The Grange Trust’s governance structure is built around a board of directors working alongside the CEO and business director.
The Chair of the board is an experienced business man who is an executive director of a company. The other board members have a range of skills and backgrounds from HR and production management to education. All are experienced school governors, one of which is currently a chair of governors in another school within Rotherham that has undergone rapid transformation and also has strong links with the local teaching school alliance.
The board is responsible for policy setting, annual budget, HR , setting the direction and targets for the performance of the trust, ensuring the trust delivers a strong performance and finance. The Trust also has an audit and risk committee who work closely with the appointed accountants to ensure financial compliance in relation to procedures. They have a clear remit through terms of reference and meet three times a year.
Chair of Trust (Member/Director)
Richard Morris – B.Eng. (Hons) C.Eng. MIED. Chartered engineer with over twenty years’ experience of working on private and government funded projects from conception to completion both locally, nationally and internationally Experience of working on government/military projects including bidding for European and Government funding. Managing Director of a manufacturing company, with experience of finance, HR, health and safety and leadership. Became a school governor transferring skills from business into leading and managing a multi academy trust as key member of the trust board then progressing to chair of the trust. Skills include: Leadership, project management, funding, generating income and tendering for high quality services. Has been involved in mitigating risk, health and safety, working with key stakeholders to develop the trust, finance and audit, recruitment, staffing issues and development of IT systems for effective working.
Vice Chair of Trust (Member/Director)
Chris Watson – B.Eng. Forensic Engineering. IOSH Managing Health and Safety. Currently the Production Manager for Tractor Clutch production at Schaeffler (UK) Ltd, this incudes responsibility for manning and investment planning/budgeting, R&D prototyping, continuous improvement and engineering staff for an automotive industry mass production department. Manages teams across a twenty four hour production facility, working closely internationally with design teams in Germany, Hungary and India to name a few. Substantial experience of production management including HR, investment planning, quality assurance and health and safety. Experience of business, finance, HR and data handling. Experienced school governor, currently chair of governors at a school requiring improvement that has recently converted to academy joining a highly successful multi academy trust. Working with the school, Chris has transformed governance from inadequate to good. As a director and member of the academy trust, Chris brings high quality analytical skills to define opportunities for improvement as well as setting measurable and challenging targets for the CEO and performance of the trust in all areas of its business. Chris is also a key member when solving problems and working with stakeholders to develop the academy trust.
Director
Kelly Tinkler – Bringing over 10 years’ experience within senior leadership roles, transforming service provision, customer satisfaction and reputation. Possessing extensive knowledge in project management and operational delivery as well as an advanced understanding of HR policy and practice, safer recruitment and financial management. A proven track record in developing and implementing improvement strategies and tactical plans, conflict resolution and building sustainable relationships. Kelly also leads a school mentorship programme. The programme provides support to children from diverse backgrounds to build skills in business and enterprise and encouraging them to give back to the communities in which they live
Director
Alison Brown – Qualified teacher with certificate in special educational needs. Substantial experience as a school governor, leadership within an education setting, consultancy and school improvement. Alison has been a governor at the school for over ten years playing a key role in holding leadership to account through appraisal, recruitment of staff and transforming the school including governance enabling the school to improve its educational provision over the last five years. Alison is currently SEND governor using her experience and knowledge as SENCO and disadvantaged learners in a local primary school to contribute to developing an inclusive education for all and commissioning provision for SEND children.
Member
Collen Guest
Member
Dianne Hucknall
Member
Andy Cowell
Chief Executive Office
Rachel Colquhoun – CEO Ma Education leadership and Management NPQH . 13 years’ experience as a school leader, 10 years as head teacher in two schools transforming both schools in relation to achievements, leadership, organisational strucutres, teaching and learning, staffing and governance. Worked to convert the current school from maintained to multi academy trust. Has also worked as lead head teacher across the learning community supporting head teachers in difficult circumstances and in school improvement. Supported new and experienced head teachers with key aspects of school improvement work such as strategic planning, governance, academy conversion and leadership within a multi academy trust, OFSTED inspection. Worked with the local authority as a broker between the local authority and local schools/head teachers. Previous experience as a head teacher transforming a school from requires improvement to good as well as a teacher leader implementing high quality classroom practise, data systems as a key to improvement planning and transforming learning/provision in IT systems and mathematics.
Director/Company Secretary
Judy Douglas – HND Business. Experience of HR in LA, business management including accounts manager and commercial business. Substantial experience as office manager in an outstanding school managing site staff, contractors, projects, tendering and implementing IT systems. Key experience of commissioning high quality services and generating income. Set up and ran a successful business tendering for contracts and selling the business in a competitive market.
The trust recognises the need to expand the current board to facilitate growth. The trust is working with Academy Ambassadors to recruit three further directors with a school improvement background, legal experience, asset/property management experience
To supplement the expertise of the board, quality support is sourced from Wrigley’s Solicitors, Hartshaws accountants and Rotherham HR Service with whom the trust has a longstanding relationship. These services ensure financial and legal probity