CENTRAL ACADEMIES TRUST BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Mr Peter Thomas - Chair of Trustees

Peter Thomas, OBE, honoured in recognition of his services to education in the Midlands, was headteacher of President Kennedy School before becoming CEO of The Futures Trust. He led the education group from its inception in 2013 until his retirement in 2023. It oversees schools including Barr's Hill School, Stoke Park School and Keresley Grange Primary. Peter has also been an Ofsted Inspector and National Leader in Education.

Mr David Kershaw

With an incredible 60 years’ experience in education, David recently retired as CEO of Central Academies Trust. David is a former secondary executive headteacher and has extensive experience as an academy trust CEO. Having supported four secondary schools to come out of OFSTED ‘special measures’ and overseen dramatic school improvement of schools within deprivation areas of Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester and Bradford, he is passionate about enabling excellent education opportunities for all. He was Coventry City Council’s cabinet lead for education for four years and has been chairman of Epworth Education Trust and on the boards of numerous primary and secondary schools. 

Mr Victor Bellanti

Victor is a highly qualified and experienced Accountant.  He is Chief Executive of Norman Hay PLC Coventry/Leeds, a role he has played for eight years and he is also non-executive Director of David Burbage PLC, Coventry.  Previously, he was the Finance Director of Norman Hay PLC.

Mr Ken Holmes

Ken brings nearly 50 years of professional experience to his role as Trustee of the Central Academies Trust. Having co-founded Vagdia and Holmes Limited, a renowned architectural firm with over 2,000 commissions, Ken's career is marked by a dedication to delivering high-quality, personalized service. Retired since 2021, he remains committed to supporting education and community initiatives, contributing his strategic insight and leadership to the Trust's ongoing success. 

Mrs Patricia Cox

Patricia brings over 40 years of extensive experience in administration across both primary and secondary education sectors. Throughout her career, she has worked in various school and academy settings, providing crucial support in the day-to-day operations of educational institutions. In addition to her dedication to the education sector, Patricia has also made significant contributions to public sector offices, ensuring efficient service delivery. Her passion for supporting communities extends to her active involvement in the charity sector, where she continues to dedicate time and expertise. 

Professor Ian Dunn

Ian is Provost at Coventry University. He works closely with the Vice-Provosts and Deputy Vice-Chancellors for Education, Curriculum, Research and Enterprise to ensure that Coventry remains known for the quality of its academic work and wide access provision.

Ian has a long history of working at Coventry. He has been part of the senior team since 2010 and has been a substantial part of the major developments of the Group. He would always cite the development of Coventry campuses around the UK and globally, ensuring that Coventry is known as a wide access HE partner to many places.

Mr Lee Williams

Lee is currently responsible for overseeing the operation and growth of Central Academies Trust (CAT), serving as the direct line manager of the Head of School at Lordswood Boys' School (LBS). Notably appointed as the Headteacher in April 2017, the school faced significant challenges, having been in Special Measures for four years and situated in one of the most socially deprived areas of Birmingham, ranking in the bottom 3% of UK schools. Overcoming various obstacles such as poor teaching and learning, a weak curriculum, and low progress and attainment, Lee successfully led the school out of Special Measures within one term, achieving a Progress 8 score of +0.36 in August 2018—an 86% improvement from the previous year. A subsequent Section 5 inspection in February 2022 resulted in a 'Good' rating, marking an unprecedented accomplishment in the school's modern inspection history. 

Trustees’ Involvement in the School

All Trustees

School Visits and Engagement:

• • • Regularly attend school visits to observe aspects of the school day, particularly ahead of Trust Board Meetings and as part of any assigned link role.

    • Participate in events such as Christmas Productions, Achievement Evenings (twice annually), the Annual School Production, Celebration Evening, Examination Results Days, and school lunches to engage with students and staff.

Policy Review and Approval:

• • • Review and approve key school policies, including (but not limited to):

    • Child Protection, Safeguarding, and e-Safety

    • Performance-Related Pay

    • Pupil Premium

    • Behaviour and Discipline

    • Complaints

School Oversight:

• • • Regularly review the School SEF (Self-Evaluation Form) and School Development Plan, providing input where relevant.

    • Monitor progress against annual targets and priorities.

    • Review the school’s three-year financial plan and monthly financial management accounts.

    • Examine interim reports from the Director of Education and Principal on:

      1. Examination performance

      2. Standards-related published data

      3. Other relevant matters tied to Trustees' responsibilities.

    • Assess progress data and reports on priority areas, including efforts to narrow the attainment gap and the impact of Pupil Premium expenditure.

Audit and Financial Accountability:

• • • Meet annually (or have the opportunity to meet) with auditors to review the Annual Accounts.

    • Evaluate the Management Representation Letter to the auditors and authorize its signing if appropriate.

    • Review recommendations from the Audit Findings Report and take necessary action.

Training and Compliance:

• • • Attend statutory Safeguarding training and maintain up-to-date DBS certification.

    • Participate in routine governance self-evaluation reviews and address any identified areas for improvement.

    • Engage in relevant training opportunities arranged by the school.

Specific to the Chair of Trustees:

• Maintain ongoing communication with the CEO and Principal between Trust Board Meetings.

• Alongside the Designated Safeguarding Trustee, stay informed about specific safeguarding cases, as appropriate, before disclosure to the Trustee.

Specific to the Remuneration Committee

Staff Pay and Performance Review:

• • 1. Conduct a preliminary review of annual salary and performance-related pay proposals for all staff, prepared by the Principal and Director of Education, before referral to the Trust Board for approval.

    2. Follow the same process for reviewing and agreeing the targets and performance-related pay proposals for the Director of Education and Principal each academic year.