Trust Structure

Our Members

The Members of the Multi Academy Trust are the conscience of the organisation. They appoint the board of directors and ensure that the aims of the trust are upheld. They include:

• Gary Peverley, a representative of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Academies Umbrella Trust
• Mr Neil Watts BA (Hons)  MA (Cantab)  PGCE
• The Rt Revd Dr Joanne Woolway Grenfell
• The Venerable Robin King

Our Board of Directors

We bring together a core group of people with a proven track record of school improvement and experience that is relevant to making the trust a success. They are responsible for its strategic direction and are accountable for the academies to the Secretary of State and therefore determine the level of delegation to local governing bodies so that these can be as effective as possible.

Tracey Caffull CEO

After studying Maths and Education at Cambridge University, Tracey started her teaching career in Suffolk. Following 4 years working in primary schools in Suffolk Tracey moved to teach in Essex before taking up her first headship post in 2009. During this time Tracey was part of the team which led this school out of ‘special measures’. Tracey’s second headship saw the school receive an ‘Outstanding’ judgment in 2015 and retain the judgement in 2022. Tracey enjoyed working with the governors and stakeholders at the school to set up and lead a federation of three schools in Tendring. She felt privileged to be part of a federation with a caring ethos and culture for both pupils and staff. During her role of Director of School Improvement at Penrose Learning Trust Tracey enjoyed working with headteachers across both the Primary and Secondary sector. As a Christian, Tracey’s passion is to support schools and their leaders to build cultures that improve life chances for children through an excellent quality of education.

Andrew Blit Director

The Board of MAT Directors is chaired by Andrew Blit.  Andrew has a wealth of experience in accounting and finance.  He left the private sector in 2008 to join Suffolk County Council’s Customer Services Direct Team; initially as a Finance Business Partner, before becoming Project Accountant for the Children and Young People’s service, followed by Schools Finance Specialist.

In January 2011, Andrew joined the newly opened Suffolk One Sixth Form College and was involved in the creation of strategic financial plans, setting budgets at both college and faculty level and the creation of the financial framework to ensure outstanding student success.

Andrew joined King Edward VI CEVC Upper School as School Business Manager in 2015 and alongside budgetary control and planning, and the management of HR, Facilities, ICT, administration and finance, he also worked with Senior Leaders, the Local Authority and Contractors to deliver buildings and premises adaptions necessary for expansion owing to the Schools Organisation Review.  He similarly worked with senior leaders to deliver staffing for the Review.

In addition, Andrew was a member of the Working Party which developed a  proposal for the new sixth Form provision, in partnership with Suffolk Academy Trust and also a member of the school Working Party to explore the development of a new Multi-Academy Trust.

In his retirement we are delighted that Andrew has joined the MAT Board of Directors and when not involved in finance and education he is heavily involved with Sudbury Rowing Club having taken, at various times, the roles of Captain, Coach and Chair.

Alister Gourlay Director

Alister held Headships in Church schools for 30 years until 2008, leading a school rated as Outstanding, in both its OfSted and SIAMS inspections, in the year he retired.

In semi-retirement Alister took up the post of Deputy Diocesan Director of Education until August 2017, in which his experience was shared across all Church schools in the Diocese, to assist Governors in the appointment of new Headteachers and to support schools pre and post OfSTED and SIAMS.  Alister played a key role in co-ordinating Aided Schools and Academy admission policies and appeals, working also at a regional and national level with particular reference to Admissions, Succession Planning and Governance.

Alister remains an active member of the Diocesan MAT Board of Directors.

Sarah Rees Director

After completing a music degree at Cardiff University and a PGCE at Homerton College, Cambridge, Sarah taught in a number of Suffolk primary schools before headship at Great Barton CofE Primary from 2004-17. From 2009, the school was consistently graded Outstanding in both its Ofsted and SIAMS inspections. After retiring from Headship in 2017, Sarah continued in a part-time capacity as CEO of Thedwastre Education Trust, a small local MAT set up to support school improvement in local primary schools in the Thurston area, retiring fully in August 2018. 

Sarah has significant experience of change management, having taken a leading role in the move from three-tier to two-tier education in the Thurston area, and through forming a small MAT. As an Local Leader of Education and a member of the leadership group for a local Teaching School Alliance, she has had significant experience of supporting school improvement and staff training. She has also been seconded to work for the LA on short-term projects linked to school-to-school support and systems management. 

Fiona Fisk MBA Director

Fiona has worked in education for over 30 years, with extensive experience across higher, further, primary and secondary education in Suffolk. Her career has included senior leadership roles at the University of Suffolk, where she served as University Secretary and Academic Registrar, with responsibility for governance, legal and regulatory compliance, data protection, safeguarding, quality assurance and academic administration.

Fiona has  considerable experience of working with boards, committees, senior leaders, external regulators and partners, and of developing and implementing effective governance and policy frameworks.  She has served on a number of senior national roles within the higher education sector, including with the Academic Registrars Council, the Student Loans Company and the Cambridge Access Validating Agency as well as serving on committees of the Quality Assurance Agency

Alongside her professional career, Fiona has a long-standing commitment to education governance and voluntary service. She is Chair of Governors at Nacton Church of England Primary School and Chair of the Management Committee at Horizon School (a primary and secondary pupil referral unit) in Lowestoft. She is also a Trustee and Secretary of BOOST Felixstowe, an organisation providing chaplaincy within Felixstowe’s secondary school.

Fiona is passionate about effective governance, safeguarding, accountability and supporting education organisations to provide the best possible opportunities for children and young people. She particularly values the opportunity to use her experience to support leaders, governors and colleagues, while continuing to learn through her involvement across the education sector and local community.

Adrian Williams Director

Since gaining a Theology degree and an MA in Economics from Manchester University, Adrian has spent 40 years in the education sector. He has held a number of Local Authority roles, culminating with the role of Assistant Director of Education for Cambridgeshire

From 2005 to 2024 Adrian ran his own education consultancy/interim management company working mainly at 2nd tier level, or special projects, including Building Schools for the Future/capital projects, school reorganisations, place planning, admissions, transport and school improvement. He also has specialised SEND experience, mainly policy & finance at LA level, but also service improvement, creation (and closure) of provision, management of assessment and tribunal service  

Jane Addis Director

Jane studied Physical Education at Dartford College of Education and taught in schools in Essex and Suffolk for 30 years. She worked for the Local Authority in Suffolk, as a Behaviour and Attendance advisor, and latterly as a Standards and excellence officer. This involved working with a large number of Suffolk schools in both the primary and secondary sector.

She also worked as an independent Behaviour specialist.

She has been a member of the Diocesan Board of Education for a number of years.

Jane is Chair of Governors at Stoke by Nayland Primary School.

She is also a Lay Elder in the Stoke by Nayland Benefice and has acted as a trainer in Safeguarding for the Diocese, mainly in the Deanery of Hadleigh.