Our Members & Trustees

Our Trust has three levels of governance: Members, Trustees, and Local Governors. Our Members are the 'guardians' of the Trust, holding our Trustees to account and overseeing their work. Members have the power to appoint or remove Trustees, change the articles of association and appoint or remove auditors. Our Trustees hold overall responsibility for our Trust and have four core functions:

Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff
Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure it’s money is well spent
Ensure the voices of school stakeholders are heard.

Each of our schools has a Local Governing Body (LGB). Our LGB's act as a critical friend, providing challenge and support to their school. Their core areas of focus are Stakeholders, Standards, and Safeguarding. In our Church Schools, LGB's also have a focus on SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools).

Our Members and Trustees are as follows:

Members: Kay Crosse, Tanya Ovenden-Hope, David Parker (Chair) and Askel Veur (The Umbrella Trust of the Diocese of Truro).

Trustees: Mohamed Abdallah, Sonia Blandford, Clare Crowle (CEO), Phil Mason (Vice-Chair), David Parker (Chair), Derek Rushton, Mark Lees, Mark Smith, Holly Sykes, Mike Teague, Russell Crawford, Samantha Sutherland and Dean Ashton.

For more information about governance, and for key governance documents, please click here.

Members

Kay Crosse	Date of appointment - 01.10.19 Kay Crosse is a qualified teacher and has a Masters degree in early years education. During her career Kay has had a range of educational roles including: - Preparing early years education professionals to care for and educate very young children. - Ofsted inspector inspecting in colleges of further education, local authority children’s services, children’s centres, adult and family learning and commercial training providers responsible for the training of early years modern apprenticeships. - External Examiner for the National Nursery Examination Board. - Mentor and critical reader for Registered Nursery Inspectors. - Director of the Association of Nursery Training Colleges. - Early years consultancy work in Bahrain, Hawaii and Japan. - Consultancy work for Oxford Brookes, Reading and Bath Spa Universities Kay’s last post of employment was as Principal of Norland College where Kay had responsibilities for its strategic direction and vision. Following this post Kay then set up her own consultancy business continuing to advise on early years matters both in the U.K. and abroad. She has published two books as well as contributing to several early years journals.
Tanya Ovenden-Hope	Date of appointment - 01.09.22 Tanya is Professor of Education at Plymouth Marjon University (the University of St Mark and St John). A senior academic leader with innovative scholarly engagement in educational improvement and effectiveness at a national and international level. She has 29 years of cross-sector educational experience and was awarded Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2014 and Enterprise Educator of the Year in 2014. She is a published author of academic texts and research and holds an associate role with the Department for Education, an Adjunct Professor in Education at Cape Breton University, a Member for three Multi Academy Trusts, a co-opted executive committee member of the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) and Special Interest Group (SIG) Convenor for the British Educational Research Association (BERA). Tanya is committed to education for transforming lives and has held roles as Head of Sociology (Wheatley Park School, Oxford), Programme Team Lead for Education and Higher Education (Truro College), Additional Inspector for Ofsted, Head of the School of Secondary and Further Education Studies (Plymouth University), Director of Education (Cornwall College). Tanya’s current research is in school improvement, with a focus on socio-economically deprived coastal regions in England and educational isolation.
David Parker	Date of appointment as a Member - 15.05.21 Date of appointment as a Trustee - 11.09.20 David is a retired former CEO of a local academy trust and before that a secondary school headteacher for fifteen years. He trained as a teacher of geography and outdoor education and worked in schools in Oxfordshire, Bristol and Devon including advisory work for the local authority and senior examiner roles at A level and GCSE. Appointed as Headteacher at The Roseland, near Truro, for four years and then Principal of Penrice Academy in St Austell for eleven years. Penrice was recognised by Ofsted as an outstanding provider in successive inspections and designated as a National Teaching School and a Leadership Development School. David then worked with local partner primary schools in St Austell to establish a collaborative academy trust of eight schools. David was recognised as a National Leader of Education and worked with Cornish schools to improve educational outcomes. Also trained as an Ofsted inspector. He was a governor for twelve years at Cornwall College and is currently a governor at two local primary schools. David has always been committed to state education, to raising standards and to ensuring every child both succeeds and enjoys school.
Askel Veur	Date of appointment - 01.09.19 Askel Veur (meaning ‘Great Wing’ in Cornish) is The Diocese of Truro’s Academies Umbrella Company. The Diocesan Education Department works not only with the 44 Church schools but also a large number of community schools, their representatives take up roles on the boards of multi-academy trusts that include both church and non-church schools. The focus of this work will always be on improving outcomes for children. The Diocese of Truro is committed to being a significant partner in raising standards in schools for children in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. They play an active part in the new school-led education system set out in the recent White Paper: Educational Excellence Everywhere. This involves providing expertise, training, support, challenge and grants in all the seven identified areas of excellence.

