The Multi Academy Trust Board of Directors
The Trust Board of Directors are the accountable body. They ensure that the strategic direction of the MAT enables each of the academies within it to raise educational standards within a secure financial model. They also:
- Set the values and vision for the MAT and ensure these a lived out
- Ensure compliance with charity and company law and the Funding Agreement
- Work collaboratively with the Local Governing Bodies to ensure high standards against national indicators
- Guarantee the sound financial management of all academies within the trust.
The Trust Board comprises of 9 Directors who meet at least once a term.
Revd Daniel Corlett
Daniel is a Church of England Minister serving with the Alcester Minster benefice of churches, as part of a project to resource and equip local churches to grow and to launch new worshipping communities. Prior to that he served his curacy in the Arden Marches, including Studley and Mappleborough Green. Before coming to ordained ministry, Daniel was chief executive of an education charity, and prior to that worked in universities in teaching, research and development, graduate careers and running a business incubator. He has been a board member of the National Federation of Young Farmers, is committed to rural communities and has the additional role of Assistant Rural Life Officer for the Diocese of Coventry. Daniel has been a primary school governor and is now looking forward to helping the MAT develop its Christian distinctiveness as a CofE trust.
Steve Davies
Steve has over 15 years’ experience in the energy industry in commercial, strategy and regulatory roles. He currently runs the regulation function for a large energy company, advising the CEO and board on regulatory and strategic topics. Steve brings experience working with government and economic regulators, as well as financial and strategic analysis. He’s has been a parent governor at his local primary school since 2018, most recently in the role of finance governor.
Sue Heap
Sue is a full time Finance and HR Director, working for a French group of companies. She has worked in the IT and healthcare technology business for the last 25years+. Sue became a co-opted governor some 22 years ago, and has served on four governing bodies, chairing three of these at various times during her service. She brings HR and finance expertise to the Board, as well as knowledge of being a governor and chairing committees & bodies.
Marion Jones
Marion Jones has taught in primary schools since 1983 across a broad range of settings. Most recently she was Head Teacher at Wootton Wawen C of E Primary School and Chair of the Stratford, Henley and Studley consortium of schools. A degree in French, Spanish and Linguistics as well as time spent teaching in multicultural schools underpin her passion for literature, language learning and developing intercultural understanding. She is an active member of her local
church serving on the PCC.
Nick Moon
Nick has enjoyed a successful career in corporate strategy and marketing working in a line management capacity for several large companies and as a management consultant with PWC and PA consulting.
As well as a first-class honours degree, Nick also has an MBA from Manchester Business School and is a qualified teacher having gained his PGCE qualification at The London School of Education at the University of London.
Nick was on the Governing Body at Coughton for 6 years initially as a parent Governor and then the Chair of Governors for the last 5 years. Since becoming a Director of the MAT Board Nick completed the NGA Chairs Programme.
Stuart Tilsley
Stuart managed a number of group General Medical Practices across the Midlands region for nearly 25 years following an earlier career in industry and commerce.
In 2015, Stuart was invited to become a Foundation Governor at Coughton C of E Primary School. He has been encouraged and delighted to see first-hand the high quality of education provided at the school and the strong Christian ethos underpinning all that is done. I am keen to see this enhanced with the emergence of the MAT and look forward to contributing to its development in the future.
Adam Walsh
Adam has been the founding CEO and Director since the Arden Forest C of E MAT was formed in 2018. Adam is a classically trained musician who has been working in education for over 25 years, teaching in both primary and secondary phases. Adam has been a senior leader including being Headteacher and Executive Headteacher of four primary schools in South Warwickshire and has also supported leaders and governing bodies across Warwickshire in school improvement, policy development and staff development. Adam has experience of being on and chairing boards, including being a member of the Coventry Diocesan Board of Education.
Marian Webb
Marian retired from Barnardo’s as an Assistant Director of Children Services (Midlands and South West) in August 2019 after 35 years service, and is now a volunteer at Coughton C of E Primary School. Previously she worked as a social worker and manager in several local authorities, but decided that she enjoyed the challenge and opportunities that exist within the voluntary sector to do things differently for the well being of children. Whilst in Barnardo’s she has had a leadership and development role in Safeguarding and children’s emotional health and well being, within the Midlands and South West. She developed, established and line managed a number of services within the Midlands and South West.
