The Board

Matthew Shanks
Executive Principal and Trust Leader
Originally hailing from Manchester, I have worked as a teacher in education for 26 years, 17 as a senior leader…
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as Headteacher, Executive Headteacher and chair of governors, I have led both secondary and primary schools out of special measures to achieve Ofsted outstanding and good grades. I am motivated by improving ‘cultures’ and providing ‘opportunities’ for all children to succeed, not just boosting examination outcomes.
I am proud to have been designated a National Leader of Education, as well as a trained and active lead Ofsted inspector at primary and secondary level, and enjoy working with others. As a level 7 executive coach and mentor with the Institute of Leadership and Management, I work closely with all who seek to make things better for children and staff in schools. I am a trustee of School Leadership Services, which offers support and challenge to heads and leaders across the south west.
Education is a force for change; I am passionate about the power of education for all and have many years’ experience as a governor and trustee.
Teachers and leaders should work together across educational settings for the good of all children; only by leading with humility will we truly help the children and young people we serve.
BA Hons English and American Literature, PGCE, PGDip, MA, NPQH, ILM Level 7

Graham Austin
Chair
Graham Austin has retired from Barclays Bank after 37 years. His career started in Totnes…
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He moved around the country but returned to the area with his last role being the director in charge of Business Banking for the South West.
Throughout his working life, Barry has always been keen to get involved with the local community, been heavily involved with Chambers of commerce, Business improvement districts and school governorship.
He is married and has two grown up children – both attended Coombeshead, he has been a governor in various forms since children at Primary school, nearly 20 years in total.

Kellie Knott
Trustee
Kellie has a 15 year track record of navigating complex strategy, policy and delivery in the public sector…
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with a focus on improving outcomes for children and young people. Her more recent roles have been at the Department for Education, developing improvement and intervention policy and leading the team responsible for working with all south west local authorities to drive up the performance of children’s social care and SEND services.
Kellie was previously involved in the governance at Dartmouth Academy since 2015. Initially as the safeguarding lead for the interim advisory committee whilst the school was in special measures, and then as the Chair of Governors 2017 – 2021. Both of her children have attended ESW schools.

David Potter
Trustee
David was the Chair of Teign School local governing body for 4 years and is currently a Trustee of ESW…
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He has been involved in Secondary education for a number of years both as a parent governor and also as a Director of TAST before the merger.
He is a Partner at EY, where he leads major improvement programmes across public and private sector. He believes in an inclusive workplace which welcomes talent from all backgrounds, vocations and academic achievement. To that end he believes the academy system should enable its students to develop both their skills and their attributes against a backdrop of high-expectations and encouragement.

Annelie Fearon
Trustee
Annelie has spent almost 25 years employed in financial services and investing. She started her career…
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working as a research analyst for JP Morgan in London, subsequently working as a portfolio manager for Paris-based, institutional asset manager, Edmond de Rothschild, and latterly as an analyst and portfolio manager for alternative investment firm, Cheyne Capital Management. Her core competency is in analysing the financial health of companies and institutions across all sectors and regions. In addition to her professional responsibilities, Annelie sits on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee at Cheyne, seeking to address the gender bias in financial services and to advocate for disadvantaged children from rural and provincial backgrounds.
Annelie grew up and was educated in the South Hams. She is married with three children and lives in Kingsbridge.

Jeremy Fothergill
Trustee
Formerly a Commercial Director with an international Defence and Aerospace Company, in 2004 I retired…
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early and we moved permanently to a small farm near East Allington, having enjoyed holiday homes in Salcombe and Thurlestone for the previous 25 years.
I was a Governor at Kingsbridge Community College for 10 years, since my daughter was in Year 8, and it provided me with an intellectual diversion from cutting grass, hedges and repairing fences. I am a founding member of Education South West and am keen to share our successful experience more widely. We have some huge privileges living here in the South Hams but we also face challenges with ensuring our young people have the opportunity to compete on the world stage. I hope my experience of managing businesses around the UK and overseas can contribute to meeting this challenge.

