Our People

Keith Malcouronne is a Board-level Director and Chartered Accountant with wide- ranging commercial and trustee experience. His particular gifts are strategic leadership and business finance, steering organisations through growth and change using his professional and consulting skills to facilitate negotiations and envision other team members.

• Non-Executive Director Ashford & St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

• Trustee of World Vision children’s charity. Chair of Finance, Audit & Risk

• Entrepreneur with seven businesses started/acquired over twenty years

• Active Business Angel, Private Equity investor, Non-Executive Director

• Chairman of Guildford Diocesan Board of Education

• Co-chairman of Guildford Diocesan Synod

• Canon of Guildford Cathedral and member of its Finance and Risk Committee

• Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales

Andrew was an officer in the Royal Navy and then re-trained as an accountant with a global Pharma company. He subsequently worked as a Director of an international consultancy firm advising banks, investment banks and other financial services companies on transforming their operational performance.

With two children attending local schools, Andrew is passionate about enabling young people from across the area to achieve their potential. Most recently, he was Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee for the Guildford College Group where standards improvement was critical and achieved. In his spare time, Andrew coaches juniors at Guildford Rowing Club.

Alex is an experienced Diocesan Director of Education and leads the Education team based at Church House, Guildford. He is a member of the Bishop’s Leadership Team and is responsible for developing education policy on behalf of the Diocesan Board of Education.

Alex is an experienced system leader and former Local Leader of Education (LLE) in Surrey. He has 25 years’ experience in education as a teacher, governor, local authority adviser and primary headteacher of a Church of England school in the Diocese of Guildford.

Before taking up his post in Guildford, Alex was the Director of Education for Rochester Diocese for 6 years and Acting Chief Executive officer of a Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust.

Alex is a Trustee of Schools Alliance for Excellence (SAFE), a local education partnership in Surrey and a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teachers (FCCT).

Stephen is a Partner at law firm Stone King, who have offices around the UK. He leads the Education Team and has specialised in charity and not-for-profit law since qualifying as a solicitor in 1997.

Stephen has been involved in the academies programme since its inception back in the early 2000s, initially advising on the “type 1” failing school projects. He has acted on the conversion to academy status of over 170 maintained schools of all types, including community, faith and alternative provision schools.

Stephen has been involved in the academies programme since its inception back in the early 2000s, initially advising on the “type 1” failing school projects. He has acted on the conversion to academy status of over 170 maintained schools of all types, including community, faith and alternative provision schools.

Stephen’s particular expertise surrounds governance structures of multi academy trusts, drawing on his charity law background. This experience includes a detailed understanding of the relationships between academy trusts and their trading subsidiaries. He has particular experience in dealing with the establishment of academies within the faith sector and has acted on a significant number of academy conversions within Surrey.

Stephen is recognised as a leader in both education and charity law by Chambers and Legal 500. He has recently stepped down as a member of the Executive Committee of the Charity Law Association having served on the committee for 9 years. He is a governor of two schools and sits on an Academy Strategic Board for a Catholic Diocese.

Retired, previously having held senior leadership roles in media, latterly leading the research and strategy team at the British Film Institute and prior to that strategic planning roles in commercial television.

Project management responsibility from leading large research studies and experience in evaluating the impact and outcomes of public funding initiatives.

Business experience in restructuring following company mergers and acquisitions. Experienced governor and trustee and also a co-opted governor at a local authority maintained Church of England school.

Marcia retired from the headship of Charters School, a large, mixed comprehensive school rated "outstanding" by Ofsted in August 2009, having spent 16 successful years as the headteacher of 2 different schools, each one offering challenge and enjoyment.

As a headteacher Marcia was committed to Education-Business partnerships and was the headteacher representative on the board, overseeing all aspects of partnership working, including work experience. Marcia was a member of the Government Implementation Review Unit (IRU), representing headteachers, from 2003-09. This group worked closely with government advising on all aspects of policy implementation. She was also a member of the Board of the School Food Trust from 2007 to 2011 which managed the transformation of school food to ensure more healthy options were available.

