Michele Marr

Michele is the Chief Executive of The Castle Phoenix Multi Academy Trust which comprises three secondary and two primary schools. Michele has experience of building capacity to sponsor academies.

Michele’s background and experience has involved working as a Local Authority School Improvement Advisor in special, primary and secondary phases, during which she also trained as an Ofsted inspector. Michele’s subject expertise is Mathematics and ICT and she has significant experience developing these areas.

Since 2006, as a NLE, Michele has been involved in supporting other schools to become even better and as a System Leader for pupil premium. Michele’s interests and fields of specialism are developing outstanding leadership, quality assurance, and school self-evaluation. Michele is extremely proud of the team she has developed to drive forward the quality of teaching and learning and has initiated some creative approaches to promote effective learning.

David Coaché

Jonathan Hagan

Jonathan Hagan joined the Trust Board in September 2022. Jonathan has extensive experience working with FTSE 100 companies in strategy, finance and commercial teams. Within Jonathan’s working life, he is required to work to specific strict regulations and is required to have an understanding of the changing focuses that take place in business, whilst upholding controls and governance.

Kate Ireland

Kate sits on the Trust Board as a Trustee and also sits on the School Improvement Executive Group.

Kate has worked with Caludon Castle school for many years; in her previous role as senior school improvement adviser for Coventry Local Authority and more recently in regard to Initial Teacher Education. Kate joined the governing body at Caludon Castle as community governor and is now in her second year as Chair of the Local Governing Body.

Kate has many years of experience of providing challenge and support to schools and has current and extensive experience of quality assurance and enhancement and the Ofsted inspection process. Kate brings to Caludon Castle and the Trust passion for the importance of learning and teaching, a commitment to exceptional quality of education and a drive to support and challenge the school leadership team to maximise the learning and educational experiences of all Caludon children and young people.

Professor Kate Ireland is Director at the Centre for Teacher Education at University of Warwick.

Academic Interests & Teaching & Learning Specialisms

• Educational Policy
• School Improvement and Effectiveness
• Educational Leadership
• System Leadership Organisational Change Culture

Publications & Projects between 2008-2018

• Developing effective learners through Learning Conversations
• Developing effective Initial Teacher Education Partnerships
• Co-constructing and co-delivering effective subject knowledge and pedagogy
• System Leadership development across Coventry Schools
• Teacher Supply and Retention: A Partnership model

Peter Freeth

Peter joined the Trust Board as a Trustee on 13 March 2019 and is Chair of The Trust Board. Peter sits on the HR & Governance Committee and the School Improvement Executive Group.

Peter has 17 years’ experience in developing leaders and organisational cultures, and prior to this, 17 years’ experience in the IT/telecoms industry, through the birth of both the Internet and mobile communication. Peter feels this gives him a rather unique perspective on human behaviour, and the impact of technology on society, both of which are vital in overcoming the challenges which lie ahead. He has written more than a dozen books on coaching, training, organisational change, leadership and management, and as he has charity trustee experience from a Midlands based musical charity, he feels he has value to add to Castle Phoenix Trust from a number of angles. Peter is also a Fellow of the RSA, a branch committee member of the CIPD and a keen traveller and photographer.

Mick Michael

Mick joined the Castle Phoenix Trust Board on 24 July 2020 and is the Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee.

Mick is a qualified accountant with broad ranging experience spanning finance, audit, risk and compliance, insurance, change and project management. He has operated at a senior level in risk and assurance for 20 years, in a variety of medium to large and complex businesses, in both competitive markets and regulated industries and across a number of sectors.

Mick has extensive knowledge of, and practical experience in, Enterprise Risk Management (ERM). He won the Strategic Risk ‘Enterprise-wide Risk Management Programme of the Year’ award in 2004 and was a finalist in 2009. He represented the UK Electricity industry on ERM at Eurelectric in Brussels from 2004-2006 and was a member of the ACCA Corporate Governance and Risk Management Committee from 2006-2008.

Mick is keen to utilise his experience to support the Castle Phoenix Trust Board and other senior leaders at a time of planned growth and development and is passionate about demonstrating the value that risk management can bring, when applied pragmatically, to educational settings.

Mick is now semi-retired and provides part-time consultancy services through his own limited company. He also volunteers at the Banbury network of foodbanks where he helps to manage all donations in/out of the large warehouse. In his spare time, Mick is a keen gardener and enjoys holidaying in Greece.

Fay Ford

Fay joined the Trust Board in April 2024. Fay has a legal background which is steeped in educational law and has spent over a decade advising schools and academies in relation to governance and GDPR.

Mark Gregory

Vicki Shelley

Vicki is currently the CEO of the Diocese of Coventry multi academy trust in Worcestershire.  She has worked in education for over 25 years, 19 of those in Coventry, 8 as Headteacher of a large, over-subscribed, successful secondary school and four as part of the Inspire Education Trust as an Executive Leader working across their primary and secondary schools.  Over the course of her career she has worked in three multi academy trusts and taught and held leadership roles in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry and Worcestershire. She is a National Leader of Education and in this role she has supported a number of schools in a wide variety of contexts. She was the Chair of the Coventry Secondary Education Partnership for 4 years and worked strategically with schools and local authority colleagues. She has taught Key Stage 3, GCSE and A level in a variety of 11-18 schools. In addition to school improvement, she has been involved in school governance for 15 years at a variety of levels.  She has a Masters in Educational Leadership and has completed her National Professional Qualification in Executive Leadership.

Andrew Thomason

Mark Friday

Mark Friday is a Member of Castle Phoenix Trust Board and is a qualified Accountant who works as a Project Director for the Department of Education supporting the government’s delivery for capital investment programmes into schools.

Mark was previously part of the Caludon Castle Local Governing Body from March 2009 as a community Governor and Chair of the Trust Board from February 2013 to October 2022.

Prior to joining the Governing Body, Mark worked for Coventry City Council. One of his main responsibilities was to monitor the PFI contract arrangements to ensure the delivery of an effective facilities management service by the private sector on a day to day basis. Mark worked closely with the school during this period and when leaving the Council was subsequently asked to join the Governing Body and continue supporting the school.

Prudence Huddleston

Prue Huddleston is a member of Castle Phoenix Trust Board and is Emeritus Professor and formerly Director of the Centre for Education and Industry at the University of Warwick; she has a particular interest in 14-19 curriculum, focusing on vocational education and qualifications and work-related learning; she has published widely on vocational learning and applied pedagogy.  Before joining the University of Warwick she worked for many years within the FE sector, as a teacher and manager, also within community and outreach education.

She has run programmes of professional development for teachers, trainers and school/college managers as well as for Ofsted (formerly ALI) and Ofqual. She has completed research and evaluation contracts for government departments, businesses and charities both nationally and internationally. Her international work includes projects in: China, Hungary, Sweden, Latvia, South Africa, Israel, Spain and Egypt.

She is a member of AQA Research Committee; a member of OCR Strategic Advisory Board; a member of City and Guilds Quality and Standards Committee; a member of Ofqual Standards Advisory Group; a member of the Royal Academy of Dance Education Sub-Committee and on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Vocational Education and Training.  She is Special Advisor to the Education and Employers Taskforce and a governor and Chair of Academic Quality and Standards Committee at Birmingham Metropolitan College.

Ashley Simpson

Ashley is a member of the Castle Phoenix Trust.

Ashley’s specialism is around PFI contract management, facilities management, school design and education legislation he has previously been involved in capital building planning and projects.

Ashley’s main areas of strength are in data analysis, recruitment and leadership.

Ashley is able to communicate well and has the ability to problem solve effectively. He is also skilled in procedure, project management and surveying consultation.

Vesh Taylor-Dowson

Vesh is a member of the Castle Phoenix Trust Board.

Vesh specialises in Sales Management at Director level with experience in data and technology. Vesh has a strong background in strategy development with excellent business knowledge. He has managed contracts with organisations such as GKS, Barclays Capital, Ford, Nationwide Building Society and Co-op Financial Services which build from his 20 years experience in sales. He graduated from Liverpool John Moores University with a HND in Marine Electronics and Radio in 1983.

Lesley Hancock

Lesley is a member of the Castle Phoenix Trust Board.

Lesley has been employed in Human Resources since 2009 and now works as a HR Manager for DHL. Lesley’s key achievements are project managing a relocation for 646 members of staff, designing and implementing a competency based successful recruitment programme and improving employee engagement at all levels. Lesley previously worked for Percepta Legal Ombudsman and graduated from the Birmingham College of Food and Domestic Arts.