service in building up a community based response to sustain participation levels in extra-curricular positive activities.
Phil’s role is primarily around representing the sector at strategic partnership boards, in system transformation projects ensuring the sector is engaged, as well as promoting the impact of the sector to partners and stakeholders.

He is a Member of the Chartered Managers’ Institute, and has a Diploma in Transformational Leadership which enables Phil to bring a strategic perspective to programmes he is involved with.

Phil continues to volunteer in a variety of community settings including;

• Academy and Community Trust Chaplain at Burton Albion FC.
• Board member of Burton Albion Community Trust.
• Board member of Eagles Nest Project (currently developing alternative support programmes for young people who struggle in formal education with a vision for a full time school).
• Team leader for Burton Street Angels providing support and assistance to users of the night-time economy.
• Trustee of Hope in Burundi, a charity working to feed, clothe, house and educate over 100 former street kids in Burundi, Central Africa.
• Member of the Leadership Team at Riverside Church, Burton upon Trent with responsibility for youth and children’s programmes.

Elaine Huttley
Area of expertise: HR & Law

Biography:

Elaine has worked as an employment lawyer for over a decade; She is fully familiar with all aspects of employment legislation and regularly provide strategic HR advice to clients including in relation to day to day issues, strategic/project work and contentious/litigious matters. On a daily basis Elaine will consider and analyse documentation to provide strategic, risk assessed advice. In addition Elaine regularly works as a team with colleagues internally, and with clients' HR and/or senior management teams. In addition she will also undertake business development activities as an integral part of her role.

LLB Honours in Law from the University of Warwick;
Commendation in the Legal Practice Course from Nottingham Law School;
Qualified as a solicitor and admitted to the roll in September 2005;
Member of Law Society;
Member of the Employment Lawyers Association;
Associate member of CIPD

Reverend George Crossley
Area of expertise: Faith

Biography:

Reverend Crossley grew up in Hastings and went to Bradford University where he studied Peace Studies and went on to complete a PHD. He was ordained in his mid 30s, and became the curate in Rochdale. In 1998, Reverend Crossley became the vicar of Branston and Tatenhill, and then went on to be the pediatric chaplain at Burton's Queen's Hospital.

He has experience of being a school Governor and has worked with the Burton Co-operative Learning Trust since 2011.

Seven years ago he became the vicar of St Chad's Church in Burton, and will now cover the parish of Stretton as well.

Gill Martin
Area of expertise: Education

Biography:

Gill is a Modern Language graduate and since completing her PGCE has worked in secondary education in various pastoral and academic roles including Curriculum Area Leader for MFL, Head of Year and House Learning Manager. When she was promoted to the Senior Leadership Team, she had whole school responsibility for Data, Reporting and Assessment as well as line management responsibility for academic departments within the school. She is very proficient in the analysis and use of data and recognises the importance of using data to benchmark and measure improvement within the classroom and beyond.

In 2013 Gill became the Director of the National Forest Teaching Schools and in this role, has successfully developed partnerships with schools in the local area, promoting collaborative working in the areas of Initial Teacher Education and Professional Development for all staff, primary and secondary, teaching and support staff. She is also responsible for NQT and second year teacher development and is regularly involved in school to school support work in the local area.

In 2013 Gill successfully sought accreditation for her school to become a SCITT and as SCITT Director has successfully developed partnerships and built a team to lead on an ITE programme which will hopefully support the national agenda relating to the recruitment and retention of teachers.

Gill is a trained Ofsted Inspector for both school and ITE inspections.

BA Honours in German with French (2:2); PGCE.

 

Daniel Beard
Area of expertise: Finance

Biography:

Dan is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and a former member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers, he has over 20 years industry experience in Finance roles. During his career in industry he has work in finance roles associated with purchasing, service delivery, commercial, IT, manufacturing and Corporate Treasury.  Dan currently works for Jaguar Land Rover, where he is a finance manager at  Jaguar Land Rover.

Dan has been involved in school Governance since 2002, when he was Chair of Governors at the Haywood secondary school in Nottingham City.  When Dan joined the Haywood Governing Body, the school was facing challenging circumstances and was placed in Special Measures soon after.  Haywood school exited special measures in record time (2 terms).

Up until December 2018 Dan has been a co-opted governor at William Shrewsbury Primary School a role he undertook in 2008. He has held the role of the Chair of the Board as well as the Chair of the Finance & Resources Committee, Pay Committee and Head Teachers Performance Management Committee.  Dan has also attended the Personal and Curriculum and Standards committee.

