Event Information

Helen is an Education Consultant with extensive experience of the Academy and Free School programmes. She was previously the Director of Development and Governance of a large national multi academy trust (MAT), with responsibility for the development and implementation of the Trust’s growth plans and operating model, including staffing and recruitment and development of the governance framework. Since working as an Education Consultant Helen has supported several sponsors in the development and growth of their MATs, from initial visioning through to the successful conversion of academies and implementation of operating models. She has written five successful Free School applications including primary, secondary and all-through phase schools, and has experience of opening a primary Free School on time and within budget. Helen has led on the successful conversion of more than forty academies, including faith schools and foundation schools, as well as Local Authority maintained schools. As such she is accustomed to dealing with stakeholders at all levels including RSCs, LA officers, Governing Bodies, Dioceses, professional bodies and staff.

Ann’s involvement in education spans many years and a variety of roles.  She completed 12 years as Director of Education for the Diocese of York in 2014 – a role in which she led the diocesan education team and was responsible for 127 schools and academies across 8 local authorities.  Her wide-ranging responsibilities included school organisation, governance, admissions, property and trusts, standards and ethos.  From 2010, Ann led the strategic development and implementation of the diocesan academies programme and oversaw the establishment of single- and multi-academy trusts in the diocese.  Ann is now an independent consultant, focusing on academy structures and governance and free schools. 

Being at the chalkface of governance has always been key to Ann’s professional life and something that she has committed to unstintingly in a voluntary capacity and in a range of contexts.  She served for many years as a secondary school governor at 2 schools in York, then as a trustee and Vice-Chair of the Board in a single-academy trust from its inception through to it becoming a multi-academy trust (Sentamu Academy Learning Trust, Hull) in 2015. As Director of Education, Ann also represented the Diocese of York as a Member of its academy trusts.  Ann’s broader experience of corporate governance extends to 6 years as a member of the Chapter of York Minster, 9 years as a governor and Chair of the People Committee of York St John University and (in the independent sector) 7 years as a governor and Chair of the Education Committee of St Peter’s School, York.