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Members
Members
St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Academies Umbrella Trust (appointed 01/01/2016)
The St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Academies Umbrella Trust is a Corporate founder member of the Trust. The current nominee is Jane Sheat, CEO at the Diocesean MAT. Jane has a vast experience working within education. Jane has been Diocesan Director of Education since August 2010. Jane has an important strategic role in relation to academies, school place planning and small schools. She regularly brokers school to school support, supports under-performing schools and works with governors on the appointment of headteachers in church schools. She has 23 years of HR experience in local government, 17 of which working directly with schools.
Pecuniary Interest: Director of Education and CEO at St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi Academy Trust, Chair of Governors, Northgate High School, Ipswich, Trustee, Keswick Hall Trust, Trustee, Elizabeth Walter Charity.
Business Interest: Director of Education and CEO at St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocean Multi Academy Trust.
Gary McDonald (appointed 07/01/2016)
Gary is appointed as a Member because of his role as Chair of the Directors of the Trust. Gary is a founder Member of the Trust and was reappointed as a Director in January 2020. Gary has been reappointed Chair of the Board of Directors annually.
No Pecuniary Interest.
Business Interest: Relationship Director, Barclays Bank.
Dean Sykes (appointed (04/12/2019)
Dean is currently a non executive Director at Unity Schools Partnership. He is also Transformations Director for Inchape PLC. His career has encompassed a variety of senior leadership positions in multi-site businesses that have ranged from his current automotive role to banking, telecoms and leisure.
Pecuniary Interest: Director at Unity Schools Partnership, Family friend of employee at Rattlesden Primary Academy.
Business Interest: Operations Director, Inchape PLC.
David Olney - Appointed as Member 07/12/2024
David is a Retired Managing Director of a successful company in UK and overseas; previously he has held the post of COO for Defence Infrastructure. He brings a wealth of experience in the following areas: Corporate management, change management and communications, finance, accountancy, premises & capital projects, strategic planning, data analysis, business. David is a former Director of the Trust (25/01/2018 - 07/12/2024).
Pecuniary Interest: Member: Horizons Education Trust
Business Interest: Self Employed Director at NED WaND Consulting Ltd
Trust Directors
Trust Directors
Ryan Temple-Summers - Academy Director
Ryan became Chair of the Trust in April 2025 after joining as a trustee in December 2021. He has worked in the education and children’s sectors for over 12 years, including 8 years at the Department for Education holding a number of delivery, policy and communications roles. He currently works in the Income Generation Directorate at the NSPCC. Ryan is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and has a passion for authentic, transparent and transformational leadership. Growing up in the local area, Ryan spent a year working at two of our schools, and attended Thurston Primary!
Appointed 9/12/21, term ends 08/12/2025
No Pecuniary Interest.
Business Interest: NSPCC, Bid Coordination Manager
Former employee of the Department for Education, Capability Team Leader.
Gary McDonald (Chair of Board) - Academy Director.
Gary was a governor at Thurston CE Primary between 2012 and 2020 and is currently a Governor at Woolpit Primary Academy and the school's nominated Director. With professional experience as a corporate bank manager dealing with high value clients gives him a good eye for finance and the customer skills to deal with all our stakeholders.
Appointed 07/01/16, reappointed 12/12/2020 and 2023 for a further 4 years.
No Pecuniary Interest.
Business Interest: Relationship Director, Barclays Bank.
Rev Catriona Brinkley
Reverend Catriona is the curate in charge at Badwell Ash and Walsham le Willows.
Appointed 03/10/2024
No pecuniary interest.
Business interest: Curate, Church of England
Philip Mackay - Ex-officio Director - CEO
Philip is an ex-officio Director in his capacity as the Chief Executive Officer and Accounting Officer for the Trust.
Phil's previous career focused on educational charity management within the Higher Education Sector working in a number of leading universities as well as national and regional roles. He is a qualified executive coach and has a Masters in Business Administration as well as the National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership. Phil has extensive experience in organisational strategy, HR, finance, health and safety and governance amongst many other things. Phil is passionate about ensuring every child has the best possible opportunities at school to enable them to fulfill their potential..
Appointed 01/09/18.
Pecuniary Interests as follows: Former Chair & Director of Godmanchester Community Education Trust and former Interim Chief Executive at Orchard Learning Trust.