Marcia was honoured to be created a Dame Commander of the British Empire (DBE) in the New Years Honours List of 2010.

Marcia remains passionately committed to education and to supporting schools to do the very best they can to support the students in their care.

Renata is a qualified geography teacher with 26 years of experience working in London schools.

Since 2019, Renata has worked at Saint Cecilia’s Church of England school, where she is Headteacher. Committed to the Self-Improving School System, Renata previously led the Canons Park Teaching School Alliance.

Renata is a member of the Department for Education Secondary Headteachers’ Reference Group and a trustee for the National Association of Able Children in Education (NACE), where she leads the Education Committee.

Retired Barrister and specialist criminal lawyer.

Senior manager in the Civil Service with substantial personnel and budgetary responsibilities.

Director of the Crown Prosecution Service, extensive experience of organisational change, central Government ministers and aspects of Health and Safety law.

Trustee for national and local charities. Experienced Governor and Trustee.

A successful career spanning 25 years as a stockbroker in the city.

A wealth of experience at senior level working with small and large firms.

Extensive knowledge of Insurance at Financial Director level for the past 11 years. Experienced Governor and Trustee.

Retired banker having spent career with HSBC reaching the position of Managing Director and Global Head of Business Line.

Experience of supporting companies in a range of contexts including; large scale acquisition financing, leveraged financing for the LBO/MBO market, asset financing to areas such as; aircraft and shipping and other major project financing. Treasure of the West Byfleet Health Centre. Experienced Governor and Trustee.

Pyrford C of E Primary School

Pyrford C of E Primary School

Information to follow.

Jack Mayhew brings significant experience of school leadership from both the secondary and primary sectors to his CEO role at Learning Partners.  Jack founded Athena Schools Trust, as Executive Headteacher, and led the merger with the 7 schools of Guildford Education Partnership in 2021, forming Learning Partners Academy Trust.  A teacher for more than 20 years, involved in school leadership for over half that time and a head, of one description or another, for almost 8 years, across three different schools, he is pleased to lead the trust with like-minded individuals and schools seeking a collaborative multi-academy trust model.

Jack has experience of school leadership in a variety of contexts and varying educational stages. He has experience of forming a multi-academy trust team before joining Guildford County – a school he led to outstanding Ofsted status in 2017.

Leading schools where children thrive is Jack's modus operandi for Learning Partners, where schools have a shared vision for education of being ‘better together’. The best way to face the challenges facing schools in the current climate is through collaboration, honesty and high expectations.

Kathryn has worked as a classroom teacher in the primary sector teaching for all ages between Nursery and Year 6.  Alongside her role as Director of Education, Kathryn is also a serving headteacher with 11 years headship experience, she has extensive experience of school academy trusts and school leadership.

Kathryn is an accredited NLE and has had the privilege of working with a variety of schools across the South East region in supporting them with varying aspects of school improvement.

Kathryn works to support governing bodies within both the maintained local authority and academy sector cross phase to include primary and secondary.

Kathryn has worked as part of the school improvement team since 2020 and has been able to visit all the schools within the trust, to work with leaders, teachers and staff teams to help them develop the curriculum offer for the trust’s learners.

Alongside her school improvement team colleagues, they aim to support the trust’s schools with providing the very best education they can, for the children they serve.  They do this via bespoke school improvement work and professional development.

Sandra is the Chief Operations Officer for the Trust. Sandra is an experienced School Business Manager with over 26 years of experience in the education sector, specialising in financial management, strategic planning, and academy school conversions. With a robust background in both primary and secondary education settings, Sandra has provided emergency financial and operational support to other educational settings. Sandra has successfully navigated the complexities of transforming traditional schools into academies, ensuring a smooth transition while maximizing operational efficiency.

Throughout her career, Sandra has played a pivotal role in managing budgets, streamlining processes, and implementing financial controls that support educational excellence. She is adept at working collaboratively with headteachers, governors, and stakeholders to align business objectives with educational goals. Sandra has worked closely with the Diocese of Guildford as part of their Building and Estates Committee. Sandra's expertise extends to facilities management, procurement, and compliance, allowing her to contribute significantly to the overall success of the institutions she serves.

