Trust Members and Trustees

Chair of the Trust Board

John North led three West Yorkshire primary schools as Headteacher for 26 years, becoming a National Leader of Education and leading two schools as Executive Head. He worked as a Primary Education Consultant following Headship, working in a number of schools on school improvement issues, also leading training for staff and governors.  As National Consultant for the Trust and Foundation School Partnership, he led seminars across the country for schools interested in becoming foundation schools and took groups of schools through the process to become foundation schools within trusts. His background and experience led to his appointment as Chair of the Interim Executive Board at a West Yorkshire primary school which was in special measures.  Holding this position and his work developing governor training courses led him to be appointed as a Facilitator for the National College’s Chair of Governor Training Programme.  With his wide range of experience in primary education, he is very pleased to be able to help in the development of the Inspire Partnership Multi-Academy Trust.

Member

Mark has fifteen years corporate experience with Abbey National and RBS Group with roles in Analysis, Capacity Planning, Quality Control and Customer Service Management.  Seven years experience running his own small business in Ossett Town Centre, within four years as founder and previously director of Building Ossett Better Community Interest Company. Mark is also a peak performance coach with qualifications in NLP and Hypnotherapy.

Member

Rob is Headteacher of St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Dewsbury. Prior to this appointment in April 2015, he was Deputy Headteacher at St. Alban’s Catholic Primary School in Doncaster. Before qualifying as a teacher in 2010, Rob held a number of interesting roles, namely as the Organ Scholar at St. Paul’s Cathedral in New Zealand and latterly as a Lay Clerk at Wakefield Cathedral. Rob’s passion for music has been central to his work in schools and believes that all children should have the opportunity to access high quality education in areas of the curriculum which have too often been squeezed out of the school day.

Member

Stuart is a Local Business man and owns his own Company. He was a Governor at Gawthorpe Community Academy for over 13 years, 8 of those as Chair. Stuart is passionate about ensuring that schools and academies serve their own individual communities. He is determined to work in his role as a trust member to ensure academies within INSPIRE Partnership MAT achieve the highest standards in order to ensure children are given the best life chances. He sees his role as challenging the leadership team of the Trust.

Member

Helen is an Author, Coach & Mental Health Facilitator. With over 20 years’ experience working with clients with emotional issues, phobias & traumas, PTSD, Grief & Bereavement. She coaches for performance in elite sport & in schools with underperforming students. An Executive coach, looking at performance enhancement with Senior Executives and Government Advisors, & a qualified Commercial Mediator. She is a Mental Health Facilitator in the workplace, and runs workshops supporting high school students to deal with the impact of Social Media on their ability to learn and perform effectively.

In 2017, in partnership with Aviva Plc she wrote ‘Surviving Me’ – a support guide helping individuals with life limiting and changing illnesses to live fully each day & to self-manage their emotional and mental health.

Helen is also a Magistrate, an LA appointed Governor at St Bede’s RC Primary School & she was a Non Exec Director for Winsford Youth & Community Forum for 3 years. She volunteers for the Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy Team at St Luke’s Hospice, Cheshire.

Trustee

Karen has many years’ experience in the financial services industry – initially in accountancy, she has worked in pension communication consultancy since 2000. She has contributed significantly to the growth of AHC, her current employer, from a five employee organisation to one that employs 70+ members of staff, and have gained wide experience working with many FTSE 100 clients.  Karen is responsible for a portfolio of UK and Australian clients.  AHC works across all media, including online and mobile solutions.

Trustee

Charlie has over five years' experience in professional services with PwC after qualifying as a chartered accountant with KPMG. He has a wide range of experience advising corporates and privately-owned business on all aspects of strategy, mergers and acquisitions and financing.

Trustee

Clare is a Civil Servant with a career spanning 37 years across a number of senior roles working for central Government. She is passionate about transforming public services, delivering excellent customer service and value for money. With a strong track record in performance delivery and the modernisation of a number of large national organisations across the public sector, she has influenced government strategy and policy and translated it into successful operational service delivery across a broad range of functions. She has a wealth of experience and skills drawn from a varied career across a number of public service roles, including operational delivery, communications, financial and commercial skills, HR, strategy and policy, and programme management. Clare is keen to help support the growth and development of Inspire Partnership Multi Academy Trust and ensure that children attending schools within the Trust achieve their full potential.

Trustee

The majority of Graham’s working life was spent in Universities where as a senior manager  (Dean, Associate Dean and Head of Department)  in three UK Universities and one HEI in Ireland  he had responsibility for the recruitment, management and development of staff, the recruitment of students, the management of budgets, strategic development and the management of quality and standards. Since retiring from full time work Graham has continued to undertake quality assurance advisory work in the UK and overseas in relation to organisations having to meet statutory body requirements. These have included work for the Open University, the University of Wales, the Arab Open University, the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation and a number of FE Institutions. Graham’s managerial and quality assurance experience builds upon his academic background and research in statistics and systems. Graham was a Magistrate for 24 years, is a volunteer at Barnsley Hospital and a Governor at Barnsley Hospital.

Trustee

Carolyn had over 24 years experience in various aspects of banking, including managerial roles, project managing the launch of the bank’s international branch in Scotland and ensuring compliance of cash management and investment products within the corporate divisions.  She has had a life long interest in music and has been qualified as a piano and woodwind instrument teacher since 1999 covering all ages from 6-76!  Carolyn is looking forward to bringing her wide range of skills into her role within the Academy and aims to use these to ensure all the children get the best education possible as every child matters.

Trustee

Barry Qualified at St. Johns College, York as a teacher in 1963. Barry taught in primary school in Guernsey C.I. and in both secondary and comprehensive schools in the West Riding and Wakefield MDC. He was head of Physical Education in Crigglestone and Crofton High School where he was commissioned by HMI to make a film for the Schools Council on the teaching of P.E. Barry joined the Wakefield MDC Advisory Team in 1980.  In 1990 he became liaison officer for Health and Safety across the Metropolitan District and was responsible for the training of Headteachers and School Governors in developing health and safety management in schools.

Trustee

Paul currently works for West Yorkshire Fire Service and has done so for 28 years serving at various fire stations throughout the country.  He feels that the valuable various skills he has acquired through his work are utilised in his role as a governor and Trustee of the Multi Academy Trust. Paul is an experience Governor having previously been a Governor at Half Acres Primary Academy.

Trustee

John has worked in the private sector supporting public sector projects for many years and these have included a number of PFI projects involving schools and the leisure industry. John’s had had a range of roles with major companies and has a strong understanding of business practice and the challenges relating to Financial Management.  He has served as a school governor and a trustee with an academy trust in the past and he has worked on various subcommittees, including a chair of finance role.  John currently is on the local governing board of a Leeds secondary academy.