The Active Learning Trust has a senior leadership team who engage directly with all of our academies. Working in all of our settings the team is able to address needs, challenge and support whilst also developing the professional networks between members of the trust. The leadership team is able to create and broker bespoke school improvement initiatives alongside the Hub leaders that lead to outstanding performance.
Lynsey Holzer joined The Active Learning Trust as Chief Executive Officer in January 2023. Lynsey was previously Chief Executive Officer for Evolution Academy Trust and she has over 25 years of Education sector experience in a variety of roles. These include teacher, leader, executive headteacher and OFSTED inspector.
Lynsey is passionate about providing an environment in schools for children to excel and for staff to enjoy their work and succeed in their roles.
Duncan has a breadth of experience and success in school improvement roles across primary, secondary and special school settings. This includes roles on the senior leadership team at Arthur Mellows Village College and as the lead Director of Peterborough’s School Centred Initial Teacher Training (Teach East). Under his leadership, Teach East improved from a ‘requires improvement’ rating to become an organisation recognised as an example of best practice in the sector. Duncan has held several senior leader positions including, most recently, working as an Educational Consultant specialising in school improvement in Guernsey.
Elaine is the Director of HR and leads on all aspects of HR, including developing and delivering on the Trust People Strategy, staffing policies and employee relations and is a significant contributor on people management for the Trust and its academies. She is committed to ensuring that sound and effective HR and payroll services are in place throughout the Trust. . Elaine has extensive experience of leading and managing HR teams with an aim of providing business-focused HR services. She has worked in the Education HR sector for over 20 years, supporting and advising Trusts, Headteachers, Directors of Education and other school leaders on staffing matters. Prior to joining Active Learning Trust in 2021, Elaine worked for a national education services company and partnered with a number of Trusts on their journey from initial formation to being classified as ‘large’ successful Trusts with national or regional presence. Elaine and her team advised and delivered on strategic and operational HR matters to support the Trust’s growth and development over time. During this time, Elaine shared her knowledge and expertise by delivering regular training, including Trust CEO People Management training via Ambition Institute, a speaker and panel member at Academy Shows and a regular panellist for her company’s regular ‘live’ Question and Answer sessions. Elaine also worked as the HR Change Lead for a Local Authority working as a team on the delivery of complex, wide-scale change programmes that altered the overall public service delivery model for the Authority. Prior to this Elaine was the HR Business Partner (Education) for a large Local Government shared services provider where she led an HR Team providing the education focused people services. Elaine is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, which further evidences her proven strategic HR abilities, expertise in dealing with people management and business impact.
Before joining The Active Learning Trust, Chris had worked for The Wensum Trust since 2016, most recently as Director of Operations and Finance. In this role he lead successfully on a number of key strategic projects and has gained extensive experience overseeing the strategic direction of the central team. Chris previously worked in a number of data focused roles, including Data Manager within a school. He was awarded a MBA in 2021 to add to his Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership and a MSc.
Phil Beecher joined The Active Learning Trust in 2023. Phil was previously the Chief Operating Officer at Broad Horizons Education Trust, where he had previously held the role of Director of Finance. He is also Chair of Audit and Risk Committee for Inspiration Trust and Trustee/Chair of Audit and Risk Committee for St John the Baptist Catholic Multi Academy Trust. Prior to working in education, Phil was the Financial Controller for a NHS Trust, following 5 years at Pricewaterhouse Coopers, where he qualified as a chartered accountant.
Craig has held a wide range of roles at a number of schools within the Active Learning Trust. He was Principal at Chantry Academy from 2015 and, since 2019, he has been Executive Head at Chantry along with Executive Head roles at Gusford, Hillside and Littleport and East Cambridgeshire Academy. Earlier in his career Craig was also Vice Principal at Neale-Wade Academy.
Craig started his teaching career in Kent before moving to London and then Cambridgeshire. His roles have ranged from AST, data manager and director of specialism before taking the lead on Teaching and Learning. Craig was able to combine his first headship with support from the Government's Talented Leaders programme.
Jeremy joined The Active Learning Trust in 2023 as our Educational Project Lead. He was formerly the Headteacher of Sir John Leman High School in Suffolk and CEO of Waveney Valley Academies Trust.
Leadership
Lynsey Holzer
Chief Executive Officer
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Duncan Low
Director of Education
Elaine Hammond
Director of People
Chris Everard
Director of Operations
Phil Beecher
Director of Finance
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Craig D'Cunha
Associate Executive Leader
Jeremy Rowe
Educational Project Lead
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