Trustees

Mohamed Abdallah

Date of appointment 02.12.2022 (Trustee appointed)

Mohamed’s career began in youth work and pupil referral units, before spending over a decade leading pioneering inclusive practice at an ‘Outstanding’ all-through mainstream school.
Mohamed’s use of Asset-Based Community Development approach - empowering young people and families - alongside a multi-disciplinary approach to safeguarding and inclusion drove down both fixed term and permanent exclusions across the school.

Mohamed now leads the Inclusive Leadership Course at The Difference supporting school leaders across the country to draw on best practice in trauma-informed approaches, contextual safeguarding, and in taking an Asset-Based Approach to leadership within a local community.

Dean Ashton

Date of appointment - 01.09.24 (Member appointed)

Dean is the founder and CEO of Reach South Academy Trust. Reach South currently operates 17 primary, secondary and special academies in Plymouth, Devon, Bournemouth, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. The Trust also plans to open two new academies in 2026.

Dean was part of the small team that established REAch2 Academy Trust along with its founder, Sir Steve Lancashire in 2012. Dean also established the business model for the launch of Reach4 Academy in 2015.

Dean began his career as a secondary Science Teacher before taking roles in school management and leadership. He then moved into Local Education Authority leadership as Deputy Director of Education before becoming a Corporate Director of Children’s Services.

Dean has held several Trusteeships and Directorships including: Chair of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Youth Justice Board; Chair of the South West Grid for Learning; Chair of the Cornwall Children and Young People’s Partnership; and Chair of the Cornwall Local Safeguarding Children Board. Dean has also led an educational consultancy. Dean has been the Director of Operations for REAch2 and Reach4 Academy Trusts.

Sonia Blandford

(SEND Trustee)

Date of appointment - 05.09.22 (Foundation appointed)

Sonia has over 40 years in education as teacher, school senior leader, researcher, teacher educator, university dean of education, pro-vice chancellor, school governor, MAT trustee, and author; Professor of Social Mobility Plymouth Marjon, Visiting Professor of Education UCL, Honorary Professor Warwick University; Founder and former CEO award-winning charity - Achievement for All 3As; The Prince’s Trust Learning Lead – Taskforce 2030. Named in Debrett's Sunday Times 2015 and 2016 list of the Top 500 Most Influential People in the UK, 2016 Women of the Year Awards, 2018 UK Social Mobility Award Leadership of the Year, 2022 BBC Making a Difference Awards.

Co-created Teacher Training Resource Bank and Teach First programme; Co-Author European Commission Improving Teacher Education; Founding Vice-President Chartered College of Teaching; UK lead for European Agency for Inclusion and SEND Raising Attainment research report.

Editor Teaching Times Inclusion Journal; recent book publications -Born to Fail? Social Mobility, A Working Class view,’ ‘Social Mobility Chance or Choice?’, John Catt Education; forthcoming publication Teaching and Learning to Unlock Social Mobility for Every Child: Building Learning Futures, Routledge Taylor and Francis.

Russell Crawford

Date of appointment - 29.09.23 (Trustee appointed)

Professor Russell Crawford joined Falmouth University in July 2020, coming from Keele University where he was a Senior Lecturer in Academic Development. In 2017, he received the National Times Higher Education ‘Most Innovative Teacher of the Year’ award and was also recognised as a 2018 National Teaching Fellow for his sustained impact on positive student outcomes and higher education teaching across a range of national projects.  At Falmouth, he is leading projects to transform curriculum, to develop excellence and remain market-aligned by leading on portfolio strategy as well as oversight of our collaborative partnerships, all aligned with their 2030 Strategy and mission, vision and values.

