Trustees

Trustees are responsible for governing the Trust and directing how it is managed and run. Trustees must also ensure that the Trust complies with all legal and statutory requirements.

Trustees work together to carry out their core functions:

  1. Ensuring there is clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
  2. Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils and the performance management of staff
  3. Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent
  4. Ensuring the voices of stakeholders are heard

In addition to their scheduled meetings the trustees regularly meet on special projects and to provide advice and guidance to the chief executive, principals, and other senior staff.

Term of office is 4 years.

Academic year 2025-2026

Name

 Position

Relevant interests

Appointed

Left

 Appointed by Meeting attendance
Lord Theodore Agnew Chair of the Board of Trustees

Member, Inspiration Trust, commenced 2/3/22

Committee Member, Inspiration Trust Audit & Risk Committee, commenced 18/12/21

Trustee, The Public Interest Foundation, commenced 1/1/06

LLP Designated Member, Ovington Operations LLP, commenced 22/6/16

Director, Match the Cash Limited, commenced 1/6/22

LLP Designated Member, Carbon Plus Capital LLP, commenced 1/2/22

Director, School Led Development Trust, commenced 1/9/22

Director, Markerstudy Group Holdings Limited, comenced 26/6/23

Director, 16-20 Strutton Ground Management Co. Limited, commenced 24/4/23

Director, All Perspectives, commenced 23/4/24

2/3/21

(Elected as Chair 1/9/22)

 - Ordinary resolution of members  
David Tibble OBE Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees

Member, Inspiration Trust, commenced 14/8/12

Trustee, Public Interest Foundation, commenced 2/8/12

Director, Inspiration Services Ltd, commenced 28/10/16

Member, Outwood Grange Academies Trust, commenced 1/1/19

Director, Match the Cash Ltd, commenced 3/3/16

Committee Member, Inspiration Trust Audit & Risk Committee, commenced 18/12/21

Norwich Finance Technology Limited, Director, commenced 9th July 2025

14/8/12

(Elected as Vice-Chair 1/9/22)
 

 - Founding Trustee  

David Earnshaw CBE

 Trustee

Trustee, Outwood Grange Academies Trust, commenced 18/10/11

Member, Outwood Grange Academies Trust, commenced 10/7/14

Director, Outwood Grange Services Ltd, commenced 1/9/16

Member, School Led Development Trust, commenced 31/5/21

1/3/17

-

 Ordinary resolution of members  
Gareth Stevens Trustee

CEO & Accounting Officer, Inspiration Trust, commenced 1/3/21

Trustee, Star Academies, commenced 9/6/21

Director, Inspiration Services Ltd, commenced 1/3/21

 1/3/21 - Ordinary resolution of members   

Kathryn Buscall

 Trustee

Partner, Ken Hill Estate, commenced 1/1/22

Trustee, The Lindsell Foundation, commenced 1/9/22

18/12/21

17/12/25

 Ordinary resolution of members   

Heather Madsen

 Trustee

Headteacher, Red Oak Primary, commenced 1/1/13

Hub Lead, PTI Improvement Project, commenced 1/1/19

Chair, South Lowestoft Headteacher Network, commenced 1/1/17

Partnership Coordinator for Lowestoft South Partnership, The Ogden Trust, commenced 1/1/20

Academy Improvement Lead, Active Learning Trust, commenced 1/1/23

Employee, Active Learning Trust, commenced 1/1/14

18/12/21

-

 Ordinary resolution of members   
Lucy Churchill 

Trustee

 

Senior Associate, Birketts LLP, commenced 1/5/21

Committee member, Inspiration Trust audit & risk committee, commenced 1/1/24

 5/9/22 - Trustees (Co-opted)   
Elin De Zoete Trustee

Director, ImpactEd Consulting Ltd, commenced 17/7/23

Director, The Engagement Platform (TEP) Services Ltd, commenced 4/8/23

Director, ImpactEd Group Ltd, commenced 29/7/22

 1/1/23 - Trustees (Co-opted)   
Michael Bradburn Trustee

Director, Chignal Properties Limited, commenced 31/7/12

Director, Chignal Building Ltd, commenced 31/7/14, company dissolved 27/9/24

Director, Chignal Facilities Management Ltd, commenced 3/11/14

Director, North Avenue Development Co Ltd, commenced 15/9/15

Director, Fairfield Court Developments Ltd, commenced 27/10/15

Director, Fairfield Holdings Ltd, commenced 30/11/15

Director, Chignal Holdings Ltd, commenced 19/12/15

Director, Avebury Road Management Ltd, commenced 6/9/16

Director, Laburnum Property Co Ltd, commenced 29/9/17 

Director, North Avenue Development Co (Two) Ltd, commenced 15/7/20

Director, Saltmarsh Developments Ltd, commenced 8/10/20

Director, North Avenue Development Co (Three) Ltd, commenced 16/5/21

Director, Chignal Properties HoldCo Limited, commenced 9/8/21

Director, Chignal Properties Dev Co One Limited, commenced 9/8/21, , resigned 21/1/25

Director, Chignal Properties Dev Co Two Ltd, commenced 10/8/21

Director, North Avenue Development Co (Four) Ltd, commenced 5/11/21

Director, Chignal Properties Dev Co Three Limited, commenced 20/12/21

Director, IM&P Investments Ltd, commenced 9/2/22

Director, Sudbury Number One Limited, commenced 12/7/23

Director, Saltmarsh One Limited (16048855), commenced 29/10/24

 1/9/23 - Trustees (Co-opted)   
Olivia Leary (Sumpter) Trustee

Director, Bedrock Learning Ltd., commenced 22/10/14

Vice Chair of Governors, Lakenham Primary School, commenced 18/6/20

 1/9/25 - Trustees (Co-opted)  

