Finham Park Multi Academy Trust Board

Trust Members

Member
IT, Community Engagement

Vacancy

Member

Catherine Colby-Johnson

Member
Community Engagement, Inclusion, SEND

Member Trustees

Chairman

Peter Burns, MBE, J.P

Chairman - Member Trustee
Leadership, Estates, Business

Member Trustee

Fanny Anderson

Member Trustee
Finance

Trustees

Cllr John Blundell

Trustee
Local Authority, Education, Community

Pauline Parkes

Trustee
Education, Safeguarding, SEND

Mark Bailie

Executive Headteacher & Trustee
Education, Leadership,

Trustee
Policy, Community Engagement

Kirsty Weeks

Trustee
Primary Education, Curriculum

Trustee
Business, Community

Amrik Bhabra MBE

Member

IT, Community Engagement

Amrik Bhabra, Chief Executive of ADECS, started in the Business as a 3rd year placement student back in 1992. He began his career as a Technical Support Engineer, providing technical solutions for businesses and implementing them. He moved rapidly through various roles within the company, and became Managing Director in 1999. Through the experience he has gained over the last 25 years, Amrik is now recognised and respected within businesses in the region, and has an influencing role within many local initiatives. He has always had a very strong belief in developing and up-skilling people, and providing as many opportunities as possible for people to gain valuable experience which they can use to enhance their careers within ADECS or elsewhere. He recognises that you have to do things rather than just complain about how things should be. Amongst many other things, he is actively involved in the following:

  • Has been awarded an MBE for his contribution to Business and the Community
  • is a Director at Nishkam School Trust and Chair of Governors at Nishkam High School, Birmingham
  • past President of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and sits on the main Board still, as well as being a Board member of several other charities

He strongly believes and tries to live his life in the style of the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self”.

Catherine Colby Johnson

Member

I have lived, worked and raised a family in Coventry for over 25 years and gained experience of Education, Safeguarding and SEND, working for the Local Authority. I now work at Coventry University on government funded projects.

I am a champion for Equality, Inclusion and Diversity and feel every student should be given the means and opportunity to flourish in education.

I was a governor at Finham Park before becoming the Chair of Governors at Finham Park 2, where I supported the school through it’s creation, opening and seeing it reach full capacity. My passion for supporting the Trust continues and I am now a Member of the Multi Academy Trust.

I am proud to have seen the development of the Trust, to share our ethos and values with other schools and to provide a World Class Education for our Students.

Mr Peter Burns MBE, JP

Chairman of the Trust Board, Member and Trustee

Both of my children attended Finham Park and I have been a governor of the school for 30 years and chair for 10 years before taking up my new role as Chair of the Multi Academy Trust.

In my working life I was Facilities and Services Director for Marconi Telecommunications and was President of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce 2014 to 2016, I now represent the British Chambers of Commerce on two national committees.

Awarded the MBE for Services to the Community in Coventry and Warwickshire in 2001.

I am a Parish Councillor for Finham and hold the position of Chair,

The Multi Academy is a very exciting time for us with great benefits to both staff and pupils alike and I will do all I can to make sure we deliver the core values across the Trust.

Fanny Anderson

Member Trustee
Finance

Originally from France, I followed my husband to the UK and have embraced British culture for over 20 years and am particularly fond of Coventry. Our 2 daughters currently attend Finham Park School. I have many years of industry sector experience within Lean management, leadership and internal control. I am a Finance Manager at Peugeot Citroen Automobiles UK where I have been employed full time for over 15 years. I had been a school governor for 9 years at both Primary and Secondary schools before becoming a Director of the Finham Park Multi Academy Trust. I am truly committed to delivering the best education for the children of Coventry. I strongly believe in the values and ethos of Finham Park Multi Academy Trust and I am proud to be part of the Board of Directors.

Cllr John Blundell

Trustee
Local Authority, Education, Community

John has been a Coventry City Councillor for 14 years and is now the Leader of the Opposition, a position he has held for 3 years. Before that he was the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, having previously been the Cabinet Member for Children, Learning and Young People. John was educated in Coventry at King Henry VIII School and trained as an accountant. He had a number of senior positions with Coventry and international companies before opening up his own employment and training agency in Hales Street, Coventry. John now manages student halls of residence in Coventry. John is married and lives in the Cannon Park area of Coventry. He has 2 children and 3 grandchildren. In his spare time John enjoys playing golf and bridge.

