Trustees

Mayleen Atima -  Chair

Mayleen is a Headteacher with over 20 years' experience of schools in Ipswich and London. Mayleen has previous experience of supporting a school in transitioning to a Multi Academy Trust, working with Ofsted and HMI Inspectors, and leading strategic improvement in schools.

Keeley Potter

Keeley is a qualified social worker and has worked in the Child Protection  assessment team, as a Family Court Adviser and Children's Guardian. Keeley is currently a Domestic Abuse champion working with towards achieving the best outcomes for children and their families. 

Beverly Lawrence

Beverly is a qualified business and marketing professional, with over 25 years' commercial experience. Beverly has previous experience as a CEO in Suffolk and Buckinghamshire, and directing strategy towards sustainable, profitable growth in the healthcare and construction industries. Beverly is now semi-retired and provides accountancy and administrative support to a local riding school, including a branch of Riding for the Disabled (RDA).

Jason Dearsley - Vice Chair

Jason has previous experience as Chair of Governors with a primary school. Jason is  a Police Sergeant regularly dealing with members of the public across a wide range of situations, including on health and safety matters. Jason is leading the training of new Roads Policing Officers in Essex and for many other forces across the country.

Bill Aylett

Bill has been involved in education for over 40 years, in the UK and abroad. Bill was a  Headteacher for 16 years, before taking early retirement. Bill then became a Training Manager/Lead Mentor for aspiring teachers, which he still enjoys. He is also currently a school governor in Colchester.

Catherine Bickersteth

Catherine has worked as a teacher and school leader within maintained, MAT and independent schools and developed a deep knowledge and understanding of the school sector in England. Catherine currently works in Initial Teacher Education, working with secondary and primary trainees, as a University Lead Mentor and Associate Lecturer, and undertakes consultancy work in education, including as an external examiner and assessor around ITE provision.

Alastair Heath-Robinson

Alastair is the CEO and Accounting Officer for the Orwell Multi Academy Trust. With over 25 years of experience in the education sector, he has taught across the full-age range, 4-19, been a headteacher of two primary schools, and was the Consortium Director for an Initial Teacher Education provider before joining OMAT. 

Lucy Matthews

Lucy has had a career in the technology industry working as a programme manager for a variety of financial clients. She successfully supported the growth of a small start up company to become a FTSE 250 company before setting up her own company providing consultancy to the finance and technology sector. Married to a secondary headteacher, Lucy has been keen to contribute to making a difference in schools and has done this through a previous governor role at Howard Primary School in Croydon and since retiring and moving to Ipswich, she has become an active member of Ranelagh Primary School's governing body. 

Ruth Slater

Ruth's career in education has spanned three decades, having held a number of teaching and leadership roles across a wide variety of community and faith primary schools. Ruth  held two headships in Essex before leaving to set up the Primary Initial Teacher Training programme for Colchester Teacher Training Consortium and then returning to take up a third and final headship in Suffolk. Now retired, Ruth continues to be heavily involved in education, providing External Advisory Support for Headteacher Performance Management, acting headship to support schools facing leadership difficulties and fulfilling a continued role with Colchester Teacher Training Consortium as a Lead Mentor. 

Trustees Stepped Down

Naomi Smith (17/01/24)

Paul Carter (18/01/24)

Sue Faulkner (18/01/24)

Jason Kirk (18/01/24)

Stella Day (21/01/24)

Jason Addison (26/01/24)

Members

Our Members are:

Max Harnden

Rod Stanley-Bell

Alan Whittaker

Angela Ransby

Philippa Gallop

Members Stepped Down:

Jacqui Frost (23/11/22)