He remains active as a pedagogical researcher and uses his position to ensure learning and teaching research strengths are integrated into undergraduate and postgraduate teaching across all modes of delivery at Falmouth University.

Clare Crowle (CEO)

Date of appointment - 25.04.22 (Ex-officio)

Clare is an experienced, successful educational leader, having been involved in Academies and Multi-Academy Trusts since 2010. Prior to her appointment as Kernow Learning CEO in April 2022, she was a Headteacher of an outstanding school (Trenance Learning Academy), Executive Headteacher of two schools, a National Leader of Education, Regional School Improver and the Deputy CEO of Kernow Learning.

Clare has been instrumental in establishing the OneCornwall Teaching School Hub, Kernow English Hub and enabling a successful bid for Kernow Learning to become jointly designated as one of the Regional Associate Research Schools for the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).

Throughout her professional career Clare has made the quality of education and outcomes for the children her focus. She believes that the sharing of best practice is an important strand in the shaping of the new national educational landscape and that the strong, clear systems of Governance at Kernow Learning are key to the Trust continuing to go from strength to strength.

Phil Mason

(Vice-Chair)

Date of appointment - 01.09.19 (Member appointed)

Phil has been a Governor and Director in Primary Education since 2007. As Chair of governors he helped lead St Columb Minor Primary School in its transition to academy status and then helped lead the creation and development of the ACE Multi Academy Trust in Cornwall and was Chair of Director from 2013 to 2019.

As well as being Vice Chair of Kernow Learning, Phil was a Director of Newquay Education Trust until it merged this year with another trust. He has significant experience and skills in leadership, management, finance and property. Phil is the Strategic Director for Economic Growth and Development for Cornwall Council, having formerly held the role of Service Director and Chief Planner for the Planning and Sustainable Development Service for the local authority.

Phil is currently helping to lead the Council’s response to Climate Change and the need for Cornwall to reach a net-zero carbon position.

Phil has children at Tretherras and Cornwall College. He is passionate that education is the foundation for the welfare and well-being of every child and that every child in every school matters. Phil believes his role is to ensure that there is continual improvement in all aspects of education.

David Parker

(Vice-Chair)

Date of appointment as a Member - 15.05.21 Date of appointment as a Trustee - 11.09.20 (Trustee appointed)

David is a retired former CEO of a local academy trust and before that a secondary school headteacher for fifteen years.

He trained as a teacher of geography and outdoor education and worked in schools in Oxfordshire, Bristol and Devon including advisory work for the local authority and senior examiner roles at A level and GCSE.

Appointed as Headteacher at The Roseland, near Truro, for four years and then Principal of Penrice Academy in St Austell for eleven years. Penrice was recognised by Ofsted as an outstanding provider in successive inspections and designated as a National Teaching School and a Leadership Development School. David then worked with local partner primary schools in St Austell to establish a collaborative academy trust of eight schools.

David was recognised as a National Leader of Education and worked with Cornish schools to improve educational outcomes. Also trained as an Ofsted inspector.

He was a governor for twelve years at Cornwall College and is currently a governor at two local primary schools.

David has always been committed to state education, to raising standards and to ensuring every child both succeeds and enjoys school.

Derek Rushton

(Safeguarding Trustee and Vice-Chair)

Date of appointment - 12.03.21 (Trustee appointed)

In brief, Derek's career has been in primary education with twenty five years spent in senior management. These positions spanned working in three very different education authorities, culminating in two headships in Cornwall. In these times there were two breaks in service. The first of these was to travel in Europe but also included a period teaching EFL in Germany to business. The second break was a secondment from his headship to work with the Children’s Fund in establishing community service partnerships in North Cornwall – Children’s Centres developed from this! This experience of looking at integrated service partnerships working alongside schools became an abiding interest of his and upon retirement he has continued to develop this.

Initially, Derek served on the Board of Trustees of a community action organisation – CN4C including a five year stint as Chair. This was a county wide organisation whose activities aimed to build capacity in communities of significant deprivation. Locally, he has also served on the board of the community centre in Bodmin.

Derek has also served as a Director of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence Multi Academy Trust and Chair of Beacon ACE Academy with some responsibilities for working alongside Trust Chairs from other academies.

