Karen Siedle BEd (Hons) CTC, NPQH
Interim CEO

Having taught across a range of year groups and contexts, I developed a strong understanding of pupils’ diverse needs and the importance of nurturing, inclusive learning environments. This experience strengthened my belief in removing barriers to learning and supporting the whole child.

Over the years, I have served in a variety of leadership roles within Catholic schools, contributing to areas such as inclusion, curriculum development and whole-school improvement. My leadership development through diocesan and national programmes has deepened my understanding of what strong Catholic leadership requires and how it can transform school communities.

My experience as both a diocesan inspector and executive leader has reinforced my determination to support improvement across groups of schools. In my role as Assistant CEO, I work to champion strong Catholic leadership, foster high-quality provision and ensure that every school is equipped to serve its community with excellence, ambition and compassion.

Within our Catholic community, I uphold the values of dignity and service, and I feel privileged to work alongside leaders who live out these principles each day. Witnessing the ongoing growth of our pupils, staff and school communities continues to inspire my dedication to the mission of Catholic education.

Grounded in the values of dignity, compassion and service, Angela focuses on empowering staff and pupils to reach their full potential. Her leadership is informed by wide-ranging experience in raising standards, developing high-quality teaching and learning and supporting school improvement across multiple contexts.

Angela has undertaken executive-level leadership development and works closely with leaders to drive trust-wide improvement. Her work as an inspector has provided valuable insight into effective practice and the importance of high expectations and ambition for all pupils.

In her role as Assistant CEO, Angela leads the Trust’s strategic development of secondary education, working with school leaders to ensure inclusive, supportive and ambitious learning environments for every young person.

Before joining the Trust, Jim held senior roles in finance, audit and corporate functions, supporting complex organisations in delivering effective and accountable services often on a commercially traded basis. His leadership within multi-academy trusts has contributed to the development of high-quality support functions that enable schools to focus on delivering excellent education.

As Assistant CEO, Jim oversees strategic corporate services including finance, governance, estates, data and wider business support. He is committed to ensuring that resources are used effectively to strengthen outcomes for pupils and support the Trust’s mission.

Alongside his executive responsibilities, Jim contributes to national sector discussions and provides voluntary support to various educational and charitable organisations.

A Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and qualified Executive Coach, Leanne combines strategic leadership with a deep commitment to staff wellbeing, inclusion and professional growth. She has led work on culture change, workforce engagement and organisational development, helping teams to perform at their best.

As Interim Director of People and Culture, Leanne plays a key role in supporting the Trust’s mission by fostering a culture rooted in faith, aspiration and community. She is passionate about ensuring that staff and students alike can reach their full potential in a supportive and ambitious environment.