Skip to content ↓
Humber Education Trust logo

We're a large multi-academy trust, comprising of primary and special schools

Where everybody counts,
every moment matters.

Trustees

The overarching aim for the Trust is to create schools that provide an environment which is welcoming, inspiring, thought provoking and purposeful and which, within a caring ethos, enable all of our children and young people to achieve their full potential academically, socially and emotionally.

As a Board, our responsibility is for the strategic direction of the Trust. We see collaboration as the key to building a strong and confident Trust. Our structures and processes have evolved to support and develop the Trust to benefit all our children and young people and staff.

We believe in allowing each school to retain its own distinct voice and identity, supporting all with efficient and effective central services and expertise. All our schools are firmly committed to sharing best practice and developing strong partnerships that will deliver the highest standard of education for all children and young people.

We believe passionately that education is about the development and nurture of the whole child. The environment of the Trust is designed to encourage creativity, physical excellence and academic achievement so that they are ready to take their place in the world and make a positive contribution to society.

Graeme Brook

Graeme Brook - Chair of Trustees

Graeme has spent the last 40 years working in education. He has been a teacher, deputy headteacher, headteacher, school improvement advisor for the local authority and education consultant.  Graeme has an excellent understanding of challenge and accountability within the education sector and is particularly skilled at analysing performance data and implementing national assessment frameworks and accountability measures. He has been a chair of governors at several primary and secondary schools.


Gavin Barley

Gavin Barley

Gavin is part of the senior leadership team of a public-private sector partnership organisation which has undertaken the building and maintenance contracts of PFI schools in Hull as well as delivering building projects for the City of Culture. He has been a director at a range of academies including special and secondary schools and has widespread experience of delivering facilities management contracts.


Paul Brown

Paul Brown J.P.

Paul has been a magistrate since 1984 and is currently the chair of the Humber Bench. As a Justice of the Peace, Paul has a wealth of experience in tackling situations strategically and the variety of roles he has held over his working life have given him a vast experience in dealing with the public, staffing issues, diversity, training, monitoring and problem solving. He has been an Ofsted inspector, a sales and marketing manager for a large international company and the Managing Director and Chairman of the Institute of Swimming.


Rachel Davies

Rachel is the head teacher of Oakfield Residential School in Hull, which caters for 110 pupils with an EHCP with social, emotional and mental health as the primary SEND need. Rachel has worked in education with pupils with a range of SEND and additional needs for over 20 years. She is currently the Chair of Governors for a rural secondary school in the East Riding of Yorkshire. She is part of the City’s Learning Partnership Board and a Board Member of the Health and Wellbeing and SEND Boards.


Sharon Hinchcliffe

Sharon is an experienced and qualified HR professional, with over 25 years’ experience gained in a variety of industries and sectors. She has significant experience in developing and delivering the strategic people agenda, including transformation projects, talent management, recruitment & selection, organisation development, change management, and cultural development. She is passionate about how education can be pivotal in helping young people experience and visualise an engaging and exciting future for themselves.


Jo Moxon

Jo has been involved in education since 1980 when she started her career as a primary school teacher. With a specialism in RE, Jo has worked in both local authority roles and as a primary school Headteacher. In recent years, Jo has worked in a variety of Assistant Director roles within local authorities and most recently was the Assistant Director for Learning and Skills at Hull City Council. She has a keen interest in inclusion and brings a high level of critical thinking, risk analysis and strategic oversight to our Trust Board.


Debbie Potter

Debbie has been involved in the education sector for the last 15 years, both as primary school teacher and a governor. She was the Chair of Governors at an outstanding primary school in the East Riding for over twelve years and also served for four years on the governing body of secondary school. More recently, she has been a member of the LGB at Cambridge Park Academy.

Debbie became a designated National Leader of Governance (NLG) in 2015, which afforded her the opportunity to work alongside the Chairs of other schools and Governing Boards. Her time in this role has provided opportunities to see what is happening in other schools and to share best practice with colleagues.

Currently working as a HSEQ Manager for a large chemical company in Hull, Debbie’s previous work experience has involved many years working in management roles across a diverse number of business sectors.


Ken Sainty

Prior to retirement, Ken worked in education for over 40 years as a class teacher, a headteacher and latterly in a strategic school improvement role for a local authority as Assistant Head of Service in the Children and Young People’s Department. He has wide ranging experience of strategic leadership for standards of education in all early years settings, primary and secondary schools and also was responsible for the provision of services for governor support, minority ethnic achievement and traveller education. Ken was a member and chairman of the Trust Board for North Carr Collaborative Academy Trust prior to HET and NCCAT merging.


Lisa Staines

Lisa has been in education for more than 35 years as a teacher, senior leader and headteacher. During this time, she has worked in a wide range of schools and has supported school leaders, mentored new headteachers and provided support and challenge to schools in developing their practice. Lisa is passionate about inclusion and challenging perceptions of disadvantage to ensure that every child has the best possible start in life. She has specific skills in the primary school curriculum, leadership and school finance.


Rachel Wilkes

Rachel Wilkes is the Chief Executive and Accounting Officer for Humber Education Trust. Following a degree in languages, she started her career in business and then audit and risk management before training to be a teacher. She has worked on school leadership teams since 2004 and completed an MA in Education. Rachel spent 7 years as Headteacher at Clifton Primary School and led the school through a period of significant change. In 2016 the school achieved an outstanding rating from Ofsted. Rachel is a National Leader of Education supporting colleagues across the Yorkshire and Humber Region.


Deborah Wrapson

Deborah worked in Whitehall for 5 years before returning to the family farm and becoming involved in the family’s business interests. She has chaired a Charitable Trust for over 10 years ensuring it has strong strategic direction and good governance for the long term. In addition, Deborah has been a Clerk to the Governors for some 20 primary, secondary and alternative provision schools as well as a governor at 2 schools (one was a provider of alternative provision) and was on the Trust Board of North Carr Collaborative Academy Trust.