Trust Members
S Spencer
Trust Member
Sian graduated with an MA (hons) from the University of Edinburgh before going on to study Postgraduate Diplomas in Law and Legal Practice with the University of Law (then College of Law). She qualified as a solicitor in 2006 and spent her formative post-qualification years working with international law firm Eversheds in their Commercial Litigation team. Subsequently, Sian went on to specialise in Commercial and Civil Litigation, spending 11 years in private practice as a solicitor and earning recognition in the Legal 500 for her Property Litigation expertise. In 2017 Sian left private practice law and started teaching in Higher Education, becoming a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Sian is now a Senior Lecturer in Law teaching at the University of Law, the University of Cumbria and the Open University.
A McCarthy
Trust Member
Alex Lives in West Cumbria and works in the nuclear industry in procurement and contract management. He started his career in engineering, gaining Chartered Engineer status, and then moved towards more business and commercial focused roles. Alex enjoys sports, literature, arts and investment as hobbies. He believes a first class education system is a fundamental investment any nation needs to make for its future and as his small contribution to this he wants to support the Learning for Life Trust to continue to be successful and grow our academy over time.
E Kidd
Trust Member
I have an extensive background in working with children, families, schools and other agencies to improve the outcomes of children at risk of harm or in need of support. I have worked for various organisations spanning over 20 years. This enables me to remain child focussed at all times as a Member, to think of the impact on the children of any changes and when the Trust are considering policy and procedure. I have a strong understanding of working within Statutory guidance and of organisations schools can access to enhance the provision they are providing to the children they provide education to each day.
Trustees
H Morgan
Chair of Trustees
I was born and brought up near Wrexham in North Wales, in a predominantly mining family although my father was unusual in winning a Miners' scholarship to go to Aberystwyth University to study chemistry; my early life was strongly Welsh and after taking my 11+ in the Welsh language, I learned English as a foreign language in Grammar school. I spent six years at university in Manchester, studying Metallurgy and Bio-Medical engineering and emerged in 1978 with a First degree, an MSc and a PhD. I started work first with United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority as a research scientist, working on the metallurgical problems of several nuclear reactor systems, moving gradually to undertaking large-scale structural testing of components and structures. The evolution of the UK Nuclear industry meant changing companies several times, including the privatised AEA Technology, BNFL, BNFL Nexia Solutions and finally the Government-owned, commercially-operated National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL). While my early career was in direct science and engineering, I inevitably moved to more project and resource management positions, switching between them several times, and taking in Commercial and Business development roles. I worked for some time in Mergers and Aquistions but in the last 5 years of work I was NNL's Strategy and Innovation Director, sitting on the Main Board (NNL is a £90M commercial business). In this role I had a small team charged with looking outward to help develop NNL's medium and long-term strategy on market development, key research areas and key partnerships; in the area of innovation, my team managed a £1M per annum investment fund used to provide pump-priming and startup funding to new technologies.
B Cook
Vice Chair of Trustees
Brendon has transitioned from a career in banking throughout the UK undertaking various roles leading teams specialising in Project Management, Conduct and Operational Risk and Financial Crime. Now retired, Brendon has been involved in a number of voluntary activities over the years. He was one of the youngest Hospice movement treasurers at the age of 26 at Rossendale Hospice and he was treasurer of BASICS (British Association for Immediate Care), in Allerdale. Brendon is a past Chairman of the Cockermouth Round Table and Cockermouth 41 Club and he remains a member of the 41 Club. He is also a past Governor of St Joseph’s Primary School and Cockermouth Secondary School and is currently Chairman of the Board at the West Cumbria Hospice at Home. Brendon has a passion for making a positive difference in every walk of life and is keen to see the Trust grow and facilitate an improved educational environment for all concerned.
