Trustees
Our board of nine Trustees fulfil the roles of Company Directors, Charity Trustees and Governing Board. They oversee all schools in the Trust and their main responsibilities are to:
- Set the strategic direction of the Trust
- Hold senior school and Trust leadership to account
- Oversee the Trust’s financial performance.
View the Trust Board's record of attendance for 2023-24 and for 2022-23
View the Trust Board's register of interests
Below please find details of our Trustees, their key skills and experience, and their current terms of office.
Simon Bailey
Business leader, consultant and brand specialist.
Key experience: Currently a partner in the Caffeine Partnership. Simon has successfully led several businesses turn-arounds and managed the global re-branding of high profile international companies. He is a regular speaker and press contributor in his specialist area.
Key expertise: Branding, marketing, business leadership
School governance: Trustee of Quality First Education Trust since January 2018.
Current Trustee term of office: March 2022 to February 2026.
John Grove (CEO)
Outstanding leader with a track record of improving schools and a lifelong commitment to equality.
Key experience: Executive Headteacher/CEO for the Trust since 2016. Headteacher of Belleville Primary since 2000, leading it from “in danger of failing” to outstanding. In recognition of its capacity and commitment to support others, under John’s leadership Belleville was designated as a National Support School in 2009, a National Teaching School in 2011, an Academy Sponsor in 2013 and a Maths Hub in 2014. John is a National Leader of Education and Fellow of the NCTL. Previously head of West Hill Primary.
Key expertise: Outstanding school and system leadership; school improvement; expansion; site development; academy conversion; trust development.
School governance: Over 20 years as a headteacher governor/trustee (ex-officio).
Brian Ledbetter (Chair of Trustees)
Senior professional in global financial and business development.
Key experience: Senior partner at McKinsey and Company, a global management consultancy firm, since 1999. Leads financial service practice and is also a leader in Business Technology. Works with large global financial institutions (FTSE 100 companies) to improve their performance. Formerly European product manager at a US software company.
Key expertise: Financial services; risk management; business development; operations; technology.
School governance: Governor/trustee since 2010; Chair of finance and audit committee; Member of the Trust since April 2017; Chair of trust board since October 2020.
Current Trustee term of office: April 2021 to April 2025.
Geoff Morris
Education recruitment professional.
Key experience: Geoff has worked within the education sector for over 12 years, supporting recruitment to schools. In recent years Geoff has facilitated appointments of senior staff from Deputy Headteachers to Trust CEOs. He also has experience as an estate agent.
Key expertise: Recruitment, staffing, property.
School governance: Governor/local governor at The Alton Primary School since 2015. Trustee of Quality First Education Trust since 1st November 2017.
Current trustee term of office: July 2024 to July 2028
Karen Parkinson
Experienced primary and SEN teacher.
Key experience: Teaching experience from 2002 to 2014 in primary and special schools in London boroughs, both state maintained and independent. Gained experience of leading assessment, science and design & technology. Karen has also trained as a Makaton signer and story massage therapist, volunteers with charities supporting children’s mental health and outdoor learning. She runs a private tuition business specialising in SEND and is currently training to become a Dyscalculia specialist.
Key expertise: Primary and special education, SEND.¨
School governance: Governor at Churchfields Primary since 2016. Trustee since 2017.
Current trustee term of office: December 2021 to December 2024.
Helen Powell
Social policy research professional.
Key experience: Currently Research Director at Ipsos MORI, where she leads the delivery of social and criminal justice research, aimed at informing policy and practice. Helen has experience of delivering research for government departments, local authorities, civil society organisations and criminal justice agencies.
Key expertise: Research and evaluation, policy, project management, business development.
School governance: Trustee of Quality First Education Trust since January 2022.
Current Trustee term of office: January 2022 to January 2026.
Fergal Spencer
Business and finance professional.
Key experience: Fergal is a Partner at Ernst & Young EYUK LLP, a leading global professional services company. For the last ten years Fergal has been shaping and delivering strategic change programmes in financial services institutions, helping clients to structurally change and improve their businesses. He is originally from Northern Ireland and lived and worked across Europe and South America before settling in London. Fergal has some years’ experience as Chair of the PTA at Belleville Primary School.
Key expertise: Change management, business, finance, parent/carer liaison.
School governance: Trustee of the Quality First Education Trust in January 2018.
Current Trustee term of office: July 2024 to July 2028
Liz Stoyel
IT professional with a keen interest in inclusion, pupil health and wellbeing.
Key experience: Background as a technical writer, software developer, business analyst and sales support. Currently a Technical Writer at Lumeon, a provider of digital solutions to the healthcare industry, since November 2020. Since completing a degree in Health, Exercise & Nutrition in 2012 Liz has also worked in recent years as a nutrition/activity leader on weight management courses for ANK and MoreLife.
Key expertise: ICT, data analysis, health and fitness, wellbeing
School governance: Governor at The Alton since 2008 (local governor since 2017). Trustee of the Quality First Education Trust since August 2017.
Current Trustee term of office: December 2021 to December 2025.