Leadership

Peter Bell

CEO

Peter is the founding CEO of CIT. CIT was formed in 2014 following Ambergate and Sandon Special schools being graded “Outstanding” by Ofsted in 2014. He is currently a National Leader of Education and was formerly an Ofsted Inspector as well as an elected member of the Regional Schools Commissioners Head Teachers Board.
Peter brings drive, ambition and the skill set to ensure that the individual pupils across the Trust receive the highest levels of education and care. 

Daran Bland

Director of Development, Operations, Governance, and CFO

Having previously been the Executive Headteacher for three special schools within the Trust, Daran has over 25 years of successful leadership experience, supporting his schools to Good and Outstanding Ofsted judgements. He is the CFO and responsible for Development, Operations and Governance across the Trust.
This role includes providing support to Trust-Wide governance arrangements, corporate responsibility for Estates, IT & Procurement, and the strategic management of Trust expansion projects and sponsorships.

Paul Hill

Director of Primary Education

Having been in education for over 20 years, Paul has been a Teacher, SENCo, Headteacher and Executive Head. He is also a Local Leader of Education. These roles have been undertaken across 4 different LAs giving a breadth of experience. Now as Director of Education for the Trust, Paul regularly visits each of our mainstream primary schools, working with leaders to ensure the highest quality of education is provided.
Paul has driven school improvement that has enabled two of CIT’s sponsored Academies to now be graded ‘Good’. Most recently Chapel St Leonard’s in 2022.

James Ellis

Director of SEND Education

James has been Headteacher at two specialist schools over the last 8 years. In his role of Director of Education for SEND he oversees the running of the special schools within the Trust. Line managing the headteachers and ensuring that they have all the support/challenge required to maintain the best possible education for pupils in our schools.
James has a strong track record of supporting school improvement across the east midlands over the last 10 years.
James also has oversight of the LEARN SEND Hub.

Steve Scott

Director of HR

Steve has over 15 years’ experience working within the education sector in a variety of roles providing support to staff and schools.
Steve is responsible for managing the central HR team, ensuring that robust procedures and processes are in place and maintained and providing effective advice to schools.

Becky Jackson

Trust Safeguarding Lead & Deputy Director of Primary Education

Becky is the Strategic Lead for Safeguarding across the Trust. In addition, in her role as Deputy Director, she supports the Directors of Education for both mainstream and special schools to drive improvement and ensure all our pupils receive high quality provision and care.
Becky works with the LEARN SEND Hub to deliver support and training to schools outside the Trust in her role as an LLE.  She has nearly 30 years of experience in education with 10 of those years as a Headteacher.

Kyna Adkins

Deputy Director of SEND Education

Kyna has worked in education for 23 years, originally working in mainstream secondary settings and then developing into leadership roles with a focus on inclusion, behaviour and safeguarding.
Most recently, over the last 7 years, she has worked in a large all needs 3 to 19 special school in Lincoln as the Headteacher.
Kyna supports our SEND schools to maintain the best possible education for pupils in our schools.

Katie Beeby

Deputy Trust Safeguarding Lead

Katie has worked in education for over 33 years undertaking roles within Early Years, SEND and Safeguarding. She is a Specialist Leader of Education and for the past 4 years worked within a CIT school as a Safeguarding Lead.
Katie’s role as Deputy Safeguarding Lead for the Trust involves her supporting all schools with safeguarding and working closely with our Trust Safeguarding Lead, to oversee all aspects of the Trust’s safeguarding arrangements (from monitoring safeguarding and child protection issues to managing specific cases).
Katie also supports the development of bespoke safeguarding training for all staff and the advancement of our Trust-wide safeguarding strategies.

Jane Starbuck

Strategic Lead for School Support & Growth

Jane has worked in education for many years, fulfilling roles such as Headteacher, Strategic Leader of Inclusion, and SENDCo. She previously worked for Nottinghamshire County Council as their Education Improvement Adviser with responsibility for SEND, establishing effective collaborations between schools to develop specialist and alternative provision.
Jane works with schools in a development capacity and also leads on creating a coordinated and consistent approach to growing the MAT.
Jane is also the Deputy Regional Leader for East Midlands, South Yorkshire and Humber for Whole School SEND, and a lecturer on the National SENCO Award for Nottingham Trent University.

Emily Walker

Director of LEARN SEND Hub

Emily has worked in education for 23 years, having taught in a mixture of mainstream primary and special secondary schools in various locations and roles, from teacher through to senior leader. She strongly believes that all children deserve the best possible chance to succeed in life and is passionate about supporting teachers and leaders to make this happen.
As Director of LEARN, Emily is actively involved with Local Authorities, supporting the alignment of SEND training.
Emily is also Whole School SEND Regional LEAD & National Coordinator of the East Midlands, South Yorkshire and Humber Whole School SEND Team.

Gayle Ellis

Trust Early Years Lead

Gayle is an Early Years specialist with over 25 years of comprehensive experience in the education sector. She has written several educational books to help parents to support their children with reading, writing and numbers.
Gayle’s career encompasses a multitude of roles, including Headteacher, Early Years Consultant, and Children’s Centre Teacher. Throughout her tenure, Gayle has demonstrated a profound commitment to fostering the development of young learners, actively promoting innovative teaching practices.
As a consultant, she has provided guidance and support to educational institutions, helping to enhance Early Years provision and ensuring that children receive the highest quality of education. Gayle is often called upon to deliver training and workshops for educators seeking to expand their knowledge and skills in early childhood development.

