Education Learning Trust Governance Structure
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Helen White B.A Hons, DIPSE, M.A Educational Leadership
Chair of Trustees
ELT Trust Board Experience:
I have served as a Trustee for the ELT board for 8 years and have undertaken the role of Chair since July 2021. Throughout this period, I have contributed to the development of ELT through the strategic planning and monitoring process and also chaired a number of sub committees. I have also played an active role in recruitment of Trustees, Senior School and Trust Leaders and Governors, as well as conducting the appraisal reviews.
Professional Experience and Skills:
I have teaching and leadership experience across the primary, secondary and special school sectors which has included Head of Department, Deputy Headship and Headship of two schools, one of which was judged to be an 'outstanding' school. I also have been a Senior Adviser in Manchester and Stockport Local Education Authorities, working with primary and secondary schools, focusing on school improvement strategies. I was also the lead adviser for school leadership development and the school workforce strategy. In both local authorities, I gained extensive experience of school and LEA financial and human resource management, strategic planning, leadership development and training, as well as monitoring and evaluation processes. Finally, I also have experience of running my own company as in the latter part of my career, I ran my own educational consultancy inspecting schools across the different sectors. I also ran leadership programmes for the National College of School Leadership and the DfE and partnered with other agencies to deliver training programmes and support schools in their school improvement plans. As an Ofsted inspector, I have also led inspections across both the primary and secondary sector and special schools.
Personal Projects /Interests:
I am involved in a local community business as Manager of an arts and crafts gallery. I was initially involved in the wider community business plan and in securing some community grant funding to establish the business as a member of the management group. In this role I have developed an understanding of the challenges related to the management of a volunteer workforce. I also manage the gallery budget and contractual arrangements with local artists and crafts people and am the line manager for the Community Business Manager.
Commitment to ELT:
Throughout my career, I have worked with a range of vulnerable pupils and underperforming schools in challenging circumstances. This has shaped my strong belief that schools need to be open to change and embrace new ways of securing successful learning opportunities for all pupils, through the development of outstanding practitioners, a pupil led curriculum and a willingness to adopt new well researched methodology.
I am open to change and fully embrace new ways of securing outstanding educational provision that meets the needs of all pupils and adults within our Trust. The development of a Multi Academy Trust is both complex and exciting. Whilst we must continue to address the requirements of governance and school inspection frameworks, we should also seek creative ways of developing our Trust, in order to ensure we fulfil our vision
Term of Appointment:
07 July 2021 – 06 July 2025
Appointed by:
Trust Board
Trustee area(s) of responsibility:
Chair of Trustees
Member of the Finance, Audit and Risk and Resources Committee
Member of the People, Pay and Performance Committee
Member of the Standards and Performance Committee
John Novak
Vice Chair of Trustees
John has significant experience in leadership and management across the education sector. John was a Headteacher, a Local Authority Adviser, an Ofsted Inspector, Teacher Trainer and an Independent Education Consultant. His breadth of roles have provided him with a significantly wide educational perspective which enables his advice and support to be tailored and specific.
John has worked extensively in both the maintained and independent sectors across the country and internationally. He has demonstrated an understanding of the importance of innovation, implementation and evaluation in order to sustain improvement, momentum and also to achieve challenging goals. He has the ability to work effectively with senior managers to bring about real school improvement. He combines a wealth of experience and a clear understanding of 'good' and 'outstanding' school practice in which he can contextualise his advice. Along with the interpersonal skills to develop highly effective partnerships, this critical friend approach ensures that whilst acknowledging and celebrating success and high performance, he is able to establish a focus on key areas of improvement, which are both challenging and motivational to leaders.
Term of Appointment:
15 March 2019 - 14 March 2027
Appointed by:
Trust Board
Trustee area(s) of responsibility:
Vice Chair of Trustees
Member of the People, Pay and Performance Committee
Chair of the Standards and Performance Committee
Member of the Finance, Audit and Risk and Resources Committee
Paul Deehan
Trustee
Paul has over 30 years' experience as a Chartered Accountant, initially training, qualifying, and working in practice with KPMG. This was followed by 13 years at United Utilities PLC, where he performed several roles including Head of Investor Relations and Finance Director of its property business. For the last 15 years he has been a Senior Director at Turley, the town planning and development consultancy business. His role there has overseen teams supporting finance, credit control, IT, property, business development and marketing, HR, and graphic design. He has also led the company’s commercial activities around funding, contracts insurance, as well as its quality management (ISO9001) and environmental (ISO14001) systems.
