Jonathan started in Local Government at Cambridgeshire Council as graduate trainee in 1999, qualifying as a chartered accountant in 2003 working across Social Care and Children’s Services. Jonathan joined Peterborough City Council in 2007 as Assistant Director Resources for Children’s Service, delivering an ambitious £190 million schools capital programme to support the rapidly growing population in the city and commissioning services. In 2011, he added the challenge of leading the education department and Peterborough was the most improved Ofsted authority in 2013/14 and was judged by Ofsted in March 2014 as having an “effective” school improvement service – only the second authority nationally to receive a positive outcome in this type of inspection at first inspection.
He moved to Northamptonshire in 2015 as Assistant Director (Education) before moving to the Department for Education in 2016 as Deputy Director for the Regional School Commissioner for the East of England and North East London. From 2018 to 2024, he led Education across both Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Authorities – overseeing 350 schools and a combined budget of around £1bn. In 2024, he started as Chief Finance and Operating Office for Diamond Learning Partnership before moving into the Chief Executive Officer role in September 2025.
Tracy brings a wealth of experience from both the private sector and education. She began her career as a Food Technologist with H.J. Heinz before moving into financial management, where she held roles as a Branch Manager, Trainer, and Area Manager. She later established and led her own consultancy business, providing services to major financial institutions.
In education, Tracy has worked across all year groups and has played a significant role in the professional development of both teachers and students, collaborating with other schools and universities. She has held a number of senior leadership positions, including Key Stage Leader, Assistant Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher, and Executive Headteacher.
As Executive Headteacher, Tracy played a pivotal role in the planning and opening of Wintringham Primary Academy. She also led the establishment of two pre-school settings and developed an on-site Enhanced Resource Base (ERB) provision for children with SEND, specifically supporting pupils with significant SEMH needs.
Tracy represented the St Neots cluster on Cambridgeshire Primary Heads and was subsequently elected Chair, serving a two-year term. She is currently Deputy CEO of The Diamond Learning Trust alongside her role as Executive Headteacher.
Following her training as a Mechanical Engineer, Hazel has worked the last 17 years in a leading European Aerospace company working in the Space division. Following some time as a design and test engineer she has spent the last 10 years as project manager on Satellites propulsion sub-systems. She is experienced in managing multi-national teams for the full project life cycle, interfacing with customers and suppliers as well as being responsible for the project budget and reporting within the company.
Hazel has been a governor at Great Staughton Primary Academy for nearly 6 years. She has two children at primary school.
Ian is an experienced senior educational leader whose 25-year career spans educational strategy, data management, and curriculum design. As Vice Principal at Samuel Whitbread Academy, Ian’s primary duties include leading the Quality of Education at KS3 and KS4, managing the timetable, exams, data, and assessment, and overseeing the staffing and capitation budgets. He is the designated Data Protection Lead and the BTEC Quality Nominee, and his professional qualifications include achieving the NPQH and the Advanced Skills Teacher (AST) qualifications.
Ian previously held the multi-academy trust position of Assistant Principal – Data and Assessment at Bedfordshire East Multi Academy Trust (BEMAT). He was accountable for developing systems for tracking student performance, assessment, and data across all trust schools. Furthermore, Ian has contributed to professional development as a Contributing Lecturer at Bedfordshire Schools Training Partnership. He lectures trainee teachers and middle and senior leaders on data and school accountability, target setting, and assessment practices.
Giles has spent the last 15 years working in the rail industry, predominantly in Major Programmes and Projects, working on schemes such as Crossrail, Great Western Electrification and the East Coast Connectivity Programme. Prior to this, Giles worked in hotel management for the Accor Group, spending time in London and Philadelphia, USA. He currently holds the position of Delivery Director, Enhancements within Network Rail, leading the enhancements directorate to develop and deliver complex projects and programme across Thames Valley. Flagship projects within his portfolio include Oxford Connect and the Cowley Branch Line reinstatement.