Kathryn has worked as a classroom teacher in the primary sector teaching for all ages between Nursery and Year 6.  Alongside her role as Director of Education, Kathryn is also a serving headteacher with 11 years headship experience, she has extensive experience of school academy trusts and school leadership.

Kathryn is an accredited NLE and has had the privilege of working with a variety of schools across the South East region in supporting them with varying aspects of school improvement.

Kathryn works to support governing bodies within both the maintained local authority and academy sector cross phase to include primary and secondary.

Kathryn has worked as part of the school improvement team since 2020 and has been able to visit all the schools within the trust, to work with leaders, teachers and staff teams to help them develop the curriculum offer for the trust’s learners.

Alongside her school improvement team colleagues, they aim to support the trust’s schools with providing the very best education they can, for the children they serve.  They do this via bespoke school improvement work and professional development.

Carol has been supporting the trust since September 2018, adding a wealth of educational leadership experience to the team.  Her passion is to support school leaders, including governors, to be the best they can be; continually improving the provision they offer their children so that they thrive.

Carol’s experience includes being a teacher across the entire age range (Nursery through to Secondary), Headteacher, Service Leader for Education Standards within a local authority, School Improvement Partner, a National Leader of Governance, a Trainer delivering National School Leadership Programmes and a Trainer in Neuro Linguistic Programming.

Before joining Learning Partners, Helen has served within leadership teams in schools for 18 years and has leadership experience within secondary, primary and special schools, most recently acting as Headteacher at a local primary school. Helen has also led the work of a Teaching School.

Subsequent to her work in school leadership, Helen held the role of Director of School Improvement at another local trust and has enjoyed many years working across phase to support schools. In recent years Helen has developed and nurtured a wide network, and works alongside the Schools Alliance for Excellence as part of the school improvement team.

Helen is an experienced School Improvement Partner and has acted as a leadership coach on the National College of School Leadership Programme for supporting women in leadership. Helen has a passion to see inclusion embedded within the foundation of our work in schools and sees her role as being someone who builds effective dialogue with schools that provides appropriate challenge and good support to enable schools to realise ambitious goals for their pupils. She seeks to develop and deliver a collaborative approach to school improvement, effectiveness and leadership. Helen remains focused on promoting a positive culture and high expectation in the development of teaching and learning pedagogy across all schools at Learning Partners.

Ben Sayers is the IT Director at Learning Partners Church Academy Trust. His team's strategic goal is to "improve teaching and learning through better ICT". The Learning Partners Network Team supports our schools in all aspects of IT, providing tailored support to meet the requirements that our schools face. Our technical staff are skilled in their areas of expertise, with an ICT Apprentice programme to ensure that the team has continuity for the future.

The Learning Partners Network Team is purpose-built to grow as our community and school numbers grow. Our structure is designed to meet schools' needs with IT Technicians onsite, the Service Desk providing remote support and a Development & Infrastructure Team to lead on projects. This structure combines on-site and centralised support staff to better co-ordinate helpdesk tickets and projects for each one of our schools, with our projects being planned together so our schools get the benefits of group purchasing.

Governance professional with over 20 years experience following 17 years as a parent governor at a local primary school.

Started as a clerk supporting a governing body in a struggling school, using the experience gained from being a governor and now supporting three maintained primary schools in Surrey.

With 27 years of dedicated experience in education business management, Emma is currently the Business Manager & Governance Lead for a thriving three-form entry junior academy in Surrey. In 2014 she earned a BSc (Hons) degree in School Business Management from Manchester Metropolitan University, combining academic expertise with extensive hands-on experience.

Throughout her career, Emma has provided invaluable business management support to the local authority and other maintained schools and academies, fostering collaborative relationships with the wider education community. As the current chair of the NW Surrey School Business Partner Network Group, she fosters collaboration and shares best practices among colleagues, enhancing the effectiveness of school business management across the region.

With expertise in finance, human resources, premises management, compliance, academy conversion, governance, and strategic planning, Emma is committed to driving continuous improvement within the academy sector and wider educational community