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O Nicols
Trustee
Oliver has been with the trust since its inception in 2015. Between 2013 and 2018, Oliver was a school governor for Fairfield Primary School, joining the Learning for Life Trust as a trustee from its inception in 2015. Oliver was the chair of the Learning for Life trust between 2016-2020. Oliver completed a degree at Durham in physics in the early 90s before starting work at Sellafield for BNFL as a physicist working on instrumentation. For the last 30 years Oliver has been in different companies as the nuclear industry evolved, including BNFL Instruments Ltd, British Nuclear Group Project Services, VT Group and finally Babcock International Ltd (re-branded as Cavendish Nuclear). His early career was in physics; however in the early 2000s he moved into line management and project management roles. More recently Oliver has moved into a business management role as Operations manager for Cavendish Nuclear. This role is supplying characterisation services for Sellafield, LLWR and other customers across the UK. Oliver manages a team of physicists, software and systems engineers and provide services and instrument development for (predominantly) the UK Nuclear industry. Oliver have always worked in Cumbria, initially in Whitehaven, then in the South Lakes and since the birth of his daughter in 2008, Cockermouth.
J Brettle
Trustee
John has worked in education from 1982 until his retirement in 2018. For most of that time he taught Physics at Cockermouth School. During his 28 years at Cockermouth School he occupied various positions including Head of Science, Assistant Headteacher and latterly Deputy Headteacher. He also did a stint as a staff governor and made many presentations to the governors on a wide range of topics. For the last 3 years he has been on the Local Governing Board of Fairfield School and is moving to become a Trustee of the Learning for Life Trust. Having spent a year working in a school in Australia, in 1996, John has always enjoyed travelling exploring many corners of the world. He is also a former member of Cockermouth Round Table and a past chairman of Cockermouth 41 Club, is attempting to learn Spanish and delighting in walking through our local surroundings.
M Desmond
Trustee
Monica is a Programme and Project professional, qualified and experienced in Business Transformation and Cultural Change. With a thirty-five year career spanning the private, public and voluntary sectors, Monica is keen to contribute to the further development of the Learning for Life Trust. Monica served for eight years as a local governor at St.Joseph's Primary School, Cockermouth and was a Parish Councillor for four years. She was deputy Programme Manager for one of the earliest Cumbrian Sure Start Programmes for seven years in the 2000's, and is committed to all endeavours to improve the life chances and outcomes of young people in Cumbria.
J Stephens
Associate Trustee
John has worked in Accountancy since 1990 and is currently employed by a local Chartered Accountants’ holding the position of Client Portfolio Manager. He advises on a wide range of clients from small owner manager business to companies with a turnover of several million pounds and has considerable experience in acting for business operating within the construction and property industries, hotels, the retail sector, tourism-based industries, charities, and a previous Multi Acadamy Trust. He also serves as a local Parish Clerk where he has learned an understanding on how local governance operates. John has served as a school governor between 2017 and 2021 , before joining the Trust board in an associate capacity for the audit and finance committee. As a local who has lived in the Cockermouth area all his life, he believes it is important to support local Charities, groups and institutions and has taken great interest in the growth and development of the Academy Trust
Mr P Terry
Trustee
Paul has recently retired as a Project Director within the UK construction industry after more than 40 years’ experience working for client, design consultant & contractor organisations. He is a Chartered Civil Engineer with experience as a designer and contractor and for the last 20 years leading projects and teams to deliver a portfolio of construction and refurbishment projects; including schools and colleges across North Wales, two large storage projects for the British Library at Boston Spa, preparing the business case for the new £190m Library of Birmingham and multiple projects for the Ministry of Defence. Most recently Paul successfully led a Joint Venture team delivering multiple, simultaneous decommissioning projects at Sellafield through a £100m framework contract. Having relocated to the Cockermouth area 10 years ago, Paul is interested in using his background and skills to contribute to the community. With recent experience of the professionalism, welcoming and caring support given by Fairfield School to refugee children from Ukraine he was interested in supporting the school and the Learning for Life Trust. Paul is also a trustee of Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven.
Executive Team
Chris Steele
Primary Lead & Accounting Officer
Chris has been working in education since 2004. Following a career in secondary teaching, Chris transitioned into the primary sector before taking up his first headship in 2015. In 2017, Chris joined Fairfield Primary School as the Headteacher and now works as part of the executive team leading the development of the Learning for Life Trust with a focus on the Primary sector. Chris is also the Trust's Accounting officer.
