The Multi Academy Trust Members

The members of the Multi Academy Trust enter into the funding agreement with the Secretary of State and are legally responsible both to the Secretary of State and to parents and pupils for the running of the Academy Trust and the academies within the Trust. They are also responsible for holding the directors to account for the running of the Trust. 

The functions of the members of the Academy Trust include:

 

• Overseeing the achievement of the objectives of the company
• Taking part in annual and extraordinary general meetings
• Appointing and/or removing directors
• Appointing the auditors
• Signing off the company’s financial accounts and annual report
• Power to amend the Articles of the company or close the company

 

There are seven Members of the Diocese of Coventry Multi Academy Trust:

 

The Bishop of Coventry - The Right Reverend Dr Christopher Cocksworth

 

Christopher Cocksworth read Theology at the University of Manchester. After teaching RS and Economics in secondary education, he trained for ordination and pursued doctoral studies. Dr Cocksworth has served in parochial and chaplaincy ministry and in theological education, latterly as Principal of Ridley Hall, Cambridge. In 2010 he was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity by the University of London for his services to education. He has written a number of books and articles in the area of Christian theology and worship.

 

Bishop Christopher is Chair of the Faith and Order Commission of the of the Church of England. He entered the House of Lords in January 2013 where he contributes on international matters (for which he is lead Bishop), education and ethics of beginning and end of life; he also seeks to give voice to life on the ground in Coventry and Warwickshire. 

 

The Diocesan Board of Education - represented by Canon Linda Wainscot (Diocesan Director of Education)

 

Linda is the Diocesan Director of Education responsible for 75 Church of England Schools across Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire. Currently the Diocese of Coventry has over 89% of the Schools which are good or outstanding. Linda has been at the forefront of the work to support schools becoming academies and continues to support and advise other diocese. 

 

Linda has over 40 years of experience in a variety of educational contexts with teaching and leadership experience in Secondary, Primary, Teacher training and Further Education. 

 

The Chair of the Diocesan Board of Education - The Reverend Elaine Scrivens

 

Elaine is a former teacher and school chaplain. She is passionate about education and the role Church schools play.  She is particularly interested in SIAMS and Collective Worship. 
  

The Bishop's Nominee - Mrs Ruth Marlow

 

Ruth was born and brought up in Sheffield before going to the University of Birmingham where she studied biological sciences and geography. After completing her degree Ruth moved to Nottingham and joined Nottingham City Council where she worked in the council’s Housing Department. In 1985 Ruth qualified as a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing. Ruth continued her career in Housing over the next twelve years, before becoming the Chief Executive of North Kesteven District Council in Lincolnshire and then Managing Director of Mansfield District Council. In these roles Ruth focused on organisational development and service improvement as well as staff training and development. She qualified as an Executive Coach and Leadership Mentor in 2010.In 2014 Ruth became a trustee of TNT – Transforming Notts Together – a member of the CUF Together Network. In September 2016 Ruth was appointed as the Diocesan Secretary for the Diocese of Coventry.  Since joining CDBF Ruth has also taken on the Chair of Together for Change Coventry and Warwickshire another joint venture in the CUF Together Network. Ruth is a member of the Diocesan Board of Education and a Diocesan Trustee.

 

The Chair of the Diocesan Board of Education Business Committee - Mr Mike Draper

 

Mike has an engineering background, completing first an apprenticeship and then a Mechanical Engineering degree while working at Courtaulds Engineering, later known as CEL International.

Mike then retrained while still with CEL and took on responsibility for health and safety in a wide variety of design and construction projects. Mike now works for Volvo Group in Warwick where he is the head of their Safety, Health and Environment team for the UK business. Mike became a Governor at Blue Coat C of E School in 2010 and joined the Diocesan Board of Education in 2013 and was appointed Vice Chair in 2018. Mike was a Churchwarden for St Stephens in Canley from 2011 to 2018.

 

The Chair of the Board of Directors - Paula Whitfield

Paula is an FCA, having trained as a chartered accountant with PWC, working in their London, Cardiff and Sydney offices. Paula worked for PWC for 15 years, finishing her career with PWC as a director in their pensions audit and assurance business.  Paula also worked for British Airways for 3 years in their engineering division reviewing business performance and being involved in the sale of a business.  For the past 10 years she has worked for the GEC 1972 Plan and Telent Ltd specialising in pensions accounting for the company and the pension plan and supporting the Board's Audit Committee on various topics such as risk management, controls, financial reporting, taxation and audit (both internal and external).  Paula is an experienced school governor, having started on the governing body of her local infant school 12 years ago where she became Chair of Governors.  She is currently a governor at two local primary schools and is Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee at another secondary academy trust.  She has successfully steered two schools through their SIAMS inspection, with one school achieving a judgement of outstanding.

 

Appointed Member - Dr Rex Pogson

Rex studied at Cambridge, and taught in schools for 27 years, culminating in 13 years of headship at Lawrence Sheriff School, Rugby.  He was then Director of the Warwickshire Arts Zone for 8 years, with responsibility for forging partnerships between schools, artists and arts organisations for all age-groups.  In a voluntary capacity, he was Chair of the Coventry Diocesan Board of Education for 12 years, with responsibilities for 75 church schools, and was the founding Chair of the Coventry Diocesan MAT.

 

Members Appointments

 

 

 

Members Resignations

 

 

Declarations of Interest

 

 

Persons with Significant Control (PSC)

 

• Coventry Diocesan Board of Education (RLE)
• The Bishop of Coventry in a corporate role (RLE)