Academic year 2024-2025

Name

 Position

Relevant interests

Appointed

Left

 Appointed by Meeting attendance
Lord Theodore Agnew Chair of the Board of Trustees

Member, Inspiration Trust, commenced 2/3/22

Committee Member, Inspiration Trust Audit & Risk Committee, commenced 18/12/21

Trustee, The Public Interest Foundation, commenced 1/1/06

LLP Designated Member, Ovington Operations LLP, commenced 22/6/16

Director, Match the Cash Limited, commenced 1/6/22

LLP Designated Member, Carbon Plus Capital LLP, commenced 1/2/22

Director, School Led Development Trust, commenced 1/9/22

Director, Markerstudy Group Holdings Limited, comenced 26/6/23

Director, 16-20 Strutton Ground Management Co. Limited, commenced 24/4/23

Director, All Perspectives, commenced 23/4/24

2/3/21

(Elected as Chair 1/9/22)

 - Ordinary resolution of members 4 of 5
David Tibble OBE Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees

Member, Inspiration Trust, commenced 14/8/12

Trustee, Public Interest Foundation, commenced 2/8/12

Director, Inspiration Services Ltd, commenced 28/10/16

Member, Outwood Grange Academies Trust, commenced 1/1/19

Director, Match the Cash Ltd, commenced 3/3/16

Committee Member, Inspiration Trust Audit & Risk Committee, commenced 18/12/21

Norwich Finance Technology Limited, Director, commenced 9th July 2025

14/8/12

(Elected as Vice-Chair 1/9/22)
 

 - Founding Trustee 5 of 5

David Earnshaw CBE

 Trustee

Trustee, Outwood Grange Academies Trust, commenced 18/10/11

Member, Outwood Grange Academies Trust, commenced 10/7/14

Director, Outwood Grange Services Ltd, commenced 1/9/16

Member, School Led Development Trust, commenced 31/5/21

1/3/17

-

 Ordinary resolution of members 3 of 5
Gareth Stevens Trustee

CEO & Accounting Officer, Inspiration Trust, commenced 1/3/21

Trustee, Star Academies, commenced 9/6/21

Director, Inspiration Services Ltd, commenced 1/3/21

 1/3/21 - Ordinary resolution of members  5 of 5

Kathryn Buscall

 Trustee

Partner, Ken Hill Estate, commenced 1/1/22

Trustee, The Lindsell Foundation, commenced 1/9/22

18/12/21

-

 Ordinary resolution of members  4 of 5

Heather Madsen

 Trustee

Headteacher, Red Oak Primary, commenced 1/1/13

Hub Lead, PTI Improvement Project, commenced 1/1/19

Chair, South Lowestoft Headteacher Network, commenced 1/1/17

Partnership Coordinator for Lowestoft South Partnership, The Ogden Trust, commenced 1/1/20

Academy Improvement Lead, Active Learning Trust, commenced 1/1/23

Employee, Active Learning Trust, commenced 1/1/14

18/12/21

-

 Ordinary resolution of members  1 of 5
Lucy Churchill 

Trustee

 

Senior Associate, Birketts LLP, commenced 1/5/21

Committee member, Inspiration Trust audit & risk committee, commenced 1/1/24

 5/9/22 - Trustees (Co-opted)  4 of 5
Elin De Zoete Trustee

Director, ImpactEd Consulting Ltd, commenced 17/7/23

Director, The Engagement Platform (TEP) Services Ltd, commenced 4/8/23

Director, ImpactEd Group Ltd, commenced 29/7/22

 1/1/23 - Trustees (Co-opted)  5 of 5
Michael Bradburn Trustee

Director, Chignal Properties Limited, commenced 31/7/12

Director, Chignal Building Ltd, commenced 31/7/14, company dissolved 27/9/24

Director, Chignal Facilities Management Ltd, commenced 3/11/14

Director, North Avenue Development Co Ltd, commenced 15/9/15

Director, Fairfield Court Developments Ltd, commenced 27/10/15

Director, Fairfield Holdings Ltd, commenced 30/11/15

Director, Chignal Holdings Ltd, commenced 19/12/15

Director, Avebury Road Management Ltd, commenced 6/9/16

Director, Laburnum Property Co Ltd, commenced 29/9/17 

Director, North Avenue Development Co (Two) Ltd, commenced 15/7/20

Director, Saltmarsh Developments Ltd, commenced 8/10/20

Director, North Avenue Development Co (Three) Ltd, commenced 16/5/21

Director, Chignal Properties HoldCo Limited, commenced 9/8/21

Director, Chignal Properties Dev Co One Limited, commenced 9/8/21, , resigned 21/1/25

Director, Chignal Properties Dev Co Two Ltd, commenced 10/8/21

Director, North Avenue Development Co (Four) Ltd, commenced 5/11/21

Director, Chignal Properties Dev Co Three Limited, commenced 20/12/21

Director, IM&P Investments Ltd, commenced 9/2/22

Director, Sudbury Number One Limited, commenced 12/7/23

Director, Saltmarsh One Limited (16048855), commenced 29/10/24

 1/9/23 - Trustees (Co-opted)  5 of 5