“I have been involved for over 15 years as a school governor for Clayton and then the Federation, and currently sit as Chair of the United Endeavour Multi-Academy Trust Board.

I started when both my daughters attended Clayton Hall Business and Language College and have maintained my close association with the school as it has developed.   I live mid-way between Newcastle Academy and Clayton Hall Academy, in the Westlands area of Newcastle-under-Lyme, and therefore understand the locality well. In my professional career I have 25 years’ experience as a Finance Director and currently work as Finance Director and Company Secretary of a Cheshire based housing association.”

“I attended Keele University as a mature student in 1997 to study dual honours Biology and Chemistry BSc. I then went on to complete a PhD in thermochemical corrosion of materials in 2000 with Keele and Ceram Research. I worked as Keele’s Business and Enterprise Manager until 2008 when I left to run my own training and innovation company, NovaSci Ltd. During this time I lectured in innovation and entrepreneurship at Coventry and Staffordshire Universities and managed innovation projects across a variety of industrial and educational sectors.

I have been Lecturer in Green Technology and Environmental Sustainability since 2010 and am Course Director for the MSc in Environmental Sustainability and Green Technology.

I am also funded as an Ogden Science Officer and I joined the MAT as a member in 2016.”

“I am currently the Director of Curriculum and Performance for the Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stafford Colleges Group.   I have been in my current role for 4 years and in management for 23 years, of which the last 15 years have been at Senior Manager level in Further Education.  I have extensive experience of strategic planning and development, whilst working with teams and individuals to manage organisational change, and a track record of improving performance and outcomes

I have worked regionally in a number of colleges and within the school sector, with experience of working across an extensive field of curriculum areas, developing both new qualifications and associated support materials and guidance documents. In addition, I held a role as a regional examiner for CGLI and the Vocational Training Charitable Trust for many years.”

“I have worked in education since September 2006 as a school sport lead.  I managed the Newcastle under Lyme School Sport Partnership until August 2011 and then took on the role of School Games Organiser, when the government changed their strategy for school sport.  I recently took the role of School Business Manager for the Stoke City Community Trust on a part time secondment and joined the United Endeavour Trust Board.”

“I am currently the Principal of Derby Pride Academy, an alternative provision free school which provides outstanding examination outcomes and redirection work for high need students in a challenging alternative provision setting. Passionate about inclusion, I work nationally with other AP providers to support and share good practice to open and get ready to open AP free schools.

I have worked in education for 15 years following a successful senior position in ICT nationally.  I have held a number of senior leadership posts in education which include leadership of support and pastoral colleagues and functions to a co-ordination role for a multi phase Trust.”

“I started teaching in 1986 and have 20 years’ experience of leadership in schools at a senior level and experience of school improvement via Local Authority and Department for Education Pathfinder and Free School development work.

I have a passion for ensuring that through education everyone can have access to equality of opportunity. Since 2015 I have also been a Pupil Premium Champion qualified in undertaking Ofsted directed Pupil Premium reviews. I have also chaired a number of Education-Business partnership groups in past roles and think it is important for our academies to make solid links with non-education institutions – to this end we are growing our number of partners working as part of our Trust.

I am very proud to be Chief Executive Officer of United Endeavour Trust. We are proud of our achievements, of our staff and students and we are ambitious for continual improvement which progresses us towards achieving high academic and pastoral standards. We have a strong commitment to developing the whole child and to working in wider partnerships to allow our students to experience active citizenship and a good preparation for employability and a life based on developing well-being. We have only been a Multi-Academy Trust since October 2015 but we have developed clear structures for the successful governance and management of the MAT which are being used as good practice examples with a number of developing MATs.”

 “I have been the head teacher at Hempstalls Primary School, which is a larger than average inner-city foundation school with a nursery attached since September 2005. Prior to this for eight years I was the deputy and acting head teacher at Endon Hall Primary School which was situated in a rural area of Staffordshire.

In my present school we are faced daily with challenging circumstances there are many factors which would make it easy for our children to fail, but this is not the case. Over the last few years the school has made rapid progress and our results year on year are well above national expectations and progress throughout the school is excellent.

As a school we are driven in the pursuit of excellence and this is at the core of everything we do, there is a genuine desire and passion to constantly improve learning. Our last Ofsted in 2012 judged the school to be outstanding in all areas of provision.

I have experience of mentoring and coaching a number of head teachers and other senior members of staff and I am at present supporting a new head teacher. The prospect of working alongside leaders is a very rewarding opportunity and to support them on this continual learning journey that we are all part of is such a worthwhile part of anyone’s job.”

 “I am the Training and Development Manager at KMF, where I have been employed for 16 years. My role has changed over the years from Health and Safety and HR Manager to Training and Development of staff and apprentices.

In 2007 I led the setting up of an internal apprentice training facility which is EAL accredited, in which we have trained over 80 apprentices over the last 10 years. I am PGCE qualified and the West Midlands Apprentice Ambassador for the ESFA. I am proud to say that KMF have won awards for apprenticeship delivery and are one of the top 100 apprentice employers.

I am delighted to be a part of the United Endeavour Trust Board, as I work very hard to engage with schools and young people in Stoke on Trent to raise aspirations in STEM related subjects.”