CEO Welcome
Meet our Leaders
Work Hard / Be Kind / Choose Wisely
Alison Bickle
Principal of The de Ferrers Academy
“I wholeheartedly believe in the Trust values of ‘Work hard, be kind, choose wisely’. The fantastic staff and students are what makes our Trust unique.”
Work Hard / Be Kind / Choose Wisely
Steve Hall
Principal of The Pingle Academy
“Working within a Trust enables expert support to be given at the time it is needed! The support of colleagues across the Trust who face the same challenges has been something I have valued greatly.”
Work Hard / Be Kind / Choose Wisely
Joanne Lowe
Principal of Richard Wakefield C.E. Primary Academy
“Teaching and working with children has been a passion of mine from an early age. Working within The de Ferrers Trust allows me to support all children to seize every opportunity available to them, to be proud of everything they achieve and to watch them grow and flourish as they follow their school journey.”
Work Hard / Be Kind / Choose Wisely
Michelle Oliphant
Principal of Granville Academy
“Every day at Granville Academy, we aspire to be the best version of ourselves at all times. My staff and students make me smile, they make me proud and I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else as we are all committed to excellence and achieving the best for our students within our care. To be part of something special, is to be part of The de Ferrers Trust””
Work Hard / Be Kind / Choose Wisely
Claire Shaw
Executive Principal of Lansdowne Infant and Eton Park Junior
“It is a privilege to be part of The de Ferrers Trust, working alongside colleagues to ensure that every child and young person in our care receives an inspirational education alongside a range of wider curriculum opportunities to enable them to become lifelong learners.”
Work Hard / Be Kind / Choose Wisely
Roz Winter
Principal of Horninglow Primary
“I wholeheartedly believe in the Trust values that every child should have the opportunity to fulfil their potential regardless of their ability or background. I am honoured to be a part of a team, as Principal at Horninglow Primary School, which affords me the position to aspire to achieve this”
Work Hard / Be Kind / Choose Wisely
Pardeep Dhami
Head of Finance
“My passion in life is learning and empowering others to be the best they can be, delivering a service that has a positive impact.”
Work Hard / Be Kind / Choose Wisely
Paula Swain
Head of HR
“After 30 years in the services sector, I wanted to return to focusing on my passion which is working with people, and have joined the Trust to enable this to happen. I love the education sector and the many opportunities we have to develop the talent of the future in a Trust that is a great place to work and where people can thrive.”
Work Hard / Be Kind / Choose Wisely
Louisa Cain
Trust Safeguarding Manager
“I am proud to work for a Trust that places safeguarding at the centre of all its functions. It is a privilege to lead on this and work with such a great team of staff who genuinely care about keeping young people safe.”
Work Hard / Be Kind / Choose Wisely
Jamie Hawkins
Trust Lettings Manager
“I am a people person and love forging relationships with colleagues, school staff, members of the wider community and customers alike. My role rewards me with the opportunity to engage with a wide range of people and this is something that I thoroughly enjoy.”
Work Hard / Be Kind / Choose Wisely
Clare Hodson-Walker
Trust Governance Manager
“Working with Directors and Governors across The de Ferrers Trust enables me to work with each of our academies; supporting, questioning and challenging to make sure that we provide all of our students with the best educational opportunities that we can.”
Work Hard / Be Kind / Choose Wisely
Jamie Livingston
Trust Compliance and Sustainability Manager
“I have a passion for improving sustainability and really enjoy working with students across the Trust. The children within our Trust are the future, and in my role, I help enable them to live sustainable lives, by listening to their thoughts and ideas and giving them an opportunity to implement change.”
Work Hard / Be Kind / Choose Wisely
Emily Holmes
Trust HR Assistant
“It’s a pleasure to work with a team who are passionate about providing the best education for the children in our care. The professionals I work with are truly inspiring.”
Work Hard / Be Kind / Choose Wisely
Greg Hughes
Trust Leader for Digital Strategy
“Working at The de Ferrers Trust has allowed me to develop my passion for learning technologies and become a global leader and advocate for change.”
Work Hard / Be Kind / Choose Wisely
Brenda Parker
Trust Leader for Initial and Early Career Teacher Training
““I strongly believe that education brings with it the responsibility to prepare the young people in our care for happiness and success in their adult lives.””
Work Hard / Be Kind / Choose Wisely
Nicola Townsend
Trust Leader for Management Information
“Don’t let a fear of failure stop you from trying.”
A Family of Schools
The de Ferrers Trust is a mixed multi-academy trust based in Staffordshire and Derbyshire. The trust currently consists of seven schools (three secondaries and four primaries). The trust educates approximately 5000 children and young people between the ages of 3 and 19 and employs 600 members of staff.
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The de Ferrers Academy
Principal / Alison Bickle
Trent Campus St Mary's Drive, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire View Profile
