Board of Directors and Members

Sir Michael Griffiths was Headteacher of Northampton School for Boys from 2001 to 2013. The school was the first converter academy - a large state comprehensive that admits girls to the sixth form. The school is a Teaching School and has an outstanding record, not only for academic performance but also the breadth and quality of its extracurricular provision.

Sir Michael was Head of Science in two Wolverhampton comprehensive schools. He was an examiner for GCE O-level and A-level Biology. After a period as Senior Lecturer in Science Education at Sheffield Hallam University, he was appointed as Science Adviser and Ofsted Inspector in Sefton LEA before returning to the school sector. Sir Michael is a National Leader of Education and a Fellow of the RSA. He served as President of the Association for School and College Leaders in 2012-13.

Awarded a knighthood in the 2014 New Year's Honours List, Sir Michael has also been a member of UCAS Council, represented ASCL on the HMC Universities committee and is Chair of the National Science Learning Centres' steering group. In 2014 he was elected by his peers to be a member of the Head Teacher Board for North West London and South Central - a region covering nearly 30 Local Authorities - advising the Regional Schools Commissioner. He acts as an educational consultant to an academy group.

Sir Michael is involved with a range of educational organisations, including the DfE Headteacher Board, AQA, STEM Learning, NMPAT and a range of schools, both state and independent.

Colin recently is former Head of Business Engagement at HSBC bank. Colin has a BSc in General Chemistry and a PhD in Organic Chemistry and has previously worked for British Steel (as was), and most recently at HSBC for 27 years, in an IT capacity, before taking voluntary retirement in January 2016.

Colin's employment experience covered all IT/Business Engagement related issues resulting from banking activity in UK, Europe and the Middle East. He was elected as Chair of Governors for Windsor High School in 2005 and became a Member of Windsor Academy Trust in 2011 upon its incorporation. Colin has recently stepped down as Chair of the Board of Directors. He is also Chair of Halesowen Athletics and Cycling Club.

Andrew is a Chartered Civil Engineer by profession and has spent most of his working life in local government managing transportation projects, much of it at a senior level. He was elected as Governor of Windsor High School and Sixth Form in 2005 and became a Member of the Trust in 2013. He became Chair of the Board of Directors in March 2018.

His main areas of expertise are strategic management/thinking, business planning and organisational change.

Sir Tim Brighouse was educated at Loughborough Grammar School and at Lowestoft County Grammar School and St Catherine's College, Oxford. He took his PGCE at the Oxford University Department of Education in 1961.He began his career as a schoolteacher, becoming a deputy head in a South Wales secondary modern school in 1966.

In the early 1970s he worked for Buckinghamshire County Council's education department, and worked with Geoff Cooksey on plans for Stantonbury Campus, the first secondary school of Milton Keynes.

Later he was Professor of Education at Keele University (1989–1993), and Chief Education Officer in both Oxfordshire (1978–1989) and Birmingham Local Authorities.  He set up the University of the First Age, to encourage out of hours activities to enrich school children's learning.^[

In May 1997 Brighouse was awarded an honorary degree from the Open University as Doctor of the University.

He was the Schools Commissioner for London between 2002–2007, where he led the London Challenge. He was also a Non-Executive Director of RM plc the UK educational IT company.

Sir Tim Brighouse was knighted in the 2009 New Year Honours

Frances Child is the Head of the Department of Teacher Education in the School of Education where she teaches on the PGDipEd (QTS) Modern Languages programmes, supervises MA Teaching Studies students and contributes to mentor development in the University of Birmingham. 

Frances chairs the Teacher Education Strategy Group, working with head teachers, MAT CEOs and the Birmingham Education Partnership to ensure a strategic response to teacher recruitment, development and retention across the region. The Department of Teacher Education is proud to recruit and train primary and secondary teachers who go on to transform the lives of young people across the West Midlands and beyond.

She also works closely with colleagues in the University of Birmingham School (where she held the post of Vice Principal during its establishment phase) to develop the role of the first secondary University Training School. The School, which opened in September 2015, seeks to bring pupils together from different social and cultural backgrounds to create an environment that reflects the diversity of Birmingham and provides opportunities for everyone to excel. 