Barrie Taylor
Trustee
Barrie has a passion for providing the best possible opportunities for young people…
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He is Executive Director at Group Ltd – providing a secure online solution for voluntary organisations, local authorities and many other membership entities to deliver on the ground clubs and services UK wide.
Barrie has worked in a range of consultancy environments with a focus on services for young people and the disabled community as well as being involved in a wide range of other voluntary projects. His two boys have attended several of the Trust schools – with one still in Secondary.

Jenny Sutton
Trustee
Jenny is the South West Director of Teach First. She has accountability for the successful delivery of multiple DfE…
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contracts with the South West, encompassing ITT, CPD and School Improvement. Jenny founded Teach First in the region and has successfully grown the charity’s footprint, their profile and the remit of their work. Prior to joining Teach First, Jenny held two senior leadership roles, one as Director of 14-19 at The City Academy, Hackney and one as Assistant Head at Highbury Grove, Islington where Jenny initially started her career as a Teach First ambassador in 2003. Both schools served high pupil premium catchments and both were judged outstanding by Ofsted during this time. Jenny also worked with Challenge Partners and the London Leadership Strategy as an education consultant, during this time.

Adrian Hines
Trustee
Adrian was previously Chair of Rydon Primary School local governing body for six years…
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and is currently Chair of a local governing body covering two primary schools in Cornwall. Adrian is also Chair of Devon Association of Governance, and sits on Devon Education Forum and the Schools Finance Group.
Adrian is currently a Facility Director for the Science and Technology Facilities Council with responsibility for a large computing system for use in environmental science research. Prior to this, Adrian spent 24 years working at the Met Office in scientific and technical roles, including leading teams of scientists and software engineers. He is a Chartered Marine Scientist, and a Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology.
Adrian has two daughters who both attend ESW schools, one in primary school and one in secondary school.

Gail Brown
TRUSTEE
Gail Brown is Chief Executive and Executive Headteacher of Ebor Academy Trust, which operates 23 primary schools in York, Selby, in the East Riding and The Humber and on the Yorkshire Coast. It is one of the largest multi-academy trusts in the country…
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Gail has been Chief Executive since February 2020 but formally joined the Trust in 2015 and has been Headteacher or Executive Headteacher of five Ebor Schools. Prior to this she was Regional Adviser for EYFS in Yorkshire and Humber and an Educational Consultant in City of York Local Authority.
In a 25-year educational career, she has been fortunate to have had a range of experiences which she says far outweighed her initial ambitions as a young graduate: “I always wanted to be a teacher and with an unwavering passion that all children are entitled to an excellent education, almost the first half of my career was spent teaching all phases of primary education,” she said.
Gail’s first teaching post was with Robert Wilkinson Primary School in Strensall, which later was to become the launchpad for Ebor Academy Trust.

Jen Gibbs
TRUSTEE
Jen Gibbs is the National Lead for Research and Best Practice at Oasis Community Learning. She began teaching through Teach First as an Art and Design Teacher at North West London Secondary School. Since then, Jen has spent over a decade working in secondary schools…
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in London as a senior leader and later becoming a teacher educator, leading professional development programmes to support teachers in initial teacher training to system leaders. Most recently, Jen was one of His Majestys Inspectors and the Subject lead for Art and Design at Ofsted. Jen worked as part of the Curriculum unit, writing and leading the publication of the Art and Design research review. Jen credits her education and great teachers for cultivating her love of learning and opening many windows and doors. As a result, she is committed to ensuring that many children have the same transformational opportunities.
Jen enjoys thinking hard about how to help pupils, teachers and schools to get better. Her curiosity in this area has led to several fellowships, visiting and working with schools across the UK, New York, Chicago and Norway. Beyond education, Jen enjoys various interests; however, most of her time is spent with her husband and four young children, exploring the best of cornish life.