The Board of Trustees (TB) are legally responsible for everything the trust does and ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
Trustees hold executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its students, and the performance management of staff. Trustees oversee and ensure effective financial performance.
Trustees must comply with the trust’s charitable objects in all decision making and their contractual obligations under the funding agreement with the Secretary of State.
The Board of Trustees meet every half term.
Alan Houston
Role: Chair of Trustees
Alan was a Professor of History and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) at Durham University. Prior to his recent retirement, Alan was also a member of the Executive Committee and responsible for delivering the University’s education strategy. Before coming to Durham, Alan was a member of the Senior Leadership Team at the University of California, San Diego. He is an advocate of inclusive excellence and led the formation and delivery of Durham’s ambitious Access and Participation Plan. This included new recruitment and admissions programmes to improve access to Durham University, and strong educational and employment support to ensure that all students graduate with outstanding prospects for the future. Alan has a BA in Mathematics and Political Philosophy from Oberlin College and an MA and PhD in Government from Harvard University.
Barry Piercy
Role: Vice Chair
Barry worked for Durham Local Authority supporting schools for 42 years until he retired in August 2018. Barry was Head of School and Governor Support. His main role was to develop a clerking and training service level agreement for Durham schools and academies. Whilst the team supported the vast majority of schools in County Durham it also increasingly provided support to schools and academies across the region. As an independent consultant Barry now works in the field of education leadership and management, supporting schools and academies across the North East. He is keenly interested in educational and wider opportunities for children in schools and by also being a Governor of a local primary school, Barry gets to support improvements in both.
Sophie Daniels
Role: Trustee
Sophie is currently Senior Project Manager at Durham University, responsible for managing a large research project funded by the Wellcome Trust focused on research governance and culture. After graduating from the University of Cambridge with an MPhil. in Theology, Sophie went on to work at Durham University for ten years managing a range of projects for the University’s Executive Office such as strategic cultural research projects and initiatives including the early establishment of the Durham Mathematics School with Durham Sixth Form Centre. Her final role during this ten year period was that of Chief of Staff for the University’s Covid testing project – a major operational, pan-university programme. Based on this operational experience, Sophie then took on the post of Head of Operations at Mindfully Wired Communications, a multi award-winning, Bristol-based communications consultancy focused on issues of environmental sustainability particularly in the marine sphere. Having worked remotely for almost three years, Sophie returned to Durham for her current role.
Tony Fawcett
Role: Trustee
Tony is the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Education at Durham University, and Professor in Biosciences. He studied for a B.Sc. in Applied Biology at Trent Polytechnic and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry at Leicester University before completing two Postdoctoral Research posts at Durham University and being appointed to a lectureship in Durham in 1995. His drive to improve the educational experience of university students led him to take up the position of Deputy Head of the Science Faculty (Undergraduate) and in 2015 he was appointed to the role of Deputy PVC (Education). In these roles, he has worked to improve both postgraduate and undergraduate education. He serves on Senate, Chair Education Committee and is a member of the University Executive Committee. His disciplinary research interest is plant lipid biochemistry with particular emphasis on understanding the ways in which plants make and store oil in their seeds with a view to increasing the amount made without increasing agronomic (water, fertilizer etc.) inputs.
Carole Henderson
Role: Trustee (and Member)
Carole is a retired teacher, having worked at Durham Sixth Form Centre for 16 years. She held numerous positions at the Centre including Head of the Law Department and Leader of Learning for Human Sciences. After leaving university with an LL.B. (Bachelor degree in Laws) she qualified as a solicitor and spent 10 years in private practice specialising in crime and family work. Her post graduate qualifications include an LL.M. (Master in Laws) and a Master of Education in Practitioner Enquiry. She works with a leading exam board for both A Level Law and Level 3 Criminology. Mrs Henderson was born in the North East of England and is married with two grown up children.
David Nelson
Role: Trustee
Dave is Headteacher at Dene Community School and an Executive Leader for the Advanced Learning Partnership Multi Academy Trust. After graduating from the University of York with a BSc Honours degree in Mathematics, he completed a secondary PGCE at Newcastle University and an MA in Education at Durham University. Dave started working at Dene Community School in 2004 as an NQT and has had several roles including Subject Leader of Mathematics and Assistant Headteacher. In his current role, he is responsible for the school curriculum and leads on the raising achievement agenda.
Claire Oates
Role: Trustee
Claire is the Chief Operating Officer of a local large, well established multi-academy trust, Advanced Learning Partnership. Previous to this she was a Finance Director at a local business. Claire oversees the daily business of the trust, its operations and administration, including compiling the company financial reports, implementing the various business strategies and optimising the organisation’s operational capabilities. Claire is fundamental to ensuring policies and culture strengthen operational efficiency and generate revenue.
Edward Twiddy
Role: Trustee
Edward is Chief Customer Officer and one of the founders of Atom Bank. Before Atom Edward was the first Director of the North East LEP, spent 12 years at HM Treasury in various roles, worked in the Middle East on development and reconstruction programmes and on a number of environmental consultancy projects. He has degrees in geography, paleo-botany and international law. Edward is a Professor in Practice at Durham University and sits on the boards of several charities. His passions are his family, education, rivers and cricket.
Ellen Beveridge
Role: Trustee, by virtue of Chief Executive position
Ellen Beveridge is the Chief Executive of Providence Learning Partnership, taking on the post in 2023 having been Headteacher at Durham Sixth Form Centre since 2013 and in the teaching profession for over 25 years. Ellen led the Centre through its first Ofsted as a 16-19 school where it achieved Outstanding status. Ellen received commendations early on in her career as a teacher from Ofsted and an award from Durham County Council for her work in the Arts. Ellen has significant experience of leadership at a senior level, and believes in maximising opportunities for young people. She has strategic oversight of student outcomes, finance, human resources, change management, vision and values and governance in her role. She has experience of school restructures and re-designation in the secondary and post-16 sectors. Ellen has been instrumental in securing funding for expansion and enhancement at Durham Sixth Form Centre. Ellen is also a Trustee of a large Multi Academy Trust of seventeen schools.
For more information, please see Key Governance Information.