After gaining a HND in Computer Studies from North Staffordshire Polytechnic Anne spent over 30 years working for BT PLC in a variety of roles including IT, Service Management, Process development and Improvement, and People Management, developing a reputation for adapting her skills within new areas of the organisation. Most recently Anne moved into business improvement roles and in her last role, she focused on processes and systems within the security sector. 

Anne retired from BT in November 2020 and is now continuing her personal interests of neighbourhood improvement in Selly Oak, where she lives, as a Trustee with Selly Oak Community Development Trust Ltd  and as a committee member of  Community Partnership for Selly Oak. Anne is a keen embroiderer and recently became a Trustee of The Embroiderers' Guild as well as being Chair of a local embroidery group - Birmingham Embroidery and Textile Art. These are in addition to continuing her support of Windsor Academy Trust as a Trustee, and now Chair of the Board. 

Anne studied for an MBA from the Open University graduating in 2001 and more recently, for personal development and satisfaction, achieved City and Guilds Level 3 Certificate and Diploma in Creative Embroidery.

Heath is an inspirational and dedicated Chief Executive, with experience in leadership development and education policy in both the public and not-for-profit sectors.

He is currently Executive Director of King Edward VI Foundation in Birmingham and more recently, the King Edward VI Academy Trust, where he oversees nine secondary schools (two independent and seven academies). Previously Heath was Chief Executive of The Future Leaders Trust for nine years and Deputy Schools Commissioner for the Department of Education for seven years. He also taught English and Drama for several years after graduating from Oxford University.

Heath is an advisor to Place2Be (a children's mental health charity) and a member of the Government's School Partnerships Oversight Board (designed to improve independent/state school partnership working.

Julie is a professionally qualified accountant and coach. She worked within the public transport industry for many years and latterly as an Executive Board member with responsibility for a number of corporate functions.

Julie now runs Elevate Coaching, alongside which she is also a non-executive board member and Vice Chair of an acute hospital trust and a community trust, and the Chair of a charity that provides housing and care for older people.

Alistair is an experienced marketer with a strong record of business delivery for a major Pharmaceutical company. He has a passion for Strategic planning and seeing a wider picture, whilst being able to deliver operationally.  As a leader of people he has mentored and developed dozens of people in a wide and varied career.  Alistair lives in Blakedown with his fiancé and between them they have 5 children which keep both them busy! He is a keen sportsman, trained tennis coach and avid movie fan.

Calum is a commercially driven professional with a track record of delivering growth in a variety of sectors that include corporate, not for profit and membership organisations. Experienced in strategy, operations and financial control, he is a believer in creating synergy generating relationships and developing cross sector networks, understanding needs and delivering beyond expectations.

He has represented a number of charitable organisations that include sectors such as the Arts, Education and the Armed Forces.

Karen has recently retired from the post of Chief Executive of the Quantock Education Trust, a small but ambitious trust based in Bridgwater in Somerset. Originally known as the Haygrove Academy Trust, the Quantock Education Trust was founded by Karen and the governors of Haygrove School where she served as headteacher for 11 years.

During her 39 years in education, Karen has taught French, German and PE across schools in Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey and Somerset, holding posts as a subject leader and senior leader, before becoming a headteacher. She also spent three years as Key Stage 3 Strategy manager in North Somerset, leading a team of consultants in delivering the National Strategy, developing networks for professional development, promoting programmes for effective teaching and providing school improvement advisory support for the secondary schools in North Somerset.

Karen’s extensive senior leadership experience has shown significant success in raising standards and developing a culture for continuous school improvement, academic success and personal development. As a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, Karen is passionate about teaching, particularly in the areas of modern foreign languages, the development of learning culture and global citizenship.

Karen has now relocated to Worcestershire, enjoying taking on grandparent responsibilities and also developing new and existing hobbies and interests, including playing netball again. As well as being a director for the Windsor Academy Trust, Karen is also involved in a governance capacity with the EIL  (Experiment in International Living UK).