Trustees

The trustees of the academy trust are also its company directors. The board of trustees manages the business of the academy trust and should focus strongly on the three core functions of governance:

• ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
• holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the performance management of staff
• overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.

Our trustees ensure compliance with the trust’s charitable objects and with company and charity law, and adherence to the trust’s funding agreement with the Secretary of State.

We are developing our Trust Board to include up to 11 Trustees covering the wide range of skills and expertise that we require.

We work with Academy Ambassadors to source new Trustees to increase the number of Trustees and also work with our academies to encourage individuals with the right skills and expertise to become Trustees.

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The Trustees of our Trust are:

Karen Burns – Chief Executive Officer

Date of Appointment: January 2018

Term of Office: Ongoing

Appointed by:  Members of Victorious Academies Trust

Governance Roles in Other Educational Institutions: Member, The Fallibroome Trust

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Andy Hodgkinson – Chair of Trustees

Date of Appointment: March 2019

Term of Office: 4 years

Appointed by:  Members of Victorious Academies Trust

Governance Roles in Other Educational Institutions: Chair of Members Board. The Learning for Life Partnership Trust and Director, Holy Family Catholic MAT

Andy has extensive expertise in public and private sector contexts from executive headteacher to university fellow supporting multi-agency, local government, primary, secondary and adult learning phases. He supports school system leadership research, and is responsible for design and delivery of Education Leadership programmes. 

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John ApThomas – Trustee

Date of Appointment: July 2020

Term of Office: 4 years

Appointed by:  Trustees of Victorious Academies Trust

Governance Roles in Other Educational Institutions: Governor at Stalyhill Junior School and Wild Bank Community School, both in Stalybridge.

John is an experienced former Headteacher, who became a Primary Education advisor for Local Authorities, becoming Chief Adviser/Deputy Director with oversight of all areas of School Improvement. He has also worked as Senior lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, Didsbury, School of Education Management Centre and at the regional Management Centre in Warrington providing management courses for school leaders.  John also has experience as an OFSTED Inspector and accredited trainer working with HMI. He is a governor of two Primary schools and has been a National Leader of Governance.

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Sally Berry – Trustee

Date of Appointment: March 2019

Term of Office: 4 years

Appointed by:  Members of Victorious Academies Trust

Governance Roles in Other Educational Institutions: None

Sally is a senior human resources professional with seventeen years’ experience in the Further Education sector, qualified to Level 7 CIPD standards. She currently works at Tameside College, engaging in the full range of HR disciplines, employee relations case work and change management with up to date and working knowledge of employment law.

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Victoria Hewitt-Lee  – Trustee

Date of Appointment: January 2018

Term of Office: 4 years

Appointed by:  Members of Victorious Academies Trust

Governance Roles in Other Educational Institutions: Ex-Officio Governor at St John’s CE School, Dukinfield

During her 33 years as a practitioner, Vicki has worked across the whole primary education sector. Her passion was ignited by her interest in Early Years Education and the awe and wonder that can bring to the whole school. Vicki’s brand of education is driven by providing a shared vision with a mission to succeed. As Vice Chair of Tameside Primary consortium for four years, she liaised with the LA for better outcomes for schools. Currently, she supports Headteachers who are new to the role for Chester Diocese and is Chair of Tameside and Stockport Diocesan Committee.

As a Tameside girl, being a Trustee has enabled Vicki to continue to be devoted to delivering the best outcomes to the children of Tameside and beyond.

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Dean McDonagh – Trustee

Date of Appointment: January 2018

Term of Office: 4 years

Appointed by:  Members of Victorious Academies Trust

Governance Roles in Other Educational Institutions: Governor at Dane Bank Primary School, Reddish

Dean is a specialist in education data, particularly around educational attainment and achievement. He is currently the Education Data Lead for Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council having held a number of data related roles for Tameside since leaving university in 2010. Dean is an experienced trainer, having delivered training on education data to headteachers, senior leaders and Ofsted inspectors. He also has lots of experience of school governing boards, having been a school governor at both primary and secondary schools.

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George Nicola – Trustee

Date of Appointment: July 2020

Term of Office: 4 years

Appointed by:  Trustees of Victorious Academies Trust

Governance Roles in Other Educational Institutions: None

George brings strong financial skills to the Board. He is founder of a specialist financial advisory business in addition to invigilating at Tameside College, Manchester University and Manchester Metropolitan University.  As an invigilator, he recognised the need for greater structure and more formal processes and from this encouraged the creation and assisted with the development of a training manual for invigilators.

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Gary Buxton – Trustee

Date of Appointment: July 2021

Term of Office: 4 years

Appointed by:  Trustees of Victorious Academies Trust

Governance Roles in Other Educational Institutions: Non- Executive Director and Trustee at The University of Manchester

Gary has 20 years’ experience of both operations and senior leadership roles across the voluntary, public and commercial sector organisations. He has experience of growing both new and established organisations and developing senior leaders and technical experts to deliver market leading performance. He works with CEOs, Directors and people managers, often in organisations that are experiencing significant growth or change across the service or leaders who are delivering complex government-based contracts/services.

Gary was awarded an MBE in 2014 for Services to the Young People of England in recognition of his pro-bono and charity work.