Paul has extensive experience working with boards, as well as leadership and operational management teams in utilities, construction, property development and management, and professional consultancy services. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) and of the Institute of Directors (IoD).
Paul is passionate about sharing his skills and experience. In addition to this role, he volunteers for Be the Board as a company advisor to small and medium-sized entrepreneurial businesses and he mentors business people one-to-one as part of their individual development programmes.
Paul joined the ELT Board of Trustees so he could provide input from his financial and commercial experience and to assist the Trust to grow successfully as an organisation, whilst maintaining and developing its financial resilience.
Term of Appointment:
11 October 2023 - 10 October 2027
Appointed by:
Trust Board
Trustee area(s) of responsibility:
Chair of the Finance, Audit and Risk and Resources Committee
John MacKenzie
Trustee
Formerly a school governor of Gatley Primary School, John is a solicitor, Manager and Risk Professional and has spent 25 years in litigation practice
Term of Appointment:
18 May 2022 - 17 May 2026
Appointed by:
Trust Board
Trustee area(s) of responsibility:
Member of the Finance, Audit and Risk and Resources Committee
Member of the People, Pay and Performance Committee
Jane Millward-Sadler BSc (Hons), PhD, MRSB, CBiol, MCCT
Trustee
ELT Trust Board Experience:
Jane has served as a Trustee for the ELT board since May 2022, during which time she has contributed to the development of ELT through the strategic planning and monitoring process as well as taking part in a number of sub committees.
Professional Experience and Skills:
Following completion of her PhD she engaged in medical research, including winning an international prize for her research and moving on to lead her own research group and leading to numerous peer-reviewed publications. At university she was also involved in lecturing to medical and science undergraduates and supervising undergraduate and PhD studentships.
After 15 years as a research scientist, Jane moved into teaching, first in primary and then secondary and sixth form. She has been a Science Specialist in primary, with responsibility for supporting and delivering science across all key stages in addition to ensuring curriculum coverage. After moving into secondary education and spending time as a whole school STEM coordinator, then Key Stage 5 vocational science coordinator, she was appointed to her current role as Head of Chemistry at a secondary and sixth form school within a multi-academy trust. In addition to this, Jane is the Trust Subject Lead for Science with responsibility for facilitating subject-specific CPD and support across all schools within the Trust. Her interest in CPD delivery includes being a trained facilitator for STEM Learning, organising and delivering CPD in different schools and she has led an Enthuse Partnership for a group of 10 primary and secondary schools.
Personal Projects /Interests:
Jane has previously been a trustee for a youth brass band in Stockport for 6 years.
Jane’s broad experience in all areas of education at all levels make her passionate about providing the best opportunities and experiences for students across all phases and the importance of consistency and transition in education.
Term of Appointment:
18 May 2022 - 17 May 2026
Appointed by:
Trust Board
Trustee area(s) of responsibility:
Chair of the People, Pay and Performance Committee
Member of the Standards and Performance Committee
Trustee Documents
Trustees no longer in office:
Ian Hutchings 23 September 2020 - 22 September 2024 Appointed by: Trust Board
Nick Jones 17 July 2024 - 18 November 2024 Appointed by: Trust Board
Michelle Murray 22 September 2014 - 31 December 2024 Appointed by: Trust Board
Christopher O'Shaughnessy
Member
Christopher O’Shaughnessy was the Chief Executive of Wise Owl Trust, Manchester and has over 35 years experience of education within the urban context. He was Headteacher for 11 years at Briscoe Lane School, then Executive Principal within the same Trust and then Chief Executive Officer. He worked with Manchester Victoria University designing the PGCE programme whilst a Deputy Headteacher in Oldham.
Briscoe Lane School was a lead school in the Greater Manchester Challenge and subsequently involved in the off shoot, Families of Schools group, within which he played an active role.
He has been a Local Leader of Education (LLE) for over 10 years, being deployed three times into schools in special measures, which were left with gradings of good and good with outstanding features in their most recent OFSTED reports. He has also been Chair of two Interim Executive Boards for schools in special measures.
He is a representative on Manchester Children’s Board representing schools in Manchester, liaising with all agencies directing the ‘change’ programme within that timescale and a member of the Headteacher Board for Lancashire and West Yorkshire for a year - both challenging and supporting the RSC.
