Learn-AT Central Team
Learn-AT is a school-led Trust. Collaborative professional learning and policy development happens regularly through a range of networks including:
- Head Teachers' Strategy Group
- Chairs' Forum for Chairs of Local Governing Bodies
- Curriculum and Pedagogy Group
- Designated Safeguarding Leads Group
- SENCO Network
- Business Managers and Office Managers Networks
- Faculty and Phase Networks
Personnel across the Trust, based in schools, contribute to trust-wide leadership and management, working closely with the central team.
Stef Edwards
Trust Leader
Stef was Headteacher of Great Bowden Academy for eleven years and is a designated National Leader of Education and a Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching. Stef is a primary English specialist. She is a strong advocate for the use of evidence from educational research to support high quality professional learning for teachers and school staff - to secure the best possible education for all pupils in our schools. She has a Masters degree in Education Research and Inquiry and is studying for a professional doctorate, investigating the leadership of professional learning to support the development of research-informed teaching across a network of schools.
Steve Roddy
Director of School Improvement and Deputy Trust Leader
As Headteacher at Church Langton CE Primary School Steve led the successful application to launch Learn-AT Teaching School in 2017, which continues to operate as Learn-AT Professional, and launched Learn-AT Associate Research School as part of the Education Endowment Foundation funded Research School Network in 2018. As Director of these two elements of the Trust, Steve has successfully launched a partnership with Church of England Foundation of Educational Leadership to deliver National Professional Qualifications. Steve has served on the Board of Education for Diocese of Leicester and Leicestershire Education Effectiveness Partnership, and has been a governor at five different schools. He completed his Masters in Educational Leadership in 2021. As Director of School Improvement/ Deputy Trust Leader Steve works to improve outcomes and opportunities for all of the Trust's children.
Wayne Burbidge
Director of Finance and Operations
Wayne brings many years of experience working as a Finance Director and in other senior roles in the private sector with small and large organisations and a wise and sustainable approach to Trust development. Wayne’s breadth of experience, enthusiasm and drive to simplify and improve Learn-AT's systems such as IT, Finance and Operations is releasing our teachers and school leaders administrative burdens and enabling them to focus on learning, the main thing.
Louise Wiltshire
Finance Manager
Louise has many years of experience as a School Business Manager. Louise supports trust finance and the operational areas of risk management, procurement, Human Resources and Health and Safety.
Joe Bladon
Head of Digital Strategy (Infrastructure and Innovation)
Joe works across Learn-AT academies to build a secure and efficient network which supports both trust wide management information systems and IT for teaching and learning.
Rebecca Lillie
Purchase Ledger Clerk
Rebecca supports the Trust's finance team to process income and expenditure. She operates the centralised purchase ledger and handles credit card transactions for all schools.
Phil Lawson
1st Line Service Desk Analyst
Phil is the first point of contact for staff when an IT issue arises within the Trust or its schools. Phil works with the IT and Network Manager to offer IT support to all staff and students.
Sue Benson
Trust Information, Knowledge and Communication Manager
Sue provides media relations, social media and PR support for the Trust, producing promotional and branding materials, ensuring website compliance, and providing quality assurance for communication and marketing materials across the Trust. She is also responsible for managing Trust surveys, and data analysis, policy and information systems.
Pippa Darbourne
Trust Governance and Safeguarding Co-ordinator
Pippa is responsible for organising and co-ordinating governance activities across the Trust, including ensuring that all minutes and papers from local governor and Trustee meetings are stored securely, maintaining a database of Trustees and local governors and their pecuniary interests, co-ordinating governor training, arranging clerking services for each school's local governing body and recruiting new local governors for schools.