Our Trustees
TrusteesMr Howard Fisher
Chair
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Educated at Anglia Ruskin University; Howard completed his four year BEd (Hons) in maths before entering the teaching profession in Harlow, Essex. His first school was a tough council school in the heart of Harlow, a deprived area with high social needs. Rising quickly to be key stage manager for the infant department, he went on to teach in a private school in Hertfordshire catering from nursery to eighteen. Here he studied for his first post graduate qualification in Special Educational Needs with a focus on children’s literature and a study of ‘why do boys fail?’ Moving here to the East end of London he worked in a multicultural school in Walthamstow; the school at the time having been just failed by an inspection team, he quickly worked with the Head Teacher to bring about change. From here he accepted a deputy headship to Sheerness in Kent; a very deprived school with severe social challenge; completing here his national qualification for headship. His four year tenure prepared him well for his first Headship on the Romney Marsh in a new school with severe problems. Here he studied for his second post graduate qualification in Faith in Education. Moving this school to good with outstanding features; he then decided to take the challenge of building and opening a new school on Sheppey in Kent. Restructuring the school and working with an architect within a time frame of just eight months; the school has grown from strength to strength receiving an outstanding inspection from the Diocese recently. Howard is currently studying for a Theology degree and has taken the school into an Academy with the Diocese three years ago. Howard also ran two schools in his Executive Headship position within the Trust was last year taking this additional school out of Special measures in six months. He is in his fifteenth year of headship.
Mr Gary Jeffery
Vice Chair
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My full name is Gary Raymond Jeffery, 55 years of age and a real local, having lived on the Isle of Sheppey for all of those years, progressing through the then Primary (Rose Street), Middle (St Georges C E) and the Sheppey Comprehensive educational structure. I am passionate about improving life chances for students. I currently have a Sole Trader Business involved in Garden Maintenance, which has been in operation for a number of years, mainly servicing and transforming domestic and commercial areas in the Sheppey and Sittingbourne area. Prior to this I spent many years in operational management within a large company, including several years in a General Manager role reporting to the Group CEO, driving a direct report operational team to success on a variety of fronts – Finance, Health and Safety, Operations, Service and Team Performance. This role was national, culminating with responsibility for a large annual budget and a high number of staff. I am of analytical nature, like attention to detail and am of a non-personalised direct nature, striving and demanding of success, good performance and standards. Whilst truth is in the eye of the receiver, I am of the belief that I am also of an approachable, understanding and supporting nature, and believe the above mix of business exposure, personal attributes and local interest will support TILT well.
Skills: Performance Management and Business Process Improvement, Project Management and delivery, Leadership, People Management, Communication. Good understanding of Finance/Accounts and Management Performance Information.
Mr Aaron Janes
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I am currently a senior engineer looking after a team of engineers delivering connection projects across south London ranging from small service upgrades in individual properties to multi million pound developments such as the Shard and London Bridge redevelopment programme. I work for the electricity board (UK Power Networks). I joined them (London Electricity as it was then) in Aug' 1999 as an apprentice cable jointer. I have a HNC in Electrical engineering and a NEBOSH diploma in Health and Safety. I am currently in my final year of a part time 3 year master’s degree studying leadership and management. An experienced Governor with over 15 years’ experience: Vice Chair for 3 years, Chair currently at Eastchurch CEP School (have been for 2 years). Experience with HT recruitment panel, staff discipline panel and expulsion panel. Chair of finance committee for four years so experienced with school budgets. Experienced with DATA analysis. Currently serve on the executive committee for the Kent Governors Association representing SWALE governors, working with Governor services and holding them to account for support functions available to Kent Governors. Trained in Safer Recruitment. Recently attended the DFE programme for School Governance leadership.
Skills: Finance and budget management, leadership, project management, change management, people management, communication, Health & Safety
Alison Payne
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As People Director at COOK, I lead a team of HR professionals and contribute to the strategic agenda as part of the Senior Leadership Team. I am passionate about inclusive policies and structures that facilitate the needs of a fast-paced growing business, with happier people and customers year on year. I am a trained Wisdom and Wellbeing practitioner and being part-time myself, am passionate about flexible working and enabling everyone to have the agility they need in modern life to be the best they can be at work and at home. Prior to joining COOK, I held many operational roles at Tesco Stores Ltd before becoming a Group Personnel Manager for the Tesco Metro format in London.