Business Interest: Employee of the Trust.
Susan Leader - Academy Director
Susan is an experienced teacher, specialising in Maths. and working in primary, middle and high schools as well as tutoring and adult education. Susan also runs GLH Equestrian.
Appointed 03/04/22, term ends 02/04/26
No pecuniary Interest.
Business Interest: Retired Teacher, Sybil Andrews Academy.
Julia Steed - Academy Director
Julia has worked in education finance and administration for over 20 years in both primary, middle, special and secondary schools after a career in corporate banking, more recently being self-employed offering internal audit services to schools. Her current work role sees her ensuring financial compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements, producing Trust financial information and supporting the financial management of the Trust. She holds a BA (Hons), the NCSL Diploma in School Business Management and the CIPFA Certificate in Financial Reporting for Academies. .
Appointed 15/01/2024
No Pecuniary Interests
Business Interest: Employee Oxlip Learning Partnership
Hannah Cushney - Academy Director
Hannah has worked in education HR/People for nearly five years and has experience working in both private and public education settings. Hannah spent three years working for a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Multi-Academy Trust (MAT). Hannah currently works as a People Partner for a large MAT which oversees schools in the Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. In her role, Hannah works in partnership with key stakeholders to provide effective and commercial advice and support on employee matters to a cluster of academies, and is responsible for delivering an effective people strategy aimed at improvement, as well as leading on trust-wide projects. Hannah is CIPD Level 5 qualified and holds her Associate CIPD Membership.
Hannah has a passion for working in the public sector, particularly in education - she is driven by strong values and embeds this within her professional approach to HR/People Operations and Strategy.
Appointed 20/03/2025, term ends 19/03/2029
No pecuniary interests.
Business interest: HR Partner for a Multi Academy Trust.
Board Committees
Board Committees
Finance, Audit & Risk Committee
Finance, Audit & Risk Committee
The Finance, Audit & Risk Committee is responsible for overseeing the Trust's finances, auditing, risk management, health and safety and premises management. The Committee meets approximately six times per year. The Committee is currently chaired by Tracy Darby. Members include board members and a representative from each local governing body and is attended by the CEO and Senior Finance Officer.
Standards Committee
Standards Committee
The Standards Committee is responsible for overseeing the quality of education, safeguarding and pupil outcomes across the Trust. The Committee meets once per term. The Committee is currently chaired by Ryan Temple-Summers. Members include board members and a representative from each local governing body and is attended by the CEO and Headteachers (or their nominee) from each school.
Chairs of Local Governing Bodies
Chairs of Local Governing Bodies
Kate Parnum - Thurston CE Primary Academy - for details of Thurston Governors see here
Sue Yeates - Woolpit Primary Academy - for details of Woolpit Governors see here
Daniel Dolby - Great Barton CE Primary Academy - for details of Great Barton Governors see here
Gill Marchant - Rattlesden CE Primary Academy - for details of Rattlesden Governors see here
Persons of Significant Control
The company knows or has reasonable cause to believe that there is no registrable person or registrable relevant legal entity in relation to the company.
Former Members/ Directors
Former Members/ Directors
Rob Loe - Former Member - Resigned 29/11/17
Mary Myatt - Former Member - Resigned 3/12/2019
Rachel Gooch – Former Academy Director - Resigned 01/09/17
Christopher Robinson - Former Foundation Director - Resigned 5/12/17
Sarah Rees - Former Academy Director and CEO - Resigned 31/08/2018
Neville Horn – Former Academy Director - Resigned 4/12/2018
Ann Tate – Former Academy Director - Resigned 31/08/2019
Pam Frost – Former Academy Director - Resigned 16/09/2020
Anita Guernari - Former Academy Director - Resigned 04/11/2021
Tracy Darby - Former Academy Director - Resigned 25/11/2021 but later reappointed 31/03/2023 - 21/03/2024
Rachael Gilbert - Former Academy Director - Resigned 09/12/2021
Edward Yeldham - Former Academy Director - Resigned 10/01/2023
Liz Michie - Former Academy Director - Resigned 27/02/23
Dr Kay Maddox-Daines - Resigned 07/12/2023
David Olney - Resigned as Director 07/12/2023
Rev Ruth Farrell - Resigned 23/05/2024
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