Central Team

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Peter Cooper

Peter has worked within the school and sixth form college sector and chairs the Midland Sixth Form Colleges’ Association, being a member of their national council and is an expert advisor with the Department for Education, recently working on the post 16 maths reform.  He is part of national networks of Trust leaders and was the founding CEO of the Heart of Mercia Multi Academy Trust.

Deputy CEO/

PRINCIPAL HEREFORD SIXTH FORM COLLEGE

Catherine Brearey

Catherine is Principal of Hereford Sixth Form College and also has a strong record of success achieving Hereford Sixth Form College’s recent outstanding inspection result and report.  She works with senior colleagues within the Trust to ensure all our operations are drawn together and co-ordinated.

EXECUTIVE LEAD SIXTH FORM/PRINCIPAL KING EDWARD VI COLLEGE STOURBRIDGE

Holly Bembridge

Holly is Principal of King Edward VI College, Stourbridge and Executive Lead for sixth form education across the Trust.  With two decades’ experience as a teacher and leader in colleges across London, she has a record of driving up quality and developing leaders.  She now chairs the national Sixth Form Colleges’ Association Quality and Curriculum Committee and sits on its Council.   Holly read English at King’s College, Cambridge.  She co-ordinates our group of sixth form colleges.

EXECUTIVE LEAD SECONDARY/ HEADTEACHER ST MARY’S RC HIGH SCHOOL

Stuart Wetson

Stuart is Headteacher of St Mary’s RC High School, an Associate Member of the Trust, and is Executive Lead for secondary education across the Trust. The geographical proximity between the schools and colleges across the Trust lends itself to meaningful and workable relationships between colleagues within this group.  Support and CPD opportunities are close by and achievable, and relationships are built on trust and high levels of professionalism, exemplifying our guiding principle – ‘Better Together’.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Sallyanne Griffiths

Sallyanne is responsible for the strategic financial direction of the Trust and has extensive experience within the education sector at both college and secondary level. She is a member of the Sixth Form College Association Funding and Finance Committee.

DIRECTOR OF GOVERNANCE

Linda Watkins

Linda has led on governance locally, regionally and nationally. Working in further education for over 25 years, Linda has been involved in school conversions, free school bids and mergers. She has conducted governance reviews, offered advice, delivered training and mentoring to governors and governance professionals and designed and implemented governance improvements which have been acclaimed by Ofsted.

DIRECTOR OF QUALITY

Andrea Marshall

Andrea has worked in the schools and colleges sector and has most recently been the Associate Head at John Kyrle High School.  She has worked within teacher training and mentoring and has recently completed her NPQEL.  She co-ordinates the improvement work across the Trust and has strong connections with other national operators.

CHIEF DATA & TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

Sam Payne

Sam has over a decade of experience in software engineering, much of that time leading the development of ‘Portal MIS’, the Trust’s in-house student records system. He has also worked in the NHS, advising on cyber security for national projects including the NHS App. In the Trust, he leads on centralised data and reporting, software engineering, risk management and cyber security.

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Matt Hall

Matt has overall responsibility for compliance in relation to estates, health and safety, sustainability and policies for Trust with support from a Compliance Officer. Matt is also Senior Leader for Quality Assurance at Worcester Sixth Form College. An ACAS accredited mediator with over 25 years of experience in the Sixth Form Sector, he oversees and coordinates the Trust’s policies across its phases, chairing both its Principals/Headteachers Policy Forum and its Joint Staff Committee with the trade unions.

SAFEGUARDING CO-ORDINATOR

Sarah MacKenzie

Sarah has worked in the Further Education and Sixth Form colleges sector and is an Assistant Principal and Designated Safeguarding and Mental Health Lead at King Edward VI College.  She has a Master’s degree in Safeguarding and co-ordinates safeguarding across the Trust.

HR DIRECTOR

Anna Meade

As the Trust HR Director, Anna oversees the HR functions across the Trust. Her background includes senior roles in both financial services and retail, where she developed her expertise in recruitment, employee relations, and organisational development.

ECT/ITT & CPD Co-ordinator

Sally Johnson

Sally has worked in the schools and colleges sector for over 25 years, most recently as Deputy Headteacher at The Chantry School and formerly Senior Leader for Teaching and Learning at Worcester Sixth Form College.  She currently sits on the partnership governance board for the FE PGCE at Worcester University and collaborates with local schools and post 16 institutions to provide support for initial teacher training and early career teachers.   She coordinates CPD across the Trust to provide appropriate CPD to enhance the skills and competencies of all staff.

Progression CO-ORDINATOR

Vicky Orsmond

Vicky has worked within the school and sixth form sector as an English teacher, and, having gained her NPQSL, has just completed her Level 6 Diploma in Careers Guidance. She created Hereford’s ‘Reach’ programme which won an award for social mobility in 2022, and has written for the Sixth Form College’s Association on the topic. She works across the Trust on social mobility, progression and outcomes for students.  

DEPUTY CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Josh Thomas

Josh is the Deputy Chief Finance Officer of the trust supporting Sallyanne on all aspects of financial management and reporting. Josh is a CIMA qualified accountant with significant experience in management accounts in the NHS before joining the trust in 2022. Josh manages procurement across the trust and is a member of the King Edward VI College senior leadership team.

DATA PROTECTION OFFICER

Ruth Figg

Ruth leads on data protection across the Trust.  She has recently completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Data Protection Law.

MARKETING CO-ORDINATOR

Jo Payne

Jo is the Trust’s Marketing Co-ordinator and Senior Leader for Marketing, Communication and Strategic Co-ordination at Worcester Sixth Form College where she works closely with the Principal in respect to all areas of College management, co-ordinates health and safety, as well as supporting and advising governors in their role.

ESTATES CO-ORDINATOR

Paul Rogers

Paul has a wealth of experience in the building business being a master craftsman and cabinet maker by trade. Paul has overseen a number of multimillion pound projects within the college and Trust and works closely with Somerset Futures who provide a high level of service and support for larger capital schemes.

HEALTH & SAFETY CO-ORDINATOR

Chris Baker

Chris is Estates and Health and Safety Manager for King Edward VI College and co-ordinates health and safety across the MAT. He works closely with individual leads within each academy to improve policies, procedures, training and to undertake compliance and liability audits. He sits on the AOC H&S committee and is a member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).