Michael Smith

Michael is the current Chair of the Members. He is a retired Charity worker with significant experience supporting Community and Voluntary groups in the Staffordshire Moorlands; specialising in governance and safeguarding.

Prior to this Michael served as a Police Officer in Staffordshire for 30 years. In addition to being a Trustee, he also volunteers with a local youth organisation and a voluntary car scheme transporting those who have difficulties accessing health and community services.

Jim Pugh

Jim is currently the Head of Education at Staffordshire University. A hands-on background in teaching and management in the compulsory school sector, Further Education and Higher Education has provided him with a range of experiences and knowledge of education policy and sector demands. In addition to being part of the School of Life Science and Education’s Senior Leadership Team Jim works both nationally and internationally in supporting partner institutions to development educational leadership and management; teaching and student experience.

George Hayes

George has been an elected member of Congleton Town Council (since 2011) and Cheshire East Council (since 2015). He has experience of being a governor and Chair of Governors at local schools as well as supporting improvements in school governance at other schools within Cheshire East. George was elected as Mayor of Congleton in 2013-14 and has previously undertaken the role of Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families at Cheshire East Council. More recently, George undertakes the role of Strategic Lead for Governance working for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Council – supporting schools across these areas to improve their school governance.

Peter Dartford

Peter served in the Fire and Rescue Service for 34 years, starting his career in Hertfordshire and completing his last 8 years of service as the Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive of Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service. He retired in 2016 and joined North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group as Lay Member with responsibility for patient and public involvement. Peter has been a Governor at primary schools in Stoke on Trent and East Staffordshire and, most recently at Leek First School. He undertakes several voluntary roles, including being a Trustee of North Staffordshire YMCA and is the Assistant Safety Manager at Leek Town Football Club. Peter is an Honorary Doctor of Staffordshire University and a Visiting Professor at the University of Chester.

Pat Fisher

Pat chairs the Board of Trustees.

She is a retired teacher of Modern Languages, secondary school Headteacher and Ofsted Inspector. She has also worked in Quality Assurance for the Education Authority.

She has chaired the Governing Board of a mainstream First School and is currently a Governor at Horton Lodge Special School.

Richard Hey

After a long career in secondary education, Richard retired from the headship of Westwood College in 2019. Starting as a teacher in East Yorkshire and then moving to Leek in 1993, he has a broad experience that includes both special needs and post-16 education. He worked closely with many external organisations and was chair of both the Staffordshire Secondary Heads Forum and the local Leek Educational Partnership.

Claire Patterson

Claire a qualified Accountant, she is the Audit Manager at a local accounting firm in Leek.

Claire chairs the Finance and Audit Committee at the Trust.

Tracey Walklate

Tracey is currently the Chair of the East Cheshire Association of Primary Headteachers. Tracey has worked across key stage 1 and key stage 2 in three different schools as a class teacher in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent, becoming a deputy head and then headteacher for a number of years. She retired as the headteacher of The Quinta Primary School in 2019. Tracey also undertook the role of School Improvement Partner (SIP) to a number of primary schools, was a Local Leader of Education and pupil premium reviewer. At present she still undertakes some SIP roles to schools. Tracey completed a Masters in Leadership and Management in Education at the University of Manchester.

She is an active member of her local Methodist church; having been a steward and leading acts of worship.

Alex Wolvers

Alex graduated with BEd (Hons) degree from Westminster College Oxford, her main subject being RE. She has taught in Church of England primary and middle schools in the UK and has also taught internationally. She has an MA in Mission and Theology and a diploma in cross cultural studies. She joined the Lichfield Diocese Board of Education in 2017 as a Christian Distinctiveness Advisor and now works across both the LDBE and also the diocese mission team.