Mark Lees

Date of appointment - 14.05.24

Mark's most recent employed position was CEO of Falmouth Multi-Academy Trust having previously spent 41 years as a teacher and leader in a wide variety of primary schools and as a MAT CEO on two occasions. Mark is passionate about the development of an exciting curriculum for primary age children, set within a stimulating and creative learning environment.

Mark has been headteacher of several primary schools in Cornwall including Trenance Infants, Alverton Primary, Threemilestone School in Truro and was the Executive Principal of the five primary schools that made up St Pirans Cross CE MAT. He is proud of the standards achieved and provision in all of these schools, and his leadership abilities were recognised in 2008 when he was awarded the N.C.S.L. Headteacher of the Year in a south west primary school.

Mark has had the opportunity to work for Cornwall Council as a Primary Adviser on two occasions, leading on the E.Y.F.S, primary leadership, governance and remodelling the workforce.

Mark also spent 1 year as the acting Director for Schools for the Diocese of Truro. He has a wide experience of supporting primary schools with school improvement as a SIP and adviser, and has also been a registered Ofsted inspector.

Until the end of March 2023, Mark was the chair of governors at Mabe Primary, securing and strengthening governance. He was in role for 4 years and built a strong and successful LGB in that time.

Mark Smith

Date of appointment - 01.09.19 (Member appointed)

Mark is a Professional Director with experience in UK public sector environment, UK education landscape and with strong commercial acumen.

Mark is Executive Director of Business Engagement at Aston University, formerly he was Director of Enterprise and Employability at Birmingham University and from 2012 - 2015 was Executive Director of Unlocking Cornish Potential and the University of Plymouth.

He has also worked as a Director of the Cornwall Enterprise Institute Plymouth University, a Director of Business Development CPR Regeneration Limited, Chief Operating Officer AIDC UK Limited, Head of Business Development Renaissance South Yorkshire and Deputy Director (Strategy) Small Business Service in London.

Samantha Sutherland

Date of appointment - 29.09.23 (Trustee appointed)

Samantha is a financial coach, mortgage and insurance adviser with more than 20 years of experience helping clients achieve their financial goals. Samantha is experienced in providing education and support on financial topics such as budgeting, debt management, saving money and planning. She also specialises in helping clients find the best mortgage and insurance products for their personal and business needs.

Outside of work Samantha is passionate about helping others and found that the best way to do that is to get involved in the local community. She is a volunteer trustee and the fundraising officer for Newquay Surf Life Saving Club, an important community organisation that provides a safe and inclusive environment for people to learn about water safety and participate in a variety of activities.

Holly Sykes

(Whistleblowing Trustee)

Date of appointment - 01.09.19 (Member appointed)

Holly oversees and delivers the Internal Audit Service for Cornwall Council. In addition she is the lead for the Internal Audit Service for Corserv, which includes Cornwall Housing Limited, Cornwall Airport Limited, and Cormac, as well as for a number of Multi Academy Trusts.

Holly previously headed up part of the audit service for the Ministry of Defence, with over 15 years experience in central Government from Internal Audit, transformation to working behind the scenes of Typhoon and Tornado fast jet projects.

Previous experience includes auditing Housing Associations, local authorities, the NHS and education sectors as well as delivering external audit in the private sector. She specialises in Audit, Risk Management, transformation and leadership development.

As a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors South West Committee she facilitates and leads conferences having also been an examiner for the Institute on the risk management qualifications.
In her spare time she is a Trustee and Treasurer for Newquay Surf Life Saving Club, based at Fistral beach.

Mike Teague

Date of appointment - 31.03.23 (Trustee appointed)

Mike was born in Redruth and has lived in Cornwall all his life. He was educated at Treleigh Primary and Redruth Grammar.

Mike is now retired but had a professional career at Senior Operational Management level spanning 35 years. This was primarily in the dairy food sector and he has worked in several Cornish based manufacturing sites covering a wide range of products, working for both large PLC’s and family-owned businesses.

His last position was as Creamery Operations Manager for A&E Rodda & Sons, the local but very well-known, Cornish clotted cream producer.

Mike is qualified in Industrial Management to Diploma level, AAT level four in accountancy and has undertaken a range of training programmes and experience covering Strategic development, Effective Team building, External and Internal Auditing, Risk- based assessment for both Health and Food Safety, Change and Lean management, Continuous Improvement, Purchasing, Budget setting and Project management.