Kathy is the CEO of the Aquinas Trust and was previously the Headteacher at Bishop Justus Church of England Academy. Before founding Bishop Justus School in 2004 Kathy spent sixteen years as a teacher and senior leader in a range of London schools. During this time, Kathy developed a passion for educational change and development and is totally committed to the education of all children and young people, irrespective of their start point.
Andrew Ferguson is the CFO of the Aquinas Trust and qualified as an accountant and company secretary during a twenty-five-year career in industry. He moved into the education sector with one of the country’s top academy chains twelve year ago, seeing it grow from two to thirty-three schools. Andrew has extensive experience of developing financially sustainable schools through effective integrated curriculum financial planning. He developed his interest in education as a Governor of a Kent Grammar school and as Chairman of Governors, for fifteen years, of a village primary school. In challenging financial times for schools, Andrew sees his role as ensuring that students’ needs are kept at the forefront of all our business planning.
Mary Capon is the Operations Director and Company Secretary for the Trust. Mary is a qualified solicitor with over 10 years’ experience of commercial work and litigation in the private legal sector. She attends all Trust Board and Committee meetings in her capacity as Company Secretary to advise on relevant legal and operational issues. Mary supports the Chief Executive Officer in implementing Trust Strategy.
Ms. Janet Vick is the HR Director for the Trust. Janet is an Assoc. CIPD specialising in policy writing and implementation and has extensive experience in leading, influencing and advising staff of all levels in matters of HR. Janet has worked in the education sector for over 25 years and previously in corporate banking. She is fully committed to the Trust’s Christian ethos and has an innate sense of justice and equality for all.
Glen has worked in education for over 25 years and has seen major changes during this time, through grant maintained, foundation and academisation. Glen was involved in the set-up of Bishop Justus School in 2004, which involved in house, payroll, catering, finance, premises and cleaning.
Glen is now the Estates and Facilities Director for the Aquinas Trust and is involved in ensuring all academies comply with health and safety and overseeing all capital projects and developments.
Mrs Geraldine Shackleton is one of Aquinas’ Primary Education Directors. She has been teaching since 2002 and has led schools in a variety of different contextual areas. Geraldine believes that the community is at the heart of every school and has worked across schools to develop community engagement to support school improvement and strengthen the community.
As a leader, Geraldine has developed curricula that embrace the local environment and enable pupils to be artistic and creative, whilst continually developing their academic prowess and improving their life chances. Geraldine has responsibility within the Trust for pupil outcomes and is currently working across the Trust to ensure all pupils have equal access to the curriculum.
As a Primary Director, Geraldine utilises her coaching skills to develop all staff to be the best they can be whilst securing outcomes for all pupils. Geraldine is passionate about improving outcomes for all pupils in the Trust and she is currently running the Aquinas Leaders in Education programme to offer support across the Trust whilst developing staff leadership opportunities.
Geraldine is happiest when in the classroom and can often be seen modelling teaching and learning from Nursery to Year 6.
Mrs. Laura Pearson is the Training and Development Director for the Aquinas Trust. She has held successful leadership roles in both primary and secondary education including Executive Headship. She has taught across the entire age-range from EYFS to Post-16, and in both inner-city and rural settings.
As a leader, Laura believes in developing the unique potential in all staff. She has a long-held commitment to teacher training and continuing professional development as a key driver for school improvement. She has worked in a number of schools in challenging contexts providing staff with the tools for change through coaching and mentoring teachers and leaders at all levels. Laura is also the Chair of Governors at a state school in Kent.
Mrs Jenni Richards is the Aquinas Primary Education Director. She has been teaching since 1996 and has experience in a wide variety of school contexts and holding different levels of leadership.
As one of the Primary Education Directors, she has been given lead responsibility across the Trust for Education Policies, Wellbeing, Equality, Inclusion and Diversity. In addition, for our primary academies, she holds the responsibility for Curriculum, Quality Assurance/Standards and Integrated Curriculum Financial Planning (ICFP). Through each of these, she supports and advises in order to make a positive difference and impact to fulfil our Trust vision and values underpinned by Life –Transforming - Learning.
Jenni strongly believes in teaching and learning which values the whole child, whilst providing effective learning and giving the best possible life chances for all learners. She advocates building character and resilience and the wellbeing of the whole trust community. Jenni values and believes in equality, diversity and inclusion and the positive impact that this has on staff and pupils and feels honoured to lead this across the trust.
Through her role as Primary Education Director she focuses on developing the skills, knowledge and ability of all leaders and staff to support their own development and improving school outcomes, whilst taking into account each individual school's vision and values alongside those of the Trust. Support is given through leading, coaching, mentoring, advising and role modelling to enable the leaders to develop their own skill set.
Her commitment to the profession and the passion she shares with her colleagues to excel the children’s education has resulted in a growing achievement for the children, herself and all those that she works with.