IN THIS SECTION
Overview
We are governed by a Trust Board of non executive directors, which is accountable for the work of the trust including the oversight of our academies. The Board reports to the Members at least annually.
All Directors and Members can be contacted via the Contact page.
Members
As a mixed multi academy trust including schools with and without a religious character, our members include representation from the Church of England.
Rev Helen Gill
Date of appointment: 1 August 2020
Declared interests: Local Governor – Welbeck Academy (since 11.09.20)
The Bishop of Newcastle (The Right Reverend Dr Helen-Ann Macleod Hartley)
Date of appointment: 14 July 2023
Declared interests:
Director – St Hild and St Bede Trust (since 22.04.23)
Director – St Hilda’s Trust Group (since 03.02.23)
Director – Newcastle Diocesan Board of Finance Limited (since 03.02.23)
Director – Newcastle Diocesan Society (since 03.02.23)
Director – Newcastle Diocesan Education Board (since 03.02.23)
Director – Newcastle Upon Tyne Church of England Institute Trust (since 03.02.23)
Dr Anne McNall
Date of appointment: 19 October 2022
Declared Interests: None
Emma Whitenstall
Date of appointment: 1 January 2025
Declared interests: Employee – Company of Others (since 13.05.24)
The Diocesan Corporate Member (enacted by The Right Reverend Mark Wroe, Bishop of Berwick; authorised nominee on behalf of the Newcastle Diocesan Board of Education)
Date of appointment: 4 July 2020
Declared interests:
Member – Cheviot Learning Trust (since 01.09.23)
Member – Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust (01.12.21)
Trustee – North East Churches Acting Together (since 02.03.21)
Member – Pele Trust (22.01.21)
Bishop of Berwick – Church of England Diocese of Newcastle (01.01.21)
Director – Together Newcastle (since 17.04.19)
Trustee – Charity of Bishop Chandler (Newcastle Branch) (since 24.03.19)
Director – Newcastle Diocesan Board of Finance (since 04.03.19)
Former Members in the last 12 Months
Mr Peter Nigel Hastings Smith
Date of appointment: 12 January 2017
Date of resignation: 31 December 2024
Declared interests: Director – Ringtons Holdings Ltd and other subsidiary companies (since 1987)
Directors
Nichola Brannen
Church Ethos Director
Appointed by the Members: 26 October 2018
Re-appointed by the Members with current term of office to: 25 October 2026
Committees: People and Organisational Development
Declared interests: Employee and Governor – The Federation of Longhorsley and Whalton Church of England Schools (since November 2014)
Francesca Craik
Appointed by the Members: 11 January 2022
Term of office to: 10 January 2026
Committees: Achievement and Climate for Learning (Chair)
Declared interests:
Employee – Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust (since January 2013)
School governor – St Wilfrid’s RC College, South Shields (since January 2021)
Mercy Denedo
Appointed by the Board: 19 October 2022
Term of office to: 18 October 2026
Committees: Finance, Audit and Risk
Declared Interests: Employee – Durham University (since November 2017)
Nadia Iftkhar
Board Vice-Chair
Appointed by the Board: 22 June 2017
Re-appointed by the Members with current term of office to: 21 June 2025
Committees: People and Organisational Development
Declared interests:
Trustee/Governor – Company of Others (since February 2016)
Director – Company of Others (since November 2016
Heidi Khoshtaghaza
Appointed by the Board: 19 October 2022
Term of office to: 18 October 2026
Committees: People and Organisational Development
Declared Interests:
Director – Authentic Swiss Watches Ltd (since June 2017)
Employee – Bellway Homes Limited (since October 2016)
Director – S Murray Jewellers (since February 2016)
Steve Leggetter
Appointed by the Members: 13 October 2020
Re-appointed by the Members with current term of office to: 12 October 2028
Committees: Finance, Audit and Risk (Chair)
Declared interests:
Employee – Northumbria University (since September 2020)
Director – Assurance Consulting Ltd (since 15.02.07)
Andrew Lister
Appointed by the Board: 22 June 2017
Re-appointed by the Members with current term of office to: 21 June 2025
Committees: Finance, Audit and Risk
Declared interests:
Non-Executive Director – Gentoo Group (since September 2023)
Director – Tehnich Limited (since November 2023)
Thomas Martell
Appointed by the Board: 12 August 2022
Term of office to: 11 August 2026
Committees: Achievement and Climate for Learning
Declared interests:
Employee – Cumbria Education Trust (since September 2023)
Chair of the advisory group – Hartlepool Priority Education Investment Area (since July 2022)
Anne McNall
Board Chair
Appointed by the Members: 12 January 2017
Re-appointed by the Members with current term of office to: 11 January 2029
Committees: Achievement and Climate for Learning; Finance, Audit and Risk; People and Organisational Development
Declared interests: None
Sue Ormerod
Appointed by the Board: 19 July 2018
Re-appointed by the Members with current term of office to: 18 July 2026
Committees: People and Organisational Development (Chair)
Declared interests:
Minority Shareholder – Nigel Wright Consultancy (since October 2020)
Governor – Forest Hall Primary School (since Sept 2013)
Employee – Nigel Wright Consultancy (since June 2002)
Amanda Seward
Appointed by the Members: 11 September 2024
Term of office to: 10 September 2028
Committees: Achievement and Climate for Learning
Declared interests: Employee – Supporting Education Group (Thrive)
Former Directors in the last 12 months
N/A
Attendance Register
Accounting Officer
Debi Bailey, Chief Executive Officer is the designated Accounting Officer for the trust. The CEO is not a director.
Declared interests:
Trustee – Right to Succeed (since July 2020)
Local Governing Committees
Schools have their own local governing committees, which report to the Trust’s Board of Directors. Each school’s website has information about its committee including their declared interests: