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Trustees

Trustees have a key governance role across the Trust and are accountable to the Department for Education (DfE) and the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) for:

  • Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction for the Trust;
  • Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the effective and efficient performance management of staff; and
  • Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent

The Trust Board, which meets at least each school half-term, has established Trustee committees and School Local Governing Boards (LGBs) to which it delegates certain decision-making and oversight responsibilities. The responsibilities of these bodies are described within the Trust’s Scheme of Delegation and their operation within Terms of Reference (ToR).

 

Drew Whitehead (Chair of the Trust Board) joined Evolution Academy Trust as a Trustee in 2018, following on from the role of Chair of Governors at Eaton Primary School where he oversaw the move from local authority to academy status. Drew has worked in the IT and Financial services industries for over 30 years as a Senior IT Leader and Consultant, with a focus on strategic planning and organisational transformation.  

Keith Philpot (Vice Chair) is Head of Learning and Development for Norfolk and Suffolk Constabularies. He is a Senior Police Officer with over 25 years’ service in leadership roles within investigation and public protection roles.  He was previously the Vice Chair of Governors at Eaton Primary School, Consultant at PwC and a Strategic Analyst at the Home Office/Department of Environment.

Kate Blakemore (Trustee) joined East Suffolk Council in February 2023, as a Strategic Director, with a lead on corporate services, supporting services such as Human Resources, Digital, Customer Services, Procurement and Democratic Services.

Kate began her career in local government as a Student Environmental Health Officer at Great Yarmouth Borough Council, where she successfully completed a degree in Environmental Health, alongside a number of professional exams. Following several promotions, Kate became Head of the Environmental Services section and then led the Council’s transformation programme to help address some significant financial challenges. During this time, Kate became involved with change processes from a systems thinking perspective, and she studied a Masters degree in Systems Thinking in Practice in her own time. Kate was then promoted to Strategic Director at Great Yarmouth in 2017 and has since completed an MBA. 

Having a young child about to start primary school, Kate is passionate about education and the importance of getting it right for primary school children, to ensure they have solid foundations in place to support them for the rest of their lives.

Cathy Armor (Trustee) is the Deputy Chair of Council at Norwich University of the Arts. She was previously Director for People at Cambridge University Press and has worked in senior roles in Human Resources at Marsh, Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital and Archant newspaper group. Cathy is passionate about People in organisations and the impact of education.

 

Steve Davidson (Trustee) is the Chair of the Financial Industry Group Board (fig Norwich) and is committed to the development of the financial and professional services cluster in Norwich. Prior to retiring in 2020, he was a Managing Director for Marsh and Head of the firm’s Norwich office, having previously worked in the insurance sector in the City of London and in Bermuda. He is also Chair of the Advisory Board of Norwich Business School (NBS) at UEA and a Chartered Accountant.

Stevie Bramble (Trustee) returned to the role of trustee in 2022 having previously served two terms as a founding trustee and subsequently three years as a trust member. Stevie is employed by Norwich City Community Sports Foundation as their Head of Curriculum and has a wide range of experience within primary, secondary and further education settings. 

Bruce Gordon (Trustee)  
(information pending)

 

 

Anne Fry (Trustee) 
(information pending)

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