William Shrewsbury is one of the largest primary schools in Staffordshire.  During his time as Chair he has led the governing body through the conversion to Trust status as part of the Burton Co-operative Learning Trust.  The most recent Ofsted Inspection awarded the school a good rating with outstanding for pupils’ behaviour and safety.

Dan was the Chair of the Burton Co-operative Learning Trust Board, a role he held from when the Trust was formed.

From 2010 to 2016 Dan represented East Staffordshire and Tamworth Primary schools on the Staffordshire Schools Finance Forum, a statutory consultative group responsible for school finance.

Dan regularly undertakes training with particular reference to school governance and to help him understand school information and data. Dan has most recently undertaken training in Raise online, safeguarding and School Governors Leadership Programme in conjunction with Edge Hill University.

Dr Sarah Hardman Charles
Area of expertise: Education & CPD

Biography:

I have worked at the University of Derby since 2006. In 2016, I was promoted to the role of Deputy Head of Department, within the Institute of Education, with responsibility for leading all of the Provider Led Primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and Early Years Teacher Training (EYTT). As a result, I have responsibility for programme design, budget management, leadership/management of a team of 23 staff, Quality Assurance, and play a lead role in Ofsted inspections. In addition to my managerial role, I still teach on a range of modules on the Core PGCE, School Direct, BEd, MEdu programmes and Doctoral programmes.

Having taught in the Primary Sector for over ten years, within Burton-on-Trent, I have previous experience of teaching all primary age phases, leading a range of curriculum subjects including Literacy, Senior Management responsibilities, school governance, delivery of CPD and School Improvement.

Drawing on both past and present experiences in the classroom, I aim to motivate the next generation of classroom practitioners and leaders to strive for excellence in their chosen profession. I am forward thinking and proactive in course design to ensure the different ITE programmes meets the demands of the teaching profession and to best equip newly qualified teachers for longevity in the profession.

I am currently involved with the Opportunity Area for Derby City, working to ensure that education provision within the City ensures that children have the best possible life chances to support social mobility. School Improvement and leadership is a key focus of this work.

In terms of research interests, my doctoral research explored stakeholder attitudes towards students, with dyslexia, studying on ITE programmes. My current research explores ITE student preparedness to addressed homophobic bullying in the primary and secondary school. I also have a keen interest in gender issues and Learning Beyond the Classroom.

Andrew Bailey
Area of expertise: Strategy and Marketing

Biography:

Andrew has extensive experience of helping businesses and people achieve revenue and profit growth through a combination of Strategy, Marketing, Pricing and commercial management. He considers himself a practitioner first and so knows what works and what doesn’t in real situations.

After a corporate career spanning 20 years across many business functions and leading at senior levels he started his own business. Andrew works with many businesses from Corporate Multi-Nationals (Molson Coors, Aggregate Ind., Cott, STG (UK) to SMEs, private and public sector (East Midlands Development Agency, Advantage West Midlands, Dept. Business Innovation and Skills) in a range of industries from consumer goods, construction, drinks and tobacco to online retailing, IT, printing, leisure, professional services and education.

He has published an e-book on Amazon, is writing his second book on Pricing, Value and Negotiating and is asked to contribute to other publications. His knowledge, tools and techniques are available through a published on line mentoring Programme. He regularly speaks at events and seminars on Pricing, Value and Negotiating. Holding an MBA from Nottingham Business School, Andrew is also a guest lecturer at the Business School amongst others and teaches to undergraduates, business students and company executives on the Executive Education Programme. He has been recognised and awarded Fellowships of a number of business organisations including the Chartered Inst. of Marketing, the Institute of Directors and Chartered Management Institute. In addition he is a qualified mentor and coach, Non-Executive Director and he is also a judge for the IoD ‘Director of the Year Awards’.

James Knight
Area of expertise: Community and Co-operatives

Biography:

As a member and Community Officer for Central England Co-operative I work within the community supporting our Members and Community within our trading area. I support our Member Groups to ensure they are running smoothly and have everything they need to run. Our Member Groups are local events that take place to help support our community in Social and Education activity that align with the Co-operative Values and Principles. I work and support Community Groups and Schools in Co-operative Education in topics such as Healthy Choices, Fairtrade and Ethics. I have worked for Central England Co-operative for over 22 years and feel that the Co-operative Business Model is a fairer and more ethical way to trade.

In my personal life I am very involved with the community where I live. I am currently Chair of Governors at the local infant School and Vice-Chair at the local Junior School. I am also Vice-Chair of my local grassroots football club.