Jacqueline Hinds
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I am the founder of the Society of Emotional Intelligence International UK & Europe and Founder of Wilson Hinds Consulting Ltd. I am a Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach & Leadership Consultant withs over 25 years’ experience working within large corporate organisations; bringing together skills across Human Resource Management and Development, IT systems and transformational change. Along with this, I have 10 years’ experience within two of the largest merged NHS Trusts in UK and Europe, bringing with a wealth of knowledge and experience in transformational change, staff engagement and patient experience, as well as having international healthcare experience in the Middle East and currently sit on the board of a community healthcare Trust in London.
I am passionate about people and their development, especially young people and have been a role model/mentor for Action for Race Equality (formerly BTEG) on their Routes2Success programme for young boys and girls in primary and secondary schools. This is most rewarding as it gives me an opportunity to share my ‘lived experiences’ with them to motivate and empower them to realise and reach for their goals and aspirations.
Alex Jackson
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Alex is the Chief Finance Officer (CFO)) at the Skills for Life Trust. Alex joined the Skills for Life Trust in January 2020 from a neighbouring Multi Academy Trust in Medway, where he held the position of Financial Controller.
Alex has significant public sector financial management, planning and strategy experience in both Education and Healthcare across the home counties and London. Prior to this, he gained commercial Accountancy experience in Construction, Insurance and Property, working for a number of high profile firms. Alex is currently working towards finishing his CIMA qualification.
In his current role Alex is responsible for all aspects of Trust finance and is accountable to the CEO (AO), DCEO, Trust Finance & Audit Committee and Board of Trustees. His core purpose is to ensure the effective and efficient management of Trust finances, providing best value quality outcomes with limited resource. He ensures adherence to the requirements outlined in the Academy Trust Handbook, guidelines set by the ESFA. He also ensures Trust Annual accounts are produced and shared. This includes undertaking duties such as setting and maintaining budgets and five-year financial forecasts, maintaining robust financial controls and producing accurate and timely information, in order for Trust leaders to make informed decisions and to safeguard the financial future of the Trust.
Alex is also tasked with driving forward the Trust’s ambition to capitalise on the considerable commercial potential of the Trust’s assets in order to add to the funds that can be directly attributed to improving the educational offer in each school. Alex leads a team of eight central finance staff.
Ann Pattenden
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Having spent 25 years in education, I feel I have the skills and knowledge to support the dedicated Trustees currently in role to support the further development of the Trust.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my career in education. I have had a number of roles including teacher, Assessment Lead, Deputy Head, Headteacher and currently Executive Headteacher. Through these roles, I have gained a wealth of experience in school improvement with some of my highlights including leading improvements in end of Key Stage outcomes; working as a Headteacher supporting those new to Headship who were part of a Trust, completing my NPQH and then NPQEL. I have led a variety of sized staff teams and was part of a team who helped form the Medway Education Leaders Association (MELA).
I am aware that the strategic role and core function of the board is to ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction; to hold leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils and the performance management of staff; overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.
I recognise the importance of support and challenge and keep myself up to date with ever changing legislation and demands on educational providers.
Naturally through the various roles within school, I have a good understanding of data, finance and the curriculum. I also understand the importance of being prepared ahead of attending meetings and spending time in settings to complete monitoring tasks thus, gaining a better understanding of the complexities of each individual school.
Jill Palmer
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I currently serve as Executive Principal of Meadowfield School, Sittingbourne, and feel very privileged to be appointed as a trustee. I hope to utilise my 39 years in the field of special education to support the aims and values of The Island Learning Trust. My father, Frank Palmer, has always been my inspiration as a polio survivor who in my eyes as his youngest daughter, could accomplish anything. I have been a PE Teacher, Class Teacher, Head of Department, Deputy Headteacher and Principal, all the while working with pupils of all ages (3-25) with a range of special educational needs in both the USA and UK.
In 1994, I took part in the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Programme and after completing a one year Teacher Exchange programme, decided to extend my stay – and here I am 28 years on. Aside from SEN, my educational interests include leadership coaching, supporting staff in their professional development, inclusion and curriculum development.