Governance
Areté Learning Trust’s governance is underpinned by a shared vision, values and aims that give purpose to all our actions. We recognise that the partnership, communication and relationship between each part of the organisation is key to delivering our vision. We expect all Members, Trustees, Governors, Senior Leaders and staff in our schools to work collaboratively and, drawing on the best practices of working with others, ensure that the whole is greater than the sum of our parts.
ALT Board
Core Functions:
Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the performance management of staff.
Overseeing financial performance and making sue money is spent well.
Relationships With Local Governing Bodies:
The ALT Board fully values the position of its LGBs, recognising that they have a more comprehensive knowledge of individual schools.
The Board strives to ensure LGBs are effective, supported and provided with appropriate training.
The Scheme of Delegation provides clarity on responsibilities and decision making.
Trustees
Mrs C.M. Brooker
Director/Chair of the Board
Term Date Start: 22/04/21
Term Date End: 21/04/25
Having spent a long career in education, including more than twenty years' experience as a Headteacher and then CEO, as well as having experience in governance in secondary and further education, I seek to contribute to the strategic development of Areté Learning Trust as a trustee. Drawing on my own professional experience, as well as an absolute belief in the transformative power of education in inclusive, nurturing and inspiring school communities, I seek to support our school and trust leaders in realising the trust's shared vision.
Mr S.W. Brennan
Director/ Chair of Finance and Estates Committee
Term Date Start: 31/03/23
Term Date End: 30/03/27
I am a business owner and chartered Mechanical Engineer. I’ve been a STEM ambassador supporting a number of schools in the region for several years. I have 2 children in Stokesley School who keep me well informed on the differences between 21st century education and my own experiences at school.
Mr P. Fazakerley
Director/ Chair of Quality and Standards Committee
Term Date Start: 06/10/21
Term Date End: 05/10/25
My career has been in education, with 35 years’ experience of working in schools including a variety of middle and senior leadership roles, but always still a teacher. Most of this time has been within and across the schools in the Areté Learning Trust and it is this commitment towards helping our students and schools ‘being the best they can be’ which I seek to sustain in my role as a trustee.
Mr M. Foster
Director/Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee
Term Date Start: 31/03/23
Term Date End: 30/03/27
A KPMG trained qualified accountant of 30 years, having worked in the electricity industry (National Power plc), Leased and Tenanted Pub industry (Pubmaster Ltd), wholesale distribution of industrial threaded fasteners and hand tools (Harrison and Clough Ltd) through to my current CFO role of the last fourteen years or so as CFO of Vianet Group plc. As well as all matters financial and strategic, my responsibilities include the Group’s company secretarial, health and safety, people and development and central support services departments. I am actively involved in the community, President of Tennis World in Middlesbrough, a keen sportsman and patient Boro supporter! Mark took over as Chair of the Board on 7 December 2023.
Mr D. Sharp
Director
Term Date Start: 16/10/20
Term Date End: 15/10/24
David has been Chief Executive of North Yorkshire Youth (NYY) since November 2011. As well as supporting community-based youth work around North Yorkshire, NYY owns and operates Carlton Lodge Activity Centre. His main responsibility is for the strategic direction of the organisation and the oversight of all major functions of the organisation. Prior to becoming CEO, he had been with NYY for 9 years. Before that, he went straight from college into a 12-year career in local authority leisure services where he attained Assistant Manager status for a local leisure centre. Throughout his time as a student and in leisure services he worked as a part-time youth worker, based in Ripon. This gave him a great experience of working with young people, from running football sessions to canoeing across Scotland! He is currently Chairman of Community Works a community support organisation based in Thirsk, Chairman of Community First Yorkshire a county-wide infrastructure organisation and a trustee of the Regional Youth Work Unit. He also finds time to fit being Chairman of Brompton On Swale Parish Council into the mix. Through his day job he sits on the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership Executive Board and the Children and Young Peoples Overview and Scrutiny Committee as the voluntary sector representative. All these different roles means that he receives a vast amount of information which relates to young people, the voluntary sector, local government, education and on running an organisation. These skills allow him to be objective and sensitive to any decisions which need to be made to ensure the Arete Learning Trust remains a sustainable and well-respected trust.
Mr J. Sykes
Director
Term Date Start: 29/06/22
Term Date End: 28/06/26
I am a recently retired primary school Headteacher with over 35 years’ service. My career began working as a teacher in London before moving to schools in North Yorkshire. I have had the privilege of being a Headteacher for 21 years, successfully leading schools before my retirement in 2021.
From my extensive career in education, I am able to offer skills, knowledge and expertise to support our leaders with the strategic development of the Areté Learning Trust.
Ms J . Linsley
Director
Term Date Start: 20/01/23
Term End Date: 19/01/27
After a career teaching English in secondary schools, including 10 years as part of a school leadership team, Jan became a school governor to make a contribution in her local community of Richmond. As she commented, “I wanted to make sure that all children get the best education they can, and that they enjoy their time in school!”
Between 2004 and 2014, Jan was a Regional Adviser for the Department for Education and its partner agencies. Since 2014, Jan has worked as an independent education consultant.
Jan was designated as a National Leader of Governance (NLG) in July 2017, and it was through this that she became linked with Northallerton School as chair of the IEB.
Mr D. Dangerfield
Director
Term Date Start: 01/04/2024
Term End Date: 31/1/2025
David works for England’s Environment Agency where he is National Director for Water, Land and Biodiversity. He graduated from the University of Sheffield in 1987 and has spent his career working in the water and environmental management sector. David is a member of the Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management, and completed a MSc in Service Management in 1996.
David has a strong personal and a professional interest in both the environment and education, believing that “teaching is the essential profession, the one that makes all other professions possible.” David lives in North Yorkshire with his wife Ruth and their two children. Both children attended primary and secondary schools within the Ryedale Learning Trust. David is also a local Parish Councillor.
David was previously Chair of Governors at the Ryedale Federation, and Chair of Trustees at Ryedale Learning Trust.
Mr D. Ball
Director
Term Date Start: 01/04/2024
Term End Date: 31/01/2025
David Ball was born in New Zealand and moved to the UK in 1991. He has a Bachelor of Building Science and Bachelor of Architecture (Hons) Degree. Since graduating in 1987, he has worked in private practice and for Blue Chip companies in both New Zealand and the UK. David is currently founder and Managing Director of a Property Investment Company and a Design, Construction and Project Management Consultancy.
David has been a School Governor at Terrington C of E School, Ryedale School, Ripon Grammar and latterly a trustee of the Ryedale Learning Trust. David was Chair of Governors at Ryedale School for two years.
He is married with three grown-up children who were educated at Sinnington Community Primary School and Ryedale School. The two youngest children are at University and his eldest is now working full time in London having completed her degree. In his spare time David enjoys working on his house, travel, hiking, sailing and skiing. Favourite quote: "Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail" (Ralph Waldo Emerson).
Mrs H. White
Director
Term Date Start: 01/04/2024
Term End Date: 31/01/2025
Heather has a degree in history and English and a diploma in Business Administration. Following her graduation, she worked in local government, a university and a national charity, before becoming practice manager for a local medical centre in 2005. Five years ago, she undertook further studies to become a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development.
In 2019, her practice management role expanded when she became the Lead Manager for a network of GP practices in Ryedale and Hambleton. Heather has been a School Governor and latterly a Trustee for 20 years. She is married with three children who have been educated at Sinnington Community Primary School and Ryedale School. With her youngest son in year 11, and two eldest at University, she has parental experience of the whole educational journey.
When not in a GP surgery or at school, Heather enjoys running her B&B business, gardening and exercising out on the North York Moors. She can be often be heard saying to her children "your first thought should be to say yes I can help, not find an excuse to say no".
