Our formal structures are designed to give robust oversight and management of our school without unnecessarily restricting innovation.
We have five Members who are responsible for appointing our Trustees, also known as Directors. Our Members meet once each year.
At present we have five Directors provide strategic oversight and ensure the Trust meets its legal obligations. Our Directors meet five times each year.
Formulation of strategy and day-to-day operations are delegated to the chief executive, Mr Juan Hernandez .
| Members | Directors |
| Dr Stephen Pierpoint | Dr Stephen Pierpoint (Chair) |
| Chris Sheen | Chris Sheen (Vice Chair) |
| Dean Taylor | Juan Hernandez (CEO) |
| David Kilgallon | Dr Andrew Stone |
| Gwyneth Hammand | |
| Graham Smith |
Members
The Exceptional Education Trust, is an exempt charity and is a not-for-profit charity. We are formally constituted as a limited company, which requires us to have Members. This is primarily a formal, rather than an active role, although we have two of the Members who currently serve as Directors.
Chris Sheen – Member and Director
Currently Vice Chair of Governing body with 4 years of governor experience.
Wide experience of general management and personnel in the construction and education sectors. Initially in the construction Industry which included 5 years as General Manager for a company with responsibility for overseeing over 100 staff including all aspects of human resources, personal development and training. Subsequently a Project Manager working on BSF projects in direct control of primary and secondary school construction and refurbishment projects from the post design to completion stages.
Currently the Owner and Director of a small chain of successful children’s nurseries and oversees all aspects of operations, regulatory compliance and personnel.
Dr Stephen Pierpoint – Member & Director
School Governor for 30 years at 3 different establishments, Chair at Norlington for 22 years, Local councillor member of Education committee (1986-90). Current Governance responsibilities include the overview of Safeguarding, Child protection and Health and Safety lead.
Tax Manager at Shell International Petroleum and tax accountant 1989-2009, Qualified Tax inspector 1986-1989. Currently completing a PHD at Cambridge University.
Dean Taylor – Member
Dean Taylor has worked in primary education for nearly 30 years. During that time he has been a primary teacher , teaching in all phases. He spent a year as a literacy advisory teacher for a local authority before taking up a deputy headship for two years. Dean has been a successful headteacher since 1999.
The first headship was for 16 years and during that time he was seconded by the local authority as a Consultant Headteacher, trained as an ESTYN inspector and was also seconded to a school for two terms prior to an inspection. Dean was also an Executive Headteacher for two years , overseeing amalgamation and a new build. Since September 2016 he has been headteacher of a school in Newport.
He is also a Challenge Advisor for the local Consortia school improvement service and works with a number of schools across the region. Dean has been Wales president of the NAHT on two occasions and is Regional Secretary for the NAHT in Wales. He works in behalf of members in engaging with government on policy and representing members in all matters.
David Kilgallon – Member
Former Director of Education for Waltham Forest L.A.. Extensive experience of school improvement and local authority education systems.
Directors
Our directors oversee the strategy and direction of the Trust and ensure that the professional staff work in the best interests of the Academy Trust. In addition to their scheduled meetings the Directors regularly meet on special projects and to provide advice and guidance to the Chief Executive and senior staff.
Graham Smith – Director
Graham’s career covers teaching, training, inspection, consultancy and senior management and both primary and secondary schools. From 2009-2011 he was Project Director of London Challenge’s Pan London EAL Strategy, a programme delivering 2,000 days of training in 200 schools in 31 local authorities that was a key factor in providing the highest level of attainment in the country for pupils with EAL. His extensive senior management experience includes deputy head and assistant director roles. Graham has also been a senior elected member of two London councils. In addition, he specialises in turnaround and has chaired two Interim Executive Boards in Peterborough schools.
Gwyneth Hammand – Director
Experienced school governor and educational professional and with experience drawn from teaching and managing in the sixth form sector and project management in a number of settings including universities, primary schools and secondary schools. I currently work as a school improvement advisor and Science advisor for a local authority and have a particular interest in STEM subjects and post 16 education.
Dr Andrew Stone – Director
Director of School Services, Diocese of East Anglia. Ex Headteacher of Holy Family Catholic School.
An experienced headteacher for almost ten years, Dr Stone has worked in both secondary schools and the sixth form college sector.
He was co-chair of the Waltham Forest Secondary Challenge and Chair of the Aquinas Trust Federation of Catholic Schools in Waltham Forest. He is a strong advocate of partnership work in school improvement and is an effective networker across Waltham Forest and beyond.
Dr Stone’s PhD, completed while he was working full time, was a study of the lack of parity of esteem between academic and vocational education in England. He is a passionate believer in lifelong learning and enhancing the life chances of disadvantaged communities.