Learn Academies Trust Trustees
The Trust Board has overall responsibility and ultimate decision-making authority for all the work of the Trust and all of its schools.
The Trustees delegate responsibility for aspects of school governance to Local Governing Bodies through a Scheme of Delegation.
Local Governing Bodies provide advice, support and challenge to the headteacher in leading the school and ensuring all pupils flourish. They guard the school’s ethos, ensure the school collaborates with other schools in the Trust to share effective practice, resources and experience and manage its relationship with the community. They focus on:
- Standards, curriculum and school ethos
- Health, safety and premises, including safeguarding
- Parental and wider community engagement
- Assurance and oversight of compliance and risk, including finance.
Patrick Rendall
Chair of Trustees
Patrick is now retired but had a long career in the Army, leaving as a Lieutenant Colonel. Following his military service, he transitioned into project management, focusing on the development and operational oversight of leisure centres. A seasoned school governor, Patrick currently chairs the governing bodies of Thrussington and Queniborough CE Primary Schools within Learn-AT, as well as Arnesby CE Primary School in the Embrace Trust. His previous leadership roles include serving as Chair of Trustees for the Oval Learning Trust and as a trustee on the board of the Vines Trust. Patrick firmly believes that strong governance is rooted in both supporting and constructively challenging school leaders to enhance teaching and learning. He also sees governors as key contributors to fostering collaboration amongst senior leaders across the Trust, helping to advance a shared vision. In his capacity as Chair of the Chairs of Governors, Patrick is committed to providing strategic leadership and ensuring that the perspectives of school chairs are effectively represented at Trust Board meetings.
Jeremy Benson
Vice-Chair of Trustees
Educational Management Leadership and Governance Jeremy is the Senior Assessment Adviser at AQA, the exam board, focusing on vocational assessment. He was previously a senior civil servant who had spent most of his career working at the Department for Education (DfE), and also worked for the qualifications regulator Ofqual. He also spent three years on secondment to the UK Health Security Agency supporting the Covid-19 pandemic response. Jeremy has been a trustee of Learn-AT since it was formed in 2016, having previously been a governor at Meadowdale Primary School, where his two children were educated. He is also a trustee and fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health.
Karen Cooper
Trustee
Karen has over 15 years’ experience as a Human Resources (HR) professional in a variety of industries including healthcare and retail. In her current role at Joules plc she focusses on HR Support and Karen has over 20 years’ experience as a Human Resources (HR) professional in a variety of industries including healthcare, retail and insurance. She is currently working in a consultancy capacity providing strategic business support on people matters, and leading people focused projects. In her previous role as Head of People she led a team to deliver high quality HR services across all the people functions including reward and payroll, talent acquisition, HR operations, learning and development, internal communications and business partnering.
Steve Orton
Trustee and Chair of Risk and Audit Committee
Steve has been a local governor at Red Hill Field Primary School since 2019 and chair since 2020. He is a qualified CIMA accountant, obtaining Chartered status in June 2009, and has over 16 years of experience of working within the educational and charitable sector. Steve held a senior management position at The Creative Education Trust before joining the NOVA Education Trust in April 2017, initially as Vice Chief Financial Officer and now as Chief Financial Officer.
David Proverbs
Trustee
David is Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Innovation at De Montfort University. He has over 30 years of experience in higher education, having held strategic leadership roles in four modern universities where he has been able to champion student learning as a research driven, curriculum active and enterprising academic. David is passionate about the environment, a great believer in the benefits of working in a global society and committed to creating opportunities for students to become global, climate-aware citizens. David has developed significant regional, national and international research and enterprise collaborations, drawing on a range of funding sources to pioneer innovative solutions towards improving resilience to flooding. His research has had significant national and international impact in the development of UK Climate Change Policy; as a trustee advising on global research grant awards; and through supporting the development of national flood risk strategies, for example in Brazil, China, Nigeria, Peru and the UK. He is a member of the Environment Agency’s Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, Chief Editor for the International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation and Associate Editor for the Journal of Flood Risk Management.
Steve Bailey
Trustee
Steve is the Team Rector of the Oadby, Great Glen benefice, and Area Dean for Gartree Deanery in the Diocese of Leicester. He has served in the Diocese since 2011 and more recently has become Chair of the House of Clergy and a Trustee. Steve has been a local school governor in Oadby since 2012 serving as vice chair and been taking assemblies in schools for nearly 20 years! Married with two teenage boys, Steve is keen to see children thrive and flourish as well-rounded individuals who are equipped with all they need.
Marie-Claire Bretherton
Trustee
Marie-Claire Bretherton has a wealth of experience in the education sector, having started her career as a teacher and then becoming a successful headteacher in Lincolnshire. She has a proven track record of leading three very different schools to secure improved outcomes for pupils, even in the most challenging of circumstances. In 2012, Marie-Claire worked with a group of school leaders in Lincolnshire to establish KYRA, a collaborative community for teaching, leadership, research, and school improvement partnerships that now serves over 60 primary schools. Her leadership was instrumental in developing this thriving community of schools over a 10 year period. From 2016 to 2023, Marie-Claire also served as the Education Director for Anthem Schools Trust, where she was responsible for driving improvements across the Primary phase. She is a published author, and sought after international speaker on leadership and school improvement. Currently, Marie-Claire is serving as the Deputy CEO at Waterton Academy Trust in West Yorkshire, where she continues to make a positive impact on the education sector.
Gita Patel
Trustee
Gita started her career in Education when the first National Curriculum was developed and now has over 30 years of experience, where she has learned, applied and understood different pedagogies and approaches to teaching across the primary school age range. When she became a leader she wanted to ensure decisions made were based on evidence and led by research for two reasons. Firstly to optimise the ability to make the most effective choices regarding teaching and secondly to avoid any unnecessary burden during times of change. As the Headteacher of Shenton Primary School for over 16 years, she is proud to have consistently maintained strong outcomes for the children regardless of the challenges faced. Working together, with a shared vision and shared goals have underpinned that success. She is relentless when it comes to enabling educationalists to achieve the best that they can.
Jane Jones
CEO and Ex-officio Trustee
A graduate of Law from Cambridge University, Jane had a thriving 18-year legal career in both public and private sectors. Transitioning to the education field six years ago, Jane's passion lies in children's education and well-being. Her goal is to work collaboratively with the Trust's senior leaders to create a positive, nurturing, and inclusive primary school experience for students. Jane is dedicated to challenging and supporting students to achieve their full potential, empowering them to confidently pursue present and future opportunities with courage and optimism.