Date of Appointment:
23 September 2020
Appointed by:
Trust Board
K Jane Wallace
Member
Jane has recently relocated from Saddleworth in Greater Manchester, to Stokesley, North Yorkshire and retired from her role as an education consultant.
Jane has a proven record of sustained and successful leadership and management in education, spanning more than thirty-five years. During this time, her aspiration - to support a school-led system to engender a love a learning in all children and to enable them to appreciate the value of their contribution in society – has been realised through her engagement in a wide variety of educational experiences. Together, these experiences have fostered a huge respect for others; a deep understanding of the importance of collaboration in achieving the best outcomes; the ability to review evidence, to reflect and to be open-minded.
Working with Multi Academy Trusts (MATs) over the last ten years she was pro-active in developing and refining a fully integrated Quality Assurance model to support schools in becoming self-sustaining and self-improving within a school-led system, and this – or elements of it – were used within the MATs within which she worked, to ensure relevant support and challenge at all levels. She has also been involved in supporting the appraisal process for CEOs and Heads of School/Headteachers and carrying out elements of due diligence and Reviews of Governance.
As an Operational Associate with the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL), she was involved in the Quality Assurance of National College programmes and their facilitation, including aspects of the NPQH. She has also been involved in the assessment of National Leaders of Governance, their induction and training and the supervision and accreditation of coaches deployed by the National College to support Trainee Headteachers in achieving the NPQH.
During the course of her work as an Associate of the NCTL, including that undertaken within the Greater Manchester Leadership Strategy, she brokered partnerships between Local Authorities and individual organisations; offered coaching supervisory support to Local, National and Middle Leaders of Education, and evaluated the impact of their deployments on improving outcomes for children and young people.
As Headteacher and system leader, supporting ‘Key to Success’ schools in challenging circumstances, to achieve judgements of ‘Good’ in their Ofsted inspections, were particularly rewarding experiences. Supporting the implementation of structures, systems and processes and developing reflective and empowering cultures resulted in consistently high attainment for all pupils, and happy, well-motivated learning communities.
During this time, she also worked with Senior LA personnel, across Greater Manchester, to implement collaborative structures across schools and other local government organisations; planned and implemented both LA and local area strategy as Local Collaborative and Collaborative Executive Chair and successfully mentored Headteachers and Deputy Headteachers new to role, in line with succession planning strategies.
Term of Appointment:
18 January 2023
Appointed by:
Trust Board
Amanda Webb
Member
Amanda is a qualified accountant of over 20 years, with a broad range of experience spanning many sectors and industries including SME businesses, large corporate, charities and educational establishments in the North West.
She currently works as the School Business Manager at a local independent three form entry primary school and enjoys the busy, challenging environment of school life. Amanda has served as a Governor in a local state primary school and is currently Trustee and Treasurer of the Didsbury Arts Festival, a community based, weeklong festival.
As a busy mum of four children, who has been involved in the education system in Manchester and Stockport for the last 20 years as a parent, volunteer and employee, she is committed to putting her skill base to good use within the local community in serving as a Trustee at ELT. What little spare time left is spent with family, cooking and exercising.
Date of Appointment:
22 September 2021
Appointed by:
Trust Board
Susan Wildman
Member
Susan has a background in journalism and a long director-level career in PR and communications. She has worked in the public and charity sectors, in education and financial services. Susan left journalism to join her local authority as a Press Officer, eventually leading the Communications team as well as looking after the Mayor’s office. She held senior communications roles with two further local authorities, with Greater Manchester Probation Service and Transport for Greater Manchester. She has also worked for two charities, including Oldham Coliseum Theatre where she was Chief Executive for almost four years.
Susan is a passionate community volunteer, becoming an adult literacy tutor in her 20s. She has served as a school governor (initially as a parent governor) for more then two decades. She also volunteers at a foodbank and for her local church. She is an expert in the life and work of Oldham suffragette Annie Kenney and gives regular talks to women’s and community groups.
Term of Appointment:
17 July 2024
Appointed by:
Trust Board
Member Documents
Members no longer in office:
Our policies can be viewed and downloaded here. A paper copy is available upon request by contacting Tracey Payton at office@educationlearningtrust.com
ELT Governance Policies
Our Academy Governing Boards meet termly. For more information about governance in our schools, please click on the following links:
Bredbury Green Primary School governance information can be found by clicking here
Gatley Primary School governance information can be found by clicking here
Meadowbank Primary School governance information can be found by clicking here
The Kingsway School governance information can be found by clicking here
Werneth School governance information can be found by clicking here