Following a rigorous recruitment process in partnership with Academy Ambassadors, the Members of The Corinium Education Trust formally appointed two new trustees to the Board at their meeting on Thursday 25 June 2020 and Trustees welcomed them to their first formal meeting on Tuesday 14 July 2020.

 

Prospective candidates initially expressed an interest through Academy Ambassadors and who then passed on those with relevant skills sets and experience to the Trust for further consideration, formal application and interview.

 

Our recruitment strategy was informed by our annual skills audit and both our Members and existing Trustees strongly feel that the skills of our new recruits will complement those of our existing team. However, they both come from very different backgrounds.

 

Aaron Griffiths is an experienced Headteacher and Chief Executive of a small multi-academy trust in Swindon. He brings a wealth of experience to the Board having previously worked as an Ofsted Inspector and in the analysis of primary school performance data. He has been very open about his motivation and, there is no doubt that we will be able to learn from each other:

 

‘I am delighted to be joining Corinium Education Trust’s Board of Trustees. I have been eager to contribute my time, skills and experience to a team that is focused on the pupils, their learning and life opportunities. The Corinium Education Trust is at the heart of its local community and I am excited to be joining its governance team as a trustee. I hope to bring my skills and experience from a different local setting as a serving primary executive headteacher and CEO of a different multi academy trust. I am keen to support The Corinium Education Trust’s Board of Trustees and executive leadership to ensure that the schools, their staff and pupils go from strength to strength and benefit from high quality, local collaboration.’

 

In contrast, Mark Horwood-James, is an experienced businessman. He is currently the UK CEO and Global CIO for international technology business Appellon, leading their UK business and the development of their software and IT solutions. He brings a range of skills and new expertise to the Board, including marketing and communication.

 

‘It is a privilege to be invited to join the Trustees of The Corinium Education Trust. Being able to support such a fantastic organisation, here in the Cotswolds, will be an honour and is something I very much look forward to doing. Our Schools and educators play such a pivotal role in our local communities, so being able to assist the Trust in continuing its great work is very exciting.’

 

These vacancies on The Corinium Education Trust’s Board came about as a result of the resignation of Dr Claire Mould in the Autumn 2019 when she moved to take up a new job in Bristol and, more recently, of Susannah Gilbert, a Foundation Trustee, who has re-trained as a Maths teacher in 2019-20 and takes up her first post in September 2020.

 

Catherine Leahy, who joined The Corinium Education Trust’s Board of Trustees in September 2019, has been appointed by the Diocese of Gloucester as our new Foundation Trustee. She is especially well placed to take on this role as prior to becoming an HMI and during her career as headteacher, Catherine led two Church Schools on Voluntary Aided and one Voluntary Controlled.