Pauline Parkes

Trustee
Education, Safeguarding, SEND

Pauline is a retired teacher and has worked in the City of Coventry for over 30 years. Her involvement on governing bodies has been extensive with her area of expertise being SEND, Safeguarding & Inclusion, together with the health and welfare of young people. She held the position of SENCO, Inclusion Manager and Safeguarding Lead at a local secondary school. She started her career as a teacher of PE and music and moved to Coventry to teach at a local secondary school in 1980. She strongly believes that all young people should have the best possible start in life and that school can play a big part in this. Pauline continues to be a keen advocate for sport and for all the expressive arts and sees them as an extremely valuable and intrinsic part of the school curriculum.

Mark Bailie

CEO / Executive Headteacher & Trustee
Education, Leadership

Mark has worked in schools for over 25 years and has been in leadership positions for 22 years. He has been a Headteacher for over 11 years (7 years at Finham Park School). National Leader of Education (NLE); has significant Ofsted experience and is a qualified Ofsted Inspector; he has taken different schools from 4 to 3, 3 to 2 and 2 to 1 in Ofsted terms. Specialist knowledge: Educational leadership; marketing, finance, operations; human resources, including recruitment; estates, curriculum; business; strategy. Relevant interests: National Leader of Education Ofsted Inspector – West Midlands Regional Team Member,  Headteacher Steering Group for Confucius Institute based at IOE, UCL

Alethea Fuller

Trustee

Policy, Community Engagement

I am the Deputy Chief Executive for the Police and Crime Commissioner in the West Midlands, and one of the most senior black women in policing governance.

My background and extensive experience lies in local government, police governance and accountability, strategic policy development, commissioning and their legislative frameworks. Her current role includes assisting the PCC in holding the Chief Constable to account, fostering collaboration and partnership activity with statutory and voluntary bodies across the West Midlands – both regionally and nationally, and leading and managing an effective and efficient office. 

I have particular skills in strategy and public policy and am a strong community and public services professional who graduated from University of Birmingham with a Master’s in Public Management and Leadership.  My passion lies in education, community and voluntary sector involvement and co-production in the work that we do; work that impacts hugely on the communities that we serve and I work to bring ideas, people and inspiration to life.

I have 2 daughters of whom I am immensely proud, they both went to Finham Park; one is training in a financial institution and the other is a trainee solicitor.  I have been a single mother who has brought her girls up to feel able to take on the world!

In my personal life, I am also a Director for the Coventry Caribbean Association Limited and a Trustee of the Heart of England Community Foundation.  I have been a school governor for 15 years and a Chair of governors for 5 years; I also enjoy reading and going to the gym.

Kirsty Weeks

Trustee
Primary Education, Curriculum

Kirsty has over 27 years teaching experience and has been involved in Initial Teacher Education for the past 10 years. Kirsty works across Primary,Early Years and ITE 3-16 International programmes at the University of Warwick . Kirsty has extensive experience of supporting schools as an Early Years and Literacy Consultant for Warwickshire Local Authority as well as an Early Years and Key Stage 1 moderator and school governor. She has experience of leading both literacy and numeracy in school and has taught all age groups from Nursery to Year 6. Kirsty has also spent a number of years teaching aboard in both Singapore and Madrid. she has two boys who attend a local secondary school. Truly committed to quality education for all, Kirsty is proud to be a Director for the Finham Park Multi Academy Trust.

Mercer Mottram

Trustee

Business, Community

Born and educated in Coventry and Durham, Mercer is a recently retired Senior Commercial Manager for a Global Logistics, Storage and Records Management Business and is I.O.S.H. Qualified.

Both Mercer’s son and daughter attended Finham Park School – he was an active member of the school’s LGB and has served on the Finham Park Multi Academy Trust Board as a Trustee and is now a Member of the Trust.

Mercer was a keen sportsman, and after ‘hanging up his boots’, he coached youth Cricket and Rugby for around 15 years.