Richard King
Secondary Lead
Richard has been working in Secondary School education for over 25 years. During this time he has led across a wide range of responsibilities, from data and timetabling to pastoral leadership and the development of teaching and learning. Richard took up his headship of Cockermouth School in 2022, following three years as Head of School, and now also works as part of the executive team leading and developing the Learning for Life Trust with a focus on the Secondary sector.
Michael Smillie
Chief Financial Officer
Michael has worked in public services for over 30 years in roles including Director of Finance and Director of Business Development. With many years of Board level leadership for Estates and Digital infrastructure projects and capital project Michael ensures that the Trust’s forward investment strategy as well as its ongoing financial performance is directed towards achieving the Trust’s core aims and objectives. With experience of large employer HR and Risk Management approaches Michael helps develop Trust policy in these areas so that continuous learning and wellbeing are core to how the Trust works. Having undertaken many mergers and acquisitions Michael ensures that the financial, HR and asset aspects of due diligence, transfers and post transfer integration are smooth for staff and that ongoing operational delivery is supported and continuously improved. As a Cumbrian himself Michael enjoys spending time getting to know schools and their communities well to ensure the Trust is supporting them as effectively as possible.
Professionals
Carolyn Parker
Primary Finance Lead
Carolyn has been the School Business Manager at Fairfield since 2009, working across both Fairfield Infant and Fairfield Junior Schools prior to the amalgamation to Fairfield Primary School in 2013. Carolyn was responsible business element of the academisation and amalgamation of the two schools forming Fairfield Primary School and the Learning for Life Trust. In October 2014 Carolyn was awarded the title of Primary School Business Manager of the Year at the NASBM awards ceremony for her dedication to the profession. Carolyn supports the leadership and management of the school and brings a business perspective to decision making and strategic planning and advises the trust and local governing body on school business matters. Carolyn is a member of the Institute of School Business Leaders and the Cumbria Association of School Business Administration & Management. Carolyn has vast experience of managing the business element of schools as an academy and multi academy trust and has always strived to develop operations whilst meeting all of the requirements of the Academy Trust Handbook, ESFA standards and Government returns.
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Tracey Barrientos
Governance Professional - Learning for Life Trust
Tracey was initially a staff governor for Fairfield Infants School and as a member of the Curriculum Committee she took on the role of clerk, liaising with the clerk to the Local Governing Body at the time. Following the amalgamation of the Infant and Junior schools, she stepped down from her role as staff governor. In October 2017, she was successful in securing the role of clerk to the Board of Trustees and the Local Governing Board, and more recently to the Audit, Finance and Risk Committee. Tracey now works closely with the Trust Board, Headteacher, LGB's within the Trust and all committee chairs to advise, organize and support meetings, ensure effective communication and sharing of information across committees, advise on compliance requirements in line with the Academy Trust Handbook, assist with recruitment and induction of new Trustees and Governors and identify training needs to ensure the Board can fulfill its core purposes of governance effectively. She has successfully completed the Development for Clerks course and is passionate about continuing to develop Governance practices across the Trust
Trust Headteachers
Anna Bewsher
Broughton Primary School
Anna has worked in education and at Broughton Primary School since 2007, taking up headship at the school in 2019. In September 2022, the school successfully transitioned from being a Single Academy into the Learning for Life Multi-Academy Trust. Anna and the school team at Broughton are now working alongside Trust colleagues to support and develop all schools within the Trust.
Jordan Gale
Fairfield Primary School
Jordan’s award-winning career at Fairfield saw him progress from middle leadership, with responsibility for Maths and English, to the Key Stage leader before being promoted to the school’s Deputy Headteacher and most recently Acting Headteacher. His passion has always been to inspire the next generation and his ambition has always remained the same: to fulfil his dream of becoming a primary school Headteacher. No day is ever the same in this job, which makes it so thoroughly enjoyable: as far as he is concerned, there is no role more rewarding. His particular expertise lies with safeguarding, teaching and learning and supporting those from disadvantaged backgrounds. He is a research-led, informed leader always utilising the latest educational research and associated initiatives to ensure that Fairfield is continuously striving forwards and is on the ‘front foot’ educationally. As one of the youngest professionals in the country to undertake this role, he is very much looking forward to continuing his journey within a successful Trust, who truly believe in their pupils, families and staff and who strive to provide the very best opportunities for them.