I have recently been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer for PACE. I feel privileged to be leading such a flourishing trust, where the schools work so closely in partnership, whilst remaining vibrant and creative settings in their own right. At PACE, we value the opportunity to work in collaboration with each other, rather than being uniform in our approach. Our schools are diverse in size, context and locality and we use this diversity to learn from each other: this is what makes PACE a special place to work.
I have worked as a senior leader in a range of schools across Croydon, Surrey and Sutton, including roles within other MATs. This breadth of experience has provided me with insight into the vast achievements that are accomplished by schools, as well as the challenges that different settings face. My role as an executive leader for a local multi academy trust provided an opportunity to see ‘first hand’ what can be achieved by a group of schools working in partnership towards the same goals; the NPQEL qualification that I achieved in 2019 embedded this further.
I am passionate about inclusion, the UNICEF rights of the child and ensuring all learners appreciate the value of diversity and understand the importance of equality. As the CEO of PACE, I aim to ensure that every child receives an excellent educational experience that helps them to achieve their potential and be the best that they can be.
As Chief Operating Officer I lead operational functions ranging from the management and development of our sites through to HR.
I joined PACE Academy Trust in November 2018 following a varied career in the Civil Service working in leadership roles across policing, counter-terrorism and recruitment. I am motivated by the impact that high quality education can have on young lives and enjoy the tangible impact of working to deliver a public service. I am proud to be a governor at Stanford Primary School.
As Executive Head I work in partnership with all of our schools. Collaboration at all levels is a strength of PACE Academy Trust and it is a privilege to be able to provide support, guidance and professional development to our range of diverse schools and staff. Working with our schools we strive to ensure that all the children within the trust have, in the widest sense, the educational opportunities to enable them to enjoy learning and provide them with a positive start to their life in education and beyond.
Prior to my current role I was headteacher at one of our schools for more than ten years which followed on from a variety of roles including teacher and subject leader; Advanced Skilled Teacher supporting other schools in Croydon; Deputy Head; and Acting Head Teacher.
I am a qualified Chartered Accountant with over 30 years’ experience working in audit and SME companies. My career has extended across a number of sectors and has included leadership roles in finance and HR. I enjoy using my skills in the local community having been a treasurer of a local pre-school for a number of years and a governor of a local infant school for 8 years.
I joined PACE Academy Trust in 2015, one year after the trust was formed. My role as the Chief Financial Officer is to support the Chief Executive and Headteachers and to provided financial leadership to our schools to ensure that our finances comply with the requirements of the Academies Financial Handbook. I enjoy the challenges and variety that this role offers and am very proud to be working for PACE Academy Trust.