MAT Director Roles
|
Role |
Broad Description |
|
Chair – Nick Moon |
Helps steer the trust towards its objectives by effectively holding the CEO to account and monitoring the performance of the Trust. Receives monthly management accounts. Supports the CEO in reviewing and embedding the Trust’s vision, ethos and strategic direction for the trust making recommendations to the Trust Board. Supports and challenges the review of the Trust’s Talent Management Strategy and succession planning both in schools and central MAT team. |
|
Finance- Steve Davies |
Provide support and strategic direction to CFO whilst monitoring financial performance and compliance with Academy Handbook. |
|
Facilities – Stuart Tilsley |
Supports regulatory requirements around H&S and the safe working environment |
|
Christian Ethos - Revd Daniel Corlett |
To work with the CEO and individual schools (as required) to support the MAT values, and SIAM inspections |
|
Education – Marion Jones |
To work with the Executive Leadership Team overseeing the educational performance of the pupils within the Trust. Challenge and support the ELT in their review of the effectiveness of the MAT’s school improvement approach. |
|
Operations – Vacancy |
Provide support and challenge to the central MAT team regarding HR processes. Support the central MAT Team’s review of the effective execution of MAT wide business management functions and the efficient working of non-class based support staff and service continuity. |
|
Safeguarding – Marian Webb |
Support and challenge the CEO (as MAT DSL) that the Trust and each school within it is meeting its safeguarding responsibilities in line with KCSiE. Appropriate support is in place for DSLs within schools and there is are clear processes and procedures with regards to reporting and monitoring concerns, training for stakeholders and effectively tiered approaches to supporting children and families. |
|
Governance – Sue Heap |
Effectiveness of the Governance Structure (including LGBs) |
|
CEO – Adam Walsh |
Supports the trust board in the formulation, development and implementation of its strategy, including taking responsibility for key documents such as the priority plan and strategic growth plan. Develops and leads the trust’s improvement processes, including identifying and analysing academy improvement needs, prioritising appropriately-resourced solutions and evaluating the impact of improvement strategies. As the MAT’s DSL, ensures that the trust, and each school within the trust, meets its safeguarding responsibilities in line with current legislation. Embeds trust-wide accountability and quality assurance procedures to achieve compliance. Acts as accounting officer for the trust, ensuring that it works to the standards set out in the Academies Handbook. Works closely with the CFO to establish and oversee effective financial monitoring systems, take appropriate action to address financial risks, problems and irregularities, and present trustees with accurate and timely financial reports. |
Table of Pecuniary Interests 25/26
| Directors 25/26 | Relevant Business and Pecuniary Interests | Governance Role in other Educational Institutions | Relationship between Director and MAT Staff |
| Daniel Corlett | None | Coventry Diocese Board of Finance, Alcester Minster | None |
| Steve Davies | None | None | None |
| Sue Heap |
None |
None | None |
| Marion Jones | None | None | None |
| Nick Moon | None | None | None |
| Stuart Tilsley | None | Governor at Coughton C of E Primary School | None |
| Adam Walsh | None | None | None |
| Marian Webb | None | None | None |
Attendance at Meetings 24/25
| MAT Directors Meetings 24/25 | Total Attended 24/25 | Term of Office | |
| Directors | Full | Fin, Aud & Risk | Start date - end dates |
| Cathy Barron | 4 | 01/03/2022 - 18/07/2025 | |
| Rev Daniel Corlett | 5 | 05/12/2023 - 04/12/2027 | |
| Steve Davies | 6 | 1 | 04/03/2024 - 03/03/2028 |
| Sue Heap | 6 | 3 | 01/03/2022 - 28/02/2026 |
| Marion Jones | 5 | 01/09/2025 - 31/08/2029 | |
| Nick Moon (Chair) | 3 | 01/03/2022 - 28/02/2026 | |
| Stuart Tilsley | 6 | 3 | 01/03/2022 - 28/02/2026 |
| Adam Walsh | 6 | 3 | 01/03/2018 |
| Marian Webb | 6 | 01/05/2024 - 30/04/2028 | |
| Full - Full MAT Directors Meeting | |||
| Fin, Aud & Risk - MAT Directors Finance, Audit & Risk Meeting | |||