Board and Members

Vic Daniels, Interim Chair

Vic Daniels is the co-founder and Executive Chairman of one of the UK's largest privately owned media companies. He has also spent almost 20 years involved in the education sector. Here, Vic has chaired boards for local authority and foundation schools at primary and secondary level. He has also chaired primary and secondary level School Improvement Boards. Vic’s further experience includes time spent as a local authority governor for strategy for a 6th Form College, chairing a Single Academy Trust, a mainstream Multi-Academy Trust and an Alternative Provision/Special School MAT. He has also been used by the DfE and local authorities in a board advisory capacity.

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.

Ben Stickley

Ben has significant experience in leadership in the education sector, currently working as the Chief Executive 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.

Miles Coles

Miles is passionate about education and has spent most of his working life involved in adult and 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. Miles graduated in Anthropology and Politics from Oxford Brookes University, and is a qualified PRINCE2 Practitioner. He was a Trustee of Gateway Qualifications for 14 years including 4 years as Chair, is Chair of Governors at Chantry Academy and a member of the Suffolk County Council, Adult Learning Service Quality Sub-Committee.

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.

Fran Hargrove

Fran is Deputy Chief Exec at Haringey Education Partnership and lead for School Improvement. Working extensively across primary, secondary and special schools, co-ordinating the work of all HEP Improvement and Support Partners. Fran has been a successful headteacher and has significant school leadership experience across a diverse range of settings. She has worked as a school improvement partner and advisor in a number of London boroughs and as an adviser to the DfE as part of the primary and secondary strategies. She has particular interest in developing strategic school improvement across systems.

Steve Purdy

Steve has had a successful career in business which included roles as UK Managing Director for a Fortune 500 company in the IT sector and UK Managing Director for a Global FTSE 250 company in the Services sector. Steve now runs his own business providing Performance Consulting, Executive Coaching and Leadership Development to clients looking to improve their performance within their professional and personal lives.

Vic Daniels

Vic Daniels is the co-founder and Executive Chairman of one of the UK's largest privately owned media companies. He has also spent almost 20 years involved in the education sector. Here, Vic has chaired boards for local authority and foundation schools at primary and secondary level. He has also chaired primary and secondary level School Improvement Boards. Vic’s further experience includes time spent as a local authority governor for strategy for a 6th Form College, chairing a Single Academy Trust, a mainstream Multi-Academy Trust and an Alternative Provision/Special School MAT. He has also been used by the DfE and local authorities in a board advisory capacity.

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.

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.