Ashley Caress

Executive Headteacher – Foxfields Academy & Bowman Academy

Ashley has worked in SEN schools since 2013. Ashley is passionate about pupils of all ages and abilities having equal opportunities. He believes strongly in providing a wide range of experiences that enrich the lives of young people and help to best prepare them for life after school.
Ashley holds the NPQH and is a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE).

Laura Turner

Executive Headteacher – Woodlands Academy & Chapel St Leonard’s Primary School

Laura began her teaching career as a Teacher of PE in Secondary Mainstream education. Gaining a Master’s Degree in Special Educational Needs three years into her career, she began working across alternative provisions.
Laura has held many roles across her career, from teacher through to Deputy Head of School and SENDCo where she was able to achieve her national SEND Co-ordination Award with Northampton University. She has also worked within the SEMH sector as a Deputy Headteacher, Head of School and DSL, driving improvement in behaviour and attitudes, and quality of teaching and learning. During this time Laura secured her National Professional Qualification in Headship.
Laura also supports the Trust with delivering the National Professional Qualification in leading Behaviour and Culture as a facilitator and assessor for aspiring leaders across Lincolnshire as well as delivering on the PGCE teacher training course at Bishop Grosseteste University Lincoln.

Matthew Bloodworth-Flatt

Headteacher – Tulip Academy Spalding

 Matthew has worked in the Special Education Needs sector for 9 years. Matthew is currently the Executive Headteacher at Tulip Academy Spalding, and Interim Headteacher at Ambergate Sports College in Grantham.
Matthew trained as a Mathematics teacher and has held senior leadership positions since 2015 with a focus on teaching and learning, curriculum and assessment.

Katie Brockington

Headteacher – Linchfield Academy

Katie has worked in primary education since 2002. She is passionate about inclusion for children and makes sure they learn through memorable first hand experiences. Katie uses her Leadership role to ensure that all staff and pupils across the Trust achieve their full potential, whatever that may be. 

Kate Hodson

Headteacher – Poplar Farm School

Kate has 23 years experience in education with 14 of those years as a Headteacher. Mrs Hodson is also a Local Leader of Education (LLE) and uses her wealth of experience to provide support to other schools.
Mrs Hodson believes all primary aged children should be taught through first hand experiences, including outdoor learning and activities with international schools. She is passionate about opportunities and experiences for all children to enrich their learning, and enjoys planning new activities and resources for the children to enjoy.

Selina Ratchford

Headteacher – Spalding St Paul’s Primary School

Selina has been teaching for two decades within primary education, being part of a Leadership Team as Deputy Head from 2012, and then Interim Head in 2020/21.
Selina is Headteacher at St Paul’s and believes passionately in delivering a hands on education to all children.

Helen Hunt

Headteacher – Caythorpe Primary School

Helen has taught in a range of primary settings across the primary age phases. She has experience of curriculum leadership as well as leading KS1 and KS2. Helen believes in education for all, to provide a safe and secure learning environment where children can grow physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. She is passionate in providing rich, real-life learning experiences to enable pupils to make meaningful and memorable connections in their learning.

Aaron Bloodworth-Flatt

Headteacher – Boston Endeavour Academy

Aaron has worked with children and adults with disabilities for 14 years, 12 of which have been at The Garth School in Spalding and John Fielding School in Boston (now known as Boston Endeavour Academy).
Aaron believes that all children, despite their disability, have the right to access education, and experiences and opportunities to prepare them to be fully inclusive and included members of their communities.

Andy Rush

Headteacher – Greenfields Academy

Andy has worked in Education for over 20 years, 16 of them in SEMH schools; as a Teacher, Senior Leader and Director of Specialism (PE & Sport). Andy has also worked on the ‘International Inspiration’ programme with the British Council in Ghana.
Andy believes in the power of education and care to overcome barriers to learning over time and enabling pupils to more confidently access opportunities beyond school; however and whenever they occur.

David Milner

Headteacher – Isaac Newton Primary School

David originally worked in sales for several years then made the decision to retrain as a Primary School Teacher through Nottingham Trent University.
Having taught for the past 18 years, David is fully committed to provide a high-quality education for all pupils that prepares them well for the next phase of their education. He always makes decisions with the children’s best interests in mind; his number one priority is for them to feel safe, happy and secure.

Sara Pask

Headteacher – Bingham Primary School

Sara has been in Primary Education for 20 years and during that time has taught in both KS1 and KS2. 
She wants all pupils to feel happy and safe at school and have a love for learning so that they leave Bingham Primary School ready for the next steps in their education.

Daley Barber-Allen

Headteacher – Grantham Additional Needs Fellowship (GANF)

For over 20 years, Daley has worked in the specialist education sector within schools and a further education college in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland and West Yorkshire. He has worked as a senior leader in specialist education since 2013 and has been the headteacher of two different schools since 2019.
As a specialist school leader, Daley’s values are rooted in the belief that every child and young person can learn and achieve, whatever their abilities or circumstances may be. He is passionate about raising aspirations, changing perceptions and improving the future pathways of people with different abilities and is committed to creating the best possible education and school experience for the entire GANF community.