Trustees

Trustee - Mr Samuel Compton (CEO and AO)

I am a National Leader of Education with extensive experience of School improvement. I have been a Headteacher with over 9 years of experience, been an Executive Headteacher and now the Chief Executive Officer of the Trust since January 2022. I have completed my NPQH, have a PGCE from Cheltenham and Gloucester University and a BA degree in Politics from Swansea University.

Trustee and Chair of Trustees -

Mr Robert (Bob) Owen MBE

I am a Chartered Engineer and until retirement was a General Manager in Siemens, responsible for a number of Large Project Engineering Businesses mainly operating in the international marketplace.
A former Vice-Chair of UMIST and a Board Member of The University of Manchester, I have recently been a member of an IEB helping restore a failed school on its journey to recovery.

Trustee and Chair of the Remuneration Committee-Mr Bernard Kellett

Prior to my retirement, I set up and ran my own Human Resources Consultancy business and, prior to that, was Director of HR at two Russell Group Universities. Before moving into higher education, I was employed by four local Education authorities undertaking mainly HR roles.
Outside my employment, I was a primary school governor for a number of years, undertaking a wide range of roles including being Chair of Governors and chairing subcommittees. I was Parish Clerk to my local Parish Council for seven years, and I am currently Secretary to the Patient Participation Group at my former GP surgery.
I hold a BA degree and an MSc. I am a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators FCG and a Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel and Development MCIPD.
I am a trained relationship counsellor and accredited in Alternative Disputes Resolution.

Trustee and Chair of the Audit Committee -  Garry Knapper - B.Comm (Hons)

I retired from my role as Financial Director of the Power Services Control & Instrumentation Business Unit in 2018 form Siemens plc (Manchester.  I am a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (FCCA) and have been transferred to the Retired Members list. I also hold a Diploma in International Financial Reporting Standards (DipIFR).  I firmly believe that the key to progress is in ensuring that children of all ages receive the opportunity to turn their hopes and ideas into reality; the basis for this comes from the care and education that they experience in their school years.

Trustee and Chair of the Standards Committee -

Dr Diane Swift

Diane is an associate lecturer with The Open University, specialising in primary education, curriculum design and professional learning. She was formerly Director of Keele and North Staffordshire Teacher Education, where she was responsible for their Initial Teacher Education and research programmes.  Diane has extensive experience in schools as a teacher, senior leader and a governor. She regularly contributes articles to professional journals and has authored a variety of materials that support teachers to develop both their curriculum and pedagogic thinking. She has worked extensively with teacher-colleagues on a variety of projects in relation to Philosophy for Children,  and a metacognitive framework called Thinking Moves. Diane is a fellow at the Chartered College of Teaching. She  is also an international association of the Knowledge and Education Research Unit at the University of Auckland. 

Trustee - Mrs Victoria Dalgarno

I am a business owner and Parent Trustee who also works in the independent education sector. I have a number of years experience working in various educational institutions. 

I have experience as a Company Director and HR Specialist working with senior managers to improve business. 

 I hold various qualifications in Business, Management and HR, in addition to a BSc (Hons.) degree.

Trustee - Lesley Beck - CEO of Insight Multi-Academy Trust. 

Having spent twenty years in secondary school leadership, and now in my role as CEO of a growing multi-academy trust, I have a wealth of experience in, and a passion for, education and its power to transform lives.  I am a languages graduate, fluent in French and German (proficient in Spanish and Italian), and spent the first ten years of my teaching career sharing my love of communication with thousands of young people, many of whom now have careers where their ability to understand other languages and cultures is a boon. I have the honour of working with a wide variety of amazing school staff, teachers, governors and trustees and relish the opportunities I now have as a consultant, governor and trustee to further enhance the experiences of children, young people and colleagues in a wide range of schools. 

Michael Getty - Head Teacher of NCUL School

I have been the Headmaster of Newcastle Under Lyme School since 2018 and have considerable experience of all aspects of education from nursery to sixth form, including educational strategic direction and management in areas such as Academic, Pastoral, Co-curricular Financial, Operations and Marketing work.  I am a keen advocate of partnership work between sectors in education.

Trustee - Dr Lee Crofts (Resigned 14/05/2021)

I am currently a Senior Lecturer in Organisational Psychology and Human Resource Management. I graduated with a B.Sc (Hons) in psychology in 1997 and completed my Doctorate from Keele University in 2012. I have been a University Lecturer for 20 years and have a wealth of experience in the education sector. I have been involved in school governance now for the past 12 years in many roles, including LEA Governor, Chair and Behaviour Governor. I’m currently the Transnational Education Manager (Middle East Portfolio) with responsibility for education partners in Dubai, Oman, Cyprus and Prague

Trustee - Mrs Lynne Bennett (CEO and AO - (Resigned 31/12/2021)

I am a National Leader of Education with extensive experience of School to School Support and School Improvement; with over 12 years of Headship experience in challenging schools. I am also the Head of Hempstalls Teaching School Alliance, which is the only Primary teaching school in Staffordshire.

Trustee - Mrs Andrea Jones - (Resigned 05/04/2022)

I am currently the Head of Finance at Siemens plc, Congleton.  I am married and have 3 children and am passionate about Equality, diversity and Inclusion within the workplace, in particular encouraging females in to STEM careers.  I joined Siemens in 1988 as a Finance apprentice working across multiple departments and  Siemens sites across the UK.  Latterly spending 12 months on delegation in Germany, I returned as the Head of Finance at Congleton, back where my career started.  

Trustee (Chair) Mrs Laura Austen (Resigned 06/06/2022)

I graduated from University with a BA(hons) Law and Business in 1997 and have worked at senior manager level within marketing in several blue chip FCA regulated companies where I completed my Chartered Institute of Marketing qualification. I have worked within the education sector as a Company Secretary and Governance Manager and am a Director of our local family run bakery. In 2015, I attended and passed, the National Governor Leadership Programme with Edge Hill university.

Trustee - Mrs Jill Cheadle (Resigned 16/04/2023)

I am a retired Headteacher with a vast experience of working in challenging schools. In addition I was a LA Consultant in Staffordshire LA and Stoke LA. I retired from Headship at Brookhouse Green Primary School, Wellfield Road Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent December 1989 and joined Staffordshire LA as a District Inspector January 1990.

Trustee and Chair of the Audit Committee -Richard Huntley ACIB

(Resigned 21/02/2024)

 I am a retired corporate banker, having spent nearly 40 years in banking, with the last 20 years being with Santander. I also spent 10 years on the board of Wulvern Housing from inception when the housing stock was transferred from the local council.