Mr P. Bryan
Director
Term Date Start: 01/04/2024
Term End Date: 31/01/2025
Peter joined St Peter’s School, York in September 2019 as the Bursar. St Peter’s 3-18 comprises three schools, Clifton, St Olave’s and St Peter’s itself. There are 1,150 pupils in total all based around a beautiful 55 acre campus in central York. From 2010-2019 Peter was the Director of Corporate Resources and Deputy Master at Marlborough College in Wiltshire. During his time there he was involved in a number of significant developments including the implementation of a campus master-plan, an increase in boarding places, the development of an overseas school, raising of alternatives sources of income and additional funding for bursaries. From 1991-2000 he worked for the Ampleforth Abbey Trust, which includes Ampleforth College, St Martin’s Ampleforth and St Benet’s Hall, Oxford. In 1998 he was appointed the first lay Procurator in the United Kingdom. Peter is a Chartered Accountant having trained with BDO and holds a degree in Accounting and Business Law from Stirling University. Prior to entering the world of education he was a divisional finance director in the Goodhead Group.
Peter has served as a governor of several schools including Ardingly College, Pinewood School and more locally Lady Lumley’s School and St Martin’s School. He has also acted as a financial advisor to the Douai Abbey Trust. He was a member of the Independent Schools Teachers’Pension Working Group and chairman of the employers’ group for the Independent Schools’ Pension Scheme. Local voluntary work has included membership of the Parochial Church Council and treasurer of the Helmsley Arts’ Centre.
Peter is married to Judy and they have three children. Lizzie is a doctor, Will is a consultant in digital technology and Jack is a trainee accountant. Peter and Judy enjoy Yorkshire life and especially walking the Moors with their three whippets. Peter plays squash for Kirkbymoorside and is a keen cyclist.
Mr C. Belsom
Director
Term Date Start: 01/04/2024
Term End Date: 08/02/2025
Chris was Head of Mathematics at Ampleforth, and post retirement taught at St Peter's School, York. Through various roles, and throughout his career, he has acquired significant experience in curriculum development, assessment, teacher recruitment and training, and policy in school mathematics. He brings a range of experience across the educational spectrum.
He was a contributing author to two major curriculum developments in school mathematics, and for many years a Chief Examiner at both GCSE and A-level Mathematics. He served on subject committees for OFQUAL, was a member of Council and Chair of the Schools and Further Education Committee of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. He was a member for four years on the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education for England and Wales (ACME). He has contributed to conferences on Mathematics Education both nationally and internationally.
Chris has lived in Helmsley for many years. He recently founded the Helmsley Gardening Club and is a Trustee at The Helmsley Arts Centre. He is a season ticket holder at Headingley, supporting Leeds Rhinos Rugby League.
Members
Name: Mr P. Bartlett
Role: Member
Appointed: 04/03/19
Stepped Down: N/A
Name: Mr N. Land
Role: Member
Appointed: 01/04/19
Stepped Down: N/A
Name: Mr A. Price
Role: Member
Appointed: 07/07/22
Stepped Down: N/A
Name: Mrs C M Brooker
Role: Member
Appointed: 6 March 2024
Stepped Down: N/A
Directors and Members who have resigned within the past 12 months
Name: Mrs J. Hooton
Role: Director
Stepped Down: 31/08/23
Name: Mr R. Crane
Role: Director/CEO
Stepped Down: 31/08/23
Name: Mrs C M Brooker
Role: Member
Stepped Down: 7/12/23
Name: Mrs K Picking
Role: Member
Stepped Down: 7/12/23
Documents
Board Meeting Attendance
To view a copy of the members and directors attendance at meetings, please click on the link to the right.
Declaration of Business Interests
The Members and Directors of Areté Learning Trust are required to complete an annual Declaration of Business Interests. Copies of these declarations are held by the Clerk to the Directors and are inspected annually by the appointed Auditors.
To view a copy of the current register interests please click on the link to the right.