Trust Board

TRUSTEE BIOPICS

 

HELEN DICKER

Helen is Chair of Endeavour Learning Trust.  She has a degree in Engineering Science from Durham University and is a Chartered Civil Engineer. She worked as a geotechnical engineer and project manager on various contracts before focusing full time on her four children and voluntary work.

Helen was Chair of Governors at Tarleton Community Primary school for 16 years and became a Governor at Tarleton High School as well in 2010, leading the governing body through the legal and other processes for conversion to Academy and Trust status since then.  She has also been a Parish Councillor in Tarleton and at various times Secretary, Treasurer and Safeguarding officer for Tarleton Corinthians Football Club. In all these roles she has successfully led bids for Lottery and other funding leading to £millions of additional investment in community and school facilities. In all her activities, Helen brings a particular focus to leadership and people management issues, including taking responsibility for performance management of Headteachers, recognising these as critical success factor for all the organisations she has worked with.  She was awarded an MBE in the 2017 New Year’s Honours for services to education.

RICHARD SACHS

Richard Sachs has had a long and successful career in the NHS focused on governance roles since 1996. During this time he has worked in a variety of NHS settings and he is currently the Director of Quality Governance at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust. The transferable skills that he has used in his governor and trustee roles include expertise around Risk Management, Reputational Management, Performance and People Management and Quality Improvement. His governance background in the NHS has equipped him with the ability to ask challenging questions in a non-confrontational way.  Over the course of his career he has had management responsibility for large teams of employees and with that, the HR and legal responsibilities which such a role brings.

JENNI SMITTON

For the past 20 years, Jenni has worked in organisations responsible for public funding of education and training.  Since 2012, she has worked for the Department for Education with responsibility for financial management, governance and compliance in open academies.  She currently manages a national team responsible for University Technical Colleges.

Jenni is Chair of the Trust Resources Committee bringing her extensive skills in financial management and compliance with charity and company law to the Trust.

STEPHANIE STOKER

Steph’s role as Innovation Advisor for The Business Growth Hub is to support Greater Manchester based businesses to innovate and collaborate.  Having worked across the North West and with over 20 years business development, coaching and management experience across all industry sectors she has helped both start-up and established high performing businesses to innovate and grow. She has owned/managed her own businesses, is educated to Masters’ level and is a qualified Executive Leadership Coach.

Currently working with a rolling portfolio of circa 30 companies/clients on a range of projects to include: growth strategies, proof of market/concept through to commercialising new products and services, developing an innovative culture, building and managing teams, intellectual property and R&D Tax credit issues, improving and streamlining systems and processes, new business generation techniques and routes to market. 

As a Trustee, Steph brings a wide range of expertise to support the ongoing growth and development of the MAT. 

DAVID LATHAM

David was the UK Managing Director for a Canadian based company that provide software solutions for a range of businesses.  He has broad experience as a Technical Director and also worked in consultancy developing business.  His period in consultancy allowed him to work on various projects including some in the Middle East.  He has broad experience of business growth and development as well as an understanding of finance and HR systems, commercial sales and marketing.

COLIN FENNY

Colin is a Solicitor and Director at Harrison Drury Solicitors and Head of the Property and Construction Litigation Department with responsibility for managing a team of 7 lawyers across six sites in Lancashire and Cumbria. He has been a Governor at Churchtown Primary School since March 2015. Having initially been elected as a Parent Governor for a four year term, I was co-opted onto the Local Academy Council in June 2019. I have held the position of Vice-Chair of Governors since September 2017. During my term as Governor at Churchtown Primary School I have overseen a successful Ofsted inspection and the conversion of the School to Academy status joining the Endeavour Learning Trust. I joined the Trustee Board for Endeavour Learning Trust in April 2019 following completion of the conversion.

Colin is married with 2 children. They are both now at secondary school in Southport. Born in Newcastle, he is an avid Newcastle United fanbut say that he doesn’t get to watch them now as much as he would like!

GAYNOR BAHAN

Prior to joining the teaching profession, Gaynor worked in engineering, witnessing first-hand how mathematics is the cornerstone of the industry.  This sparked her passion for all things STEM! Gaynor describes her role teaching mathematics to children in a variety of secondary schools in St. Helens and Wirral (comprehensive 11-16, all boys 11-18, all girls 11-18) for 15 years as her ‘absolute honour and privilege’.  As an Assistant Headteacher and Lead Practitioner, she was able to contribute to developments in whole-school teaching and learning, data and timetabling and was a coach for both new and experienced teachers.

She lectured in Mathematical Statistics to undergraduates at Edge Hill University and more recently, on their PGCE Mathematics programme as Associate Tutor.  

Gaynor joined NCETM in June 2018 as Regional Lead for Lancashire and West Yorkshire.  There are two key aspects to her role:

• to act as the principal NCETM link to the Maths Hub leadership and management teams in the region, supporting, equipping and enabling them to fulfil their role
• to work with key regional stakeholders, and representatives of national government programmes supporting mathematics and STEM more widely, to develop and support the implementation of a coherent strategy for mathematics school improvement in the region

Gaynor strives to contribute to closing the achievement gap between disadvantaged children and their peers.  Her family play an important part in her life – with two young girls she is fiercely passionate that gender should not influence choice!

NICK WARD

Nick has been a primary school Headteacher for over 10 years, leading two outstanding schools. He has been a Governor for over 20 years, in 5 different schools, covering both primary and secondary education. Nick has worked for the Local Authority in many roles, including leading professional development and school moderation. He has also mentored many Headteachers who were new to the role. Nick is an Associate Adviser for Blackburn Diocese, responsible for a number of schools in diverse settings, providing pastoral support and challenge, whilst ensuring the SLA is delivered. He also represents the Diocese at Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher appointments.  

 

Trustees of Endeavour Learning Trust
Name	Type	Date of Appointment	End Date	Continuation Date
Mr Richard Sachs	Trustee	15.11.2011	13.12.2021	6.7.2017
Mrs Jenni Smitton	Trustee	8.7.2013	7.7.2021	6.7.2017
Mrs Stephanie Stoker	Trustee	11.6.2012	10.6.2024	11.6.2020
Mrs Helen Dicker	Chair of Trustees	15.11.2011	12.10.2021	12.10.2017
Mrs Gaynor Bahan	Trustee	12.9.2019	11.9.2023
Mr David Latham	Trustee	14.2.2019	13.2.2023
Mr Colin Fenny	Trustee	25.4.2019	24.4.2023
Mr Nick Ward	Trustee	24.9.2020	23.9.2024
Served at any point over the last 12 months
Mrs Christine Adam	Trustee	19.4.2018	23.2.2020
Mr Duncan Baldwin	Trustee	6.7.2017	25.9.2020