Meet the Central Team

Richard has worked in Special Education since 1989 when he joined Loxley Hall Residential School (SEMH) as a general classroom teacher and specialist in PE. As part of this, Richard had residential duties and he became Assistant Headteacher, with whole school responsibility for the emotional curriculum and provision mapping.

Richard became the Headteacher of Loxley Hall School in 2008 and had the privilege to lead a highly successful team to an Outstanding Ofsted judgement in 2011, in both Educational and Residential formats. In 2012, Richard became the Executive Headteacher of the Federation of Loxley Hall and Cicely Haughton Residential Special Schools, both of which were Outstanding.

Richard led the Federation to convert to Academy status in 2015 and became CEO of the Manor Hall Academy Trust (MHAT) – named after the founder schools (Cicely Manor/Loxley Hall). The Manor Hall Academy Trust has grown sustainably and is now in its 8th year of operation. MHAT has now got sponsorship status and will be approaching a membership of 15 schools by Spring 2024, with an additional opening of a Free School taking place in September 2024.

MHAT is committed to its civic responsibilities of improving outcomes for vulnerable learners, as part of its strategic aspirations, through outreach support and the operation of Resource Bases in mainstream schools. Richard works in co-production with Trust Local Authorities within their SEND Strategies and Commissioning Plans, to improve outcomes for vulnerable learners across the continuum of SEND. He is currently sits as the Chair of Staffordshire Schools Forum.

Alongside my role within our Trust, I am Executive Headteacher for the Meadows School in Leek. We were the first school to decide to join the recently formed MHAT in 2016 and did so because of our belief in collaboration between Special Schools. I believe our Trust nurtures, supports and develops excellent headteachers and leaders, which helps to ensure more and more vulnerable children and young people have a successful time in school. This is why schools choose to join and be part of the MHAT. I hold various other roles including, Chair of Staffordshire Special Schools Forum, the Staffordshire Moorlands Local Management Group for SEND and Inclusion, as well as a trustee for Grow moorlands, a charity set up to help disadvantaged young people develop work skills. Outside of work, we own a campervan and enjoy travelling around the UK, seeking the perfect pitch, pub and paddle boarding beach. I am also a football and American Football fan and suffer the misfortune of being brought up to follow Sunderland.

I graduated from the University of Birmingham in Performance and Visual Arts and retuned to study after having my first child with Anglia Ruskin and achieved a further degree in Charity and Social Enterprise Management.

Outside of work, I love going on my annual trips to the Mach Comedy Festival, taking my children to the seaside for holidays and enjoying a good glass of red on a Friday evening!

I qualified as a teacher in 2000 and after three years in a mainstream primary school, I moved into Special Education in 2003 when I joined Cicely Haughton Residential School (SEMH) as a Primary School teacher and specialist in PE.

I became the Head of School and then Headteacher of Cicely Haughton School in 2013 and had the privilege to lead a highly successful team to an Outstanding Ofsted judgement in 2013, which was maintained in 2018 and 2023 inspections.

Cicely Haughton were one of the founding members of Manor Hall Academy Trust and as Manor Hall Academy Trust has grown to 14 schools, I have taken on a school improvement role, initially alongside the Headteacher role.

From September 2023, I have taken on the full-time position of Executive School Improvement Officer at Manor Hall Academy Trust, working alongside a team of School Improvement Partners to quality assure each school through our School Improvement Strategy.

I am a huge sports fan, and enjoy playing squash and golf, and watching my children play netball, cricket, football and rugby. I am a supporter of Middlesbrough Football Club.

I qualified as a teacher in 2000 and after three years in a mainstream primary school, I moved into Special Education in 2003 when I joined Cicely Haughton Residential School (SEMH) as a Primary School teacher and specialist in PE.

I became the Head of School and then Headteacher of Cicely Haughton School in 2013 and had the privilege to lead a highly successful team to an Outstanding Ofsted judgement in 2013, which was maintained in 2018 and 2023 inspections.

Cicely Haughton were one of the founding members of Manor Hall Academy Trust and as Manor Hall Academy Trust has grown to 14 schools, I have taken on a school improvement role, initially alongside the Headteacher role.

From September 2023, I have taken on the full-time position of Executive School Improvement Officer at Manor Hall Academy Trust, working alongside a team of School Improvement Partners to quality assure each school through our School Improvement Strategy.

I am a huge sports fan, and enjoy playing squash and golf, and watching my children play netball, cricket, football and rugby. I am a supporter of Middlesbrough Football Club.

Alec is a qualified accountant with several years’ experience in education finance. Since May 2019 he has been Chief Finance Officer for multi-academy trusts with Special school members. Prior to this he has worked at Local Authority and School level in finance roles.

Before working in education, Alec worked in IT recruitment for 17 years, running his own agency for 10 years. Through his governor role at a local primary school he took the decision to change career and utilise business and finance skills within the education industry.

Alec works with the MHAT central team to deliver finance support for schools and financial compliance with external regulatory bodies.

I joined the Trust in 2016 as a finance assistant when there were just 2 schools. During this time, I have worked with and supported new schools, adapted processes and procedures and helped to formulate the central services function. My main day to day role includes overseeing the financial functions of the Trust. These include supporting existing schools and new schools joining the Trust; with functions such as budgeting, maximizing income, expenditure, payroll and reporting to ensure best value and financial compliance. As the Trust has grown I have progressed to Trust Finance Manager where we now have a team of 4 Finance Support Officers, who support each school in their day-to day finance functions. Outside of work, I enjoy going for long walks with my dogs.

I joined MHAT central team in November 2019, as a Finance Assistant. I have a background in business and compliance and came from a charity as their finance administrator. I am continually developing my knowledge, experiences and sharing good practices and skills across the growing Multi Academy Trust and this is something that I am very proud to be part of. My hobbies include many crafts and spending time with my family.

I joined Manor Hall Academy Trust Central Team in August 2021. I currently help to support our schools in my role as Finance Officer, after having a career in banking for over thirty years.

I am proud to be part of the central team, helping our schools to make a difference to students lives.

Outside of work, I enjoy gardening, travelling and spending time with my family.

I joined the Manor Hall Academy Central Team in September 2022. My previous role was at Staffordshire Police HQ working in the Facilities Team to support the Staffordshire Police Estate with all planned and reactive work on the stations. I have joined the MHAT to develop my Finance skills and knowledge to enable me to support our schools Outside of work I enjoy going to the gym, long walks and spending time with my family and friends

I am Jackie Plant and I have been with Manor Hall Academy Trust since June 2022. I am the Information, Governance and Compliance Officer and I work closely with the central team, the schools and also the board of directors. I am thankful for all of the support, encouragement and even respectful and constructive challenge and I am proud to work with everyone.

Since I stated working for the trust it has been a whirlwind, I started this year thinking CIF was something that you cleaned your bathroom with but instead means something completely different in the word of education. There has been so much to learn and to digest but I have been supported and nurtured. I will continue to learn and produce useful work while supporting our schools in areas such as compliance and governance.

My interests outside of work are football, either watching live or on the television, going on city breaks, meals with my friends and family and looking after my cat who is called Freya.

I joined MHAT central team in August 2021. I have worked in school based finance for over 30 years enjoying the day to day challenges that school finance can bring. During this time, I have worked across different schools, experiencing the varying formats and procedures of different Local Authorities. I am qualified to CSBM level, I am a firm believer in best practice and networking, working alongside schools of the MHAT.

Outside of work my hobbies all revolve around family, travelling and my love of dogs and wildlife.