During his time at Network Rail, Giles has regularly supported school age students through STEM activities, interview training, placement support and careers fairs. Giles also coaches youth football at Oakley Football Club at Under 10 level. As a parent and professional, Giles strongly believes in the importance of giving young people exposure and opportunities to try new things and to learn from their successes and mistakes.
Kate has over 17 years’ experience of working in the HR and equality fields in the education sector.
She is passionate about the welfare and potential of all children and young people and about education and the opportunities it can and should afford everyone. This has inspired her career choices to date, having begun her career delivering anti-racism education in schools with Show Racism the Red card, before founding EqualiTeach, whose mission is to empower young people to create positive change, and working as a HR Manager at IntoUniversity, a social mobility charity which supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to attain their chosen aspiration.
She is currently Chief Operating Officer at EqualiTeach and a HR Business Partner at River Learning Trust. She has a strong academic profile, with a postgraduate degree (Distinction) in Managing Equality and Diversity, a CMI Level 5 qualification in Leadership and Management, and a CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management. She has authored the book ‘More than Words: Promoting Race Equality and Tackling Racism in Schools’, published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Matt has spent the majority of his career in providing HR & Payroll as a Managed Service, working across both the public and private sectors for companies such as Serco, Zellis and EPM. The customer base which Matt managed exceeded 125,000 employees across the UK, spanning up to 2,000 customers at any one time. He delivered significant improvement project across internal and external operations, enhancing the value of service delivered across his portfolio.
He currently holds the role of Head of People Shared Services at Anglian Water Group, where he oversees Exec Remuneration and Governance, Reward & Benefits, Payroll, People Services, HR Systems and Pensions. Matt has held this position since November 2023.
As a parent of young children and having personally been involved in the Education Sector in his time with EPM, Matt is passionate about creating thriving educational environments, powered by great people
Following his retirement he continues to be involved in the banking sector as a pension trustee and in a number of roles within the local community.
Godfrey is currently Chair of the board having previously served as chair of the Finance and Audit committee and for a number of years as Chair of the local governing bodies of two schools within the Trust
Jamie has been a senior civil servant at the Department of Health and Social Care since 2020. Before joining DHSC, Jamie spent 12 years at the Department for Education.
For most of his career, Jamie has been a policy adviser. He has also worked on multiple, significant change and transformation programmes. During his time at DfE, his work included teachers’ pay and conditions, behaviour and attendance, relationships and sex education, and the roll out of the academies and free schools programme. Jamie was also Head of Delivery on the Opportunity Areas programmes in Fenland & East Cambridgeshire, Ipswich and Norwich.
Outside of work, Jamie has been Chair of Governors at two schools, with over 14 years’ experience of school governance.
Antony has worked in education all of his career. From a class teacher in 2000, into senior leadership as a deputy head and then onto headship in 2009. Antony has also been an executive headteacher across 2 Northamptonshire schools. Antony was CEO of Innovate Muti Academy Trust in Northamptonshire from 2014 to 2023.
Over the last 3 years Antony has created a new MAT with the Diocese of Chester, worked on a complicated land transfer between a charity and a MAT and worked with multiple schools and MATs on their growth plans.
Antony is currently working with a MAT in South London who are expanding into the Midlands, a MAT in Middlesex who are adding 3 schools, an Independent school in Exeter who are developing an Area Education partnership and providing Performance management for a large MAT in South Yorkshire.
Antony has been a School Governor and Director of multiple Multi Academy Trusts over his career.
Good quality, well trained, highly motivated school leadership is key to developing schools and giving pupils the best possible outcomes. Antony developed a high quality team around him at Innovate. He believes that the key to successful leadership is to surround yourself with people cleverer than you! Putting together a high performing team is key to achieving success.
Antony is also a strong advocate for children’s rights. He believes that all children deserve a high-quality education, regardless of their background. He is committed to ensuring that all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential no matter their starting point or barriers to learning.