Governance

Bob Dool

Chair of The Board of Directors

Bob is highly experienced in educational development and management in both Scotland and England he has also taken advantage of work experiences across Europe and the USA widening his knowledge and experience. Bob’s key skills areas at senior level include:-Strategic leadership and management, communications and HR, leading and managing large teams, project management and development of new learning and sixth form centres, initiating and managing strong education/ business partnerships and leading diverse teams including youth, adult and community learning. More recently, he has worked with local schools to help develop partnerships enabling students, staff and the wider community to benefit from working together, and been Chair of the LGB's at Chantry Academy and Hillside Primary School & Nursery. Latterly, Bob was part of the small project management team which developed and established in Suffolk, a centre of post 16 learning - a £70 million project which opened in 2010, has nearly 1800 post 16 students and was recently judged by OfSTED as outstanding. Probably of greatest relevance is his passion for educational development with an emphasis on inclusion and partnership to help young people raise and achieve their aspirations.

Jeremy Beswick

Jeremy is an investment fund professional of >20 years’ experience in the industry, with a background in international business management and leadership, marketing, sales and client service, strategy, planning and product development, spanning both traditional and alternative asset classes in retail and institutional markets. He has served on several Boards and Executive, Investment, Risk and Audit Committees. He has spoken at many fund management conferences internationally, and has written a number of articles published in the Financial Times and other financial journals.

Jackie Cutchey

Jackie has been involved in education for more than forty years, beginning her career as a primary school teacher in a London Borough. Having held a variety of middle leader roles before gaining promotion to deputy headship in Lowestoft. Jackie was asked to be acting headteacher after eighteen months, subsequently becoming headteacher for the first time in 1997. Jackie has led schools through Ofsted inspections a total of five times with good outcomes each time.

Shaheen Myers

Shaheen Myers took up post as Deputy Director of Learning for Leeds City Council in August 2021. Prior to this she was employed by Co-op Academies Trust, first as a head in one of the Trust’s academies and then as a member of the Central Team in the role of Executive Leader supporting school improvement across the trust as well as leading on national and local professional development for newly qualified teachers, middle and senior leaders. Shaheen is also an Ofsted Inspector. She has 20 years of experience in the education sector.

Catherina Quinn

Catherina is a lawyer, anti-racist campaigner and mum of two. Having spent 10 years as a solicitor in an international top 25 law firm, she has now returned to her first passion, education. Prior to practising law, she gained experience as a tutor. She also provided teaching and pastoral support to children who had been excluded from mainstream schools, the majority of whom were from the BME community. She is committed to progressing racial equity in society, believing long term positive change must begin with schooling. She delivers presentations and workshops to school staff on the need for racial equity and anti-racism in education. She enjoys spending time with her family, is a keen runner, enjoys hiking, watching films and travelling.

Rosie Weaver

Rosie is an experienced public sector Non-Executive Director, dedicating much of her time to voluntary roles having taken early retirement from the NHS. Her current portfolio of professional governance roles includes Primary School Local Authority Governor; Elected Member of the National Association of Local Councils (National Assembly and Policy Committee); Chair of the Warwickshire and West Midlands Association of Local Councils; Chair of the Local Parish Council; Chair and Director of a Community Sports Facility. Rosie is a qualified and experienced workplace mediator and runs her own consultancy business providing team and individual mediation as well as team facilitation events. Prior to this, Rosie held a number of senior leadership roles in the public and third sectors. She also chaired a Midlands-based housing association for 12 years and developed a suite of new community-based charities to meet the needs of marginalised people.

Ben Stickley

Ben has significant experience in leadership in the education sector, currently working as the Chief Operating Officer of another Multi Academy Trust in the East of England. Prior to coming into education Ben has worked in both the Charity and Private sectors in management and leadership roles and has a Masters degree in Voluntary Sector Management alongside a Diploma in Charity Finance and Accounting. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management. Ben is a father of 3 primary aged children and also serves as a parent governor and Co-Chair of governors at his local village school.

Peter Dabrowa

Peter is the co-founder and CEO of Wonde, a secure data management solution trusted by more than 25,000 schools and over 400 leading EdTech applications across the globe. He has spent the majority of his career committed to developing innovative technologies within the education sector, providing solutions that make life easier and better for staff, teachers and pupils alike. Harnessing technology for good and helping to lead the charge in how it is perceived, accessed and adopted within schools, Peter is a strong believer in education being a key enabler of social mobility and that every child should be supported, championed and encouraged to reach their full potential - with technology and all its capabilities providing a solid backbone on which to help achieve it. As a parent of two young children, Peter knows first hand the importance of a school that is full of curiosity, knowledge sharing and enjoyment, that substantially improves the community, not just inside the school gates, but outside too. In his role as Trustee for Active Learning Trust, Peter is committed to ensuring the best future for the Trust’s schools whilst coalescing it with the potential of the present.

Miles Coles

Miles is passionate about education and has spent most of his working life involved in adult & community education and widening participation in Ipswich and Suffolk. He currently works at the University of Suffolk where he manages some of the University’s outreach and community based activities, helping to raise the aspiration of the young people in the region. Miles brings with him extensive senior management experience of Further Education and Community Learning in Suffolk and London, including head of FE at Suffolk County Council and Head of Curriculum for Community Learning. He believes in the power of education to transform people’s lives and that everyone is entitled to high quality learning. Miles graduated in Anthropology and Politics from Oxford Brookes University, and is a qualified PRINCE2 Practitioner. He is also a Trustee of Gateway Qualifications, Chair of Governors at Chantry Academy and on the Governing Board of the SCC Adult Learning Service.

Bob Dool

Member

Bob is the Chair of the Board of the Trust, as well as a Member, and is highly experienced in educational development and management in both Scotland and England he has also taken advantage of work experiences across Europe and the USA widening his knowledge and experience. Bob’s key skills areas at senior level include:-Strategic leadership and management, communications and HR, leading and managing large teams, project management and development of new learning and sixth form centres, initiating and managing strong education/ business partnerships and leading diverse teams including youth, adult and community learning. More recently, he has worked with local schools to help develop partnerships enabling students, staff and the wider community to benefit from working together, and been Chair of the LGB's at Chantry Academy and Hillside Primary School & Nursery. Latterly, Bob was part of the small project management team which developed and established in Suffolk, a centre of post 16 learning - a £70 million project which opened in 2010, has nearly 1800 post 16 students and was recently judged by OfSTED as outstanding. Probably of greatest relevance is his passion for educational development with an emphasis on inclusion and partnership to help young people raise and achieve their aspirations.

Helen Capron

Member

Helen Capron has explored education from a variety of angles: as a researcher, teacher, chair of governors and parent. She believes in high quality education for all and seeks to ensure this is being offered across all the Active Learning Trust schools.

Lesley Adams

Member

Lesley was formerly Chair of the Trust Board, and have served as this role has remained a Member of the Trust. Lesley brings considerable experience to the Trust after serving many years in the education sector.

Mark Kerr

Mark is Relationship Director for one of Britain’s leading banks. He has almost 40 years experience working in banking, specialising in Non Profit and Education sectors.