Academies

Revealed: The winners of RSC advisory board elections

Results were delayed by more than two months, after a mid-election boundary review

Results were delayed by more than two months, after a mid-election boundary review

14 Mar 2022, 18:03

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Dozens of new advisers for England’s regional schools commissioners have been elected, after a mid-election boundary shakeup that delayed the results.

The government confirmed the elected academy leaders will take up their posts in September. Advisory boards, previously known as headteacher boards, help RSCs oversee the academy sector and conversions of maintained schools in their regions.

National schools commissioner Dominic Herrington said all winners were “highly regarded”, and thanked candidates and voters. Winners include former RSC Tim Coulson.

A total of 164 trust and academy leaders threw their hats into the ring in eight regions when voting began last year, with each academy able to cast a vote.

Results were due to be unveiled at the end of January, but the DfE announced after polls had closed that it was considering redrawing boundaries to make nine regions.

This forms part of a now-confirmed wider DfE shakeup designed to align the unusual RSC regions with typical government regions – including creating a new London region.

The DfE said the four most popular candidates elected in each of the eight previous regions will be appointed to the new region where their academy or most academies are based. It suggests some academies may have used their votes on candidates that will now serve other regions.

In regions where this left too few advisers, the DfE then chose the next most popular candidate in each new region to make up gaps. “All candidates have accepted the place offered,” official documents say.

This methodology also left some regions with more than the typical four advisors elected. “The additional member/s will be ‘appointed’…rather than elected,” the DfE said.

The successful candidates in each region are as follows.

East Midlands

Sian Hampton, Archway Learning Trust
Paul Heery, The White Hills Park Federation Trust
Mark Thomas, Woodland View Primary School
Chris Wheatley, Flying High Trust

East of England

Tim Coulson, Unity Schools Partnership
Claire Flintoff, ASSET Education
Sarah Skinner South Suffolk Learning Trust (SSLT)
Josephine Valentine, Danes Educational Trust
Mark Farmer, Bridge Academy Trust (appointed)

London

Penny Barratt OBE, The Bridge MAT Ltd
Emma Bradshaw, Alternative Learning Trust
Cassie Buchanan, The Charter Schools Educational Trust
Susan Douglas CBE, The Eden Academy

North East

Anita Bath, Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust
Colin Lofthouse, Smart Multi-academy Trust
Maura Regan, Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust
Nicola Stephenson DBE, Valour Multi Academy Trust

North West

Nic Brindle, Youth Engagement Schools Trust
Karen Burns, Victorious Academies Trust
Tania Lewyckyi, The Bishop Fraser Trust
Annette Williams, Weaver Trust

South East

Sarah Bennett Inspiring Futures through Learning
Andrew Carter, South Farnham Educational Trust
Claire Lowe, Inspire Learning Partnership
Sue Samson, University of Chichester Multi-Academy Trust

South West

Jennifer Blunden OBE Truro and Penwith Academy Trust
Rachel Howie, Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust
Steve Savory, Gloucestershire Learning Alliance
Jackie Smith, Brunel SEN Multi Academy Trust

West Midlands

Mo Brennan, Matrix Academy Trust
Michael Thomas, Donoghue John Taylor MAT
Sarah Finch, Marches Academy Trust
Susan Wedgwood, St Chad’s Academies Trust

Yorkshire and the Humber

Tom Banham, HCAT
Carol Dewhurst OBE, Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust
Jonny Uttley, The Education Alliance
Mark Wilson, Wellspring Academy Trust
Rowena Hackwood, Astrea Academy Trust (appointed)

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