Trustees
Sally Lockyer
Chair of Trustees
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Sally is a former fast-track teacher and has worked in a number of secondary schools in the area. She has designed and implemented curriculum plans in her subject area from Key Stage 3 to A level and IB, as well as running extra-curricular activities in music. More recently she has gained deep and direct experience of implementing programmes of speech and language therapy, sensory integration therapy and physiotherapy. Sally has served as Chair of a local school’s Parent and Friends’ Association, leading a large committee of volunteers in significant fund-raising activities. Sally’s in-depth knowledge of the complex educational requirements of the SLCN child and the local availability of appropriate aspirational educational opportunities, led her to initiate and steer the Grove House School project. She now brings this wealth of experience and commitment to the school’s Local Academy Committee and the SEAX Board of Trustees.
Sally was elected Chair of the Trust Board in September 2022.
Caroline Pardy
Vice Chair of Trustees, Chair of the Academy Improvement Committee and Chair of The Hawthorns School & Thriftwood Academy Local Governance Groups
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Caroline is a qualified teacher and has a MA in Education Leadership. She has extensive experience working in a number Essex secondary schools. She has held a number of leadership positions including, head of department, head of year, curriculum deputy and associate headteacher in a federation of schools. Caroline believes that every child and young person has the right to a quality education. She has made this her priority, especially for children and young people with special educational needs and/ or disabilities. Caroline has experience of working with educational psychologists, health and social care practitioners and parents developing plans that meet the needs of pupils. Before leaving main stream education Caroline was curriculum deputy and a spend a great deal of time developing appropriate curriculum programmes for pupils with special needs. She ensured the pupils achieved appropriate qualifications and had access to quality work related learning.
Caroline has a wide experience of working with children and young people with social, emotional and mental health needs. She was head of provision that provided respite support for pupils aged 5 to 16 who were finding life in main stream school difficult. As part of this role Caroline worked with the child, school, therapeutic services and the local authority.
Caroline currently works as an Independent School Improvement Advisor for a number of primary, secondary and special schools.
Tony Cox
Whistleblowing Trustee and Chair of the Resources, Audit & Risk Committee
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Tony’s professional background is in housing, health and social care. He’s a Chartered Secretary with a background in organisational governance, a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing and a member of the Chartered Institute of Management.
Tony has worked across central and local government in a variety of policy and strategic roles, he has commissioned services for Councils and Health Trusts, been a Non Executive Director at a care and support provider and a NHS Primary Care Trust. He is currently a Lay Member and Deputy Chair of an NHS Clinical Commissioning Group and previously ran his own consultancy business.
Tony really likes the way that the SEAX Trust is able to use the knowledge and expertise of the Local Academies to develop innovative new projects whilst delivering excellent services that enhance and develop young people. He is particularly interested in how young people are supported as they move towards an independent life.
In his spare time Tony loves cycling and motorbiking.
Ruth Sturdy
Accounting Officer, Data Protection Trustee & CEO
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Ms Sturdy is the Trust CEO, appointed by Members to the Trust Board.
Ruth has many years’ experience in education including senior roles in schools, local authority and as the headteacher of a specialist provision. In that time she has always used her passion for equity and inclusion to challenge herself and others to find the best way to ensure that every young person achieves all that they can, both when they are at school and when they move on. A great education is every young person’s right, as should a life where young people are part of their communities, able to contribute and feel safe and secure for their future.
Ruth is a qualified teacher and has a B.Sc ( econ) from the University of Wales and an MA with a focus on education. Her career has always had a focus on SEND,she was a SENCO in three schools in her journey towards school/setting and now multi- school leadership. Her experience of leadership across a range of settings including mainstream and specialist provisions as well as at a wider local authority level means that she has a wealth and breadth of knowledge and skills to bring to the role of CEO of the SEAX Trust.
Ruth’s experience of governance includes primary, secondary and special schools and she is currently a governor at a special school in Essex which is not in the SEAX Trust.
Ruth’s vision for SEAX Trust is that it becomes a centre of expertise and a source of support for schools and academies both within and beyond the Trust. She believes that special schools have a responsibility to be part of the wider school community sharing their knowledge to support other schools and in so doing learning from them. Ruth is certain that it is through collaboration that we can ensure that every child has the right education to allow them to be successful citizens and to contribute to their own communities and wider society, irrespective of their abilities, needs or any labels they may have been given.
Cathryn Adams
Safeguarding Trustee
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Cathryn was appointed to the Board of Trustees in October 2019.
Cathryn has extensive experience working in Local Authorities and was a senior officer in Essex for a number of years. During that time, she held a number of roles and led on safeguarding in education as well as other services related to inclusion. Cathryn was the Virtual School Head between 2010- 2018 contributing to the journey to the outstanding judgement of Essex Children’s Services. During that period, she was part of the Essex team that worked as a DfE Improvement Partner working to help and support other authorities improve services to children. She is experienced in self-evaluation and performance improvement across a range of services.
Cathryn was a Board Member of the National Virtual School Heads Steering Group and alongside colleagues she contributed to the transition to become the National Association of Virtual School Heads (NAVSH) as a registered charity.
In 2018 Cathryn become an Independent Consultant working with Virtual Schools, schools and LA services in relation to improving services for vulnerable learners. She also provides consultancy services to schools and Multi-Academy Trusts improving the effectiveness safeguarding. Cathryn continues to work for Essex as a DfE approved Interim Executive Board (IEB) member and School Improvement Board (SIB) chair providing governance expertise in the specialisms of vulnerable learners and safeguarding, for schools in difficulty. Recently Cathryn has been trained to become a peer review manager for the NAVSH. In addition, Cathryn continues to provides training opportunities for schools.
Cathryn has an honours degree in Social Policy and Criminology and a Post Graduate Certificate in Local Government administration.
Martin Dunn
Trustee
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Martin has 30 years’ experience in international marketing, general management and consulting in fast moving consumer goods and energy sectors, holding senior roles with global multinationals Diageo, E.On, BAT and SABMiller. In 2017, he co-founded a consultancy business and is a director, specialising in bridging his clients’ marketing capability gaps to increase their commercial effectiveness.
Martin was educated in Scotland and at The University of Birmingham, where he gained a LLB (Hons) in Law with French, and also holds a Diplôme d’Etudes Juridiques Françaises from the Université de Limoges. He is a linguist: fluent in French, German and Spanish, he also has some proficiency in Portuguese and Dutch.
Martin has a son who is an alumnus of both Kingswode Hoe School and Thriftwood Academy, and has been a member of Kingswode Hoe School LAC since 2020.