Our Trustees

Chair of trustees

 

 

Trustees

 

 

Trustee Resignations in the last 12 Months

Mick Seller - Chair of Trustees

Mick has gained broad experience of the education sector over a career spanning 40 years. His first job in education was teaching at Roe Farm Junior School from 1979 to 1986. He then became an advisory teacher for Derbyshire before taking a role at Asterdale Primary School as deputy headteacher and subsequently headteacher. Under Mick’s leadership the school was judged outstanding in 1999. 
In 2000 he became Director of the Derby Education Action Zone, leading a 5-year programme to improve outcomes in 25 local primary, special and secondary schools. He was appointed to the role of Assistant Director of Education for Derby in 2005 and later became Assistant Director of Children’s Services. In 2010 he moved to Stoke-on-Trent to become Director of Learning, leaving in 2012 to set up his own school improvement company. He retired in 2019.

 

Claire Brown - Co Vice-Chair of Trustees

Claire became a school governor at Portway Junior School in 2005 and served as Chair of Governors for 10 years.   This gave her a wealth of experience in Primary governance through involvement at Portway, interaction with other schools and the Local Authority.

Claire works for Atos (a worldwide IT company) in their UK Finance Operations.  Her role involves Finance systems development, implementation and support - problem solving and working with local and global teams.  These skills have been valuable in her work with schools in Derby. 

 

Tom Clay - Co Vice-Chair of Trustees

Tom is a Commercial Banking Relationship Manager for Lloyds Bank, specialising in schools and academy banking. With over 14 years’ experience in finance, he now looks after the banking relationship for the majority of academies and multi academy trusts in the East Midlands. He spends the majority of his time helping schools make the most from cash balances they have and supporting schools who are converting to academies. Before becoming a trustee, Thomas was the local authority governor at Borrow Wood Primary School for 2 years.

 

Laura Baddiley

Laura has worked with schools for the past 13 years, starting work as a Children’s Centre Coordinator and moving to a Strategic Business Director in a Maintained Nursery School and Teaching School 9 years ago.

Laura is interested in the wider picture of education, driving forward a self-improving school-led system which makes our schools the envy of the world.  Laura is passionate about making a difference to children's lives and making a positive mark on society and strongly believes schools are stronger together.


Throughout Laura’s career she has always strived for more whilst gaining new skills and attributes. This recently has resulted in an award of 'Honorary Teaching Fellow' with the prestigious University of Warwick.

 

Sarah Charles

Current role is at University of Derby as Head of Provider Led ITE and EYTS and Deputy Head of the Professional Studies Department. Member of Quality and Academic Excellence Sub-committee and Teacher Education Research Group. Previously a Leading Literacy Teacher in Staffordshire.

 

Mike Moore

Mike worked as a project officer in the School Organisation Team of Derby City Council for over 20 years, mainly with responsibility for advising schools on premises related issues but also on schools emergency planning, health and safety and a wide range of other general educational issues. He held responsibility for the prioritisation, planning and delivery of a large number of very high value Capital Programme school premises improvement schemes. He has previously worked in the City as a Headteacher, so is able to bring a breadth of experiences to his post as a Trustee.

 

Libby Partridge

Libby worked in education for nearly 20 years. Her roles included Adult Learning Project Manager and Children’s Centre Manager. Prior to this she was Marketing Controller for the Life Division of a global insurance company. She has extensive financial and business experience, including bid writing, budget setting and managing, staff leadership and management, all aspects of HR, and premises management. Libby has also been a school governor since 1996, including seven years as Chair. She is passionate about the education of all children, giving them the right opportunities to succeed to the best of their ability.

 

Sue Pringle

A retired civil servant, Sue had a long career in the Ministry of Defence (Army) spanning 30 years in a variety of management roles, including procurement, contract management and HR.

Sue first became a school governor when her children were young and over the years has been involved in both primary and secondary, mainstream and special needs schools, as Chair, vice chair and chair of numerous committees.

Since moving to Derbyshire in 2009 she has taken on other volunteer roles including working as a general list adviser with Citizens Advice and as a caseworker for SSAFA, a national military charity.