Rob Swindells: CEO

Key responsibilities: vision, values and ethos, accounting officer, trust central team, trust executive leaders, overall standards, performance and accountability for the trust and all its schools, trust curriculum lead, overall trust strategy and development.

Background

Rob began his career at Chesterton Community Sports College in 1997 as an NQT and quickly establishing himself as a strong team member and gained promotion holding both pastoral and curriculum responsibilities. In 2006 he became Assistant Headteacher and joined the Senior Leadership Team at Chesterton Community Sports College, becoming Headteacher in 2012. He also served as Deputy CEO before becoming CEO in January 2025. Rob has worked across Trust schools and helped them to develop their capacity and structure in order to improve. He was also responsible for developing the highly successful ICT services that many local schools now purchase from the Trust. Rob is passionate about school improvement and has an established reputation for having a clear strategic vision and a drive to lead change in the interests of the children, especially through a clear well focussed curriculum.

Steph Waterhouse: Headteacher at CCSC

Key Responsibilities: leading all standards at CCSC.

Background

Steph joined Chesterton Community Sports College as an NQT English teacher in 2004. She very soon established herself as an outstanding teacher and quickly gained promotion to Head of Department. She first became a member of the Senior Leadership Team in 2013 and earned further promotion to Deputy Headteacher and a member of the Trust Executive Leadership Team. I January 2025 she became headteacher at CCSC. Steph has earned her reputation from excellent teaching and enviable people management skills. She is an inspiring leader who brings out the best in all those she works with.

Diane Beardsmore: Headteacher Churchfields Primary School

Key Responsibilities: Leading all standards at Churchfields Primary School

Background

Diane began her career at Chesterton Community Sports College as an NQT in 1998. Her talent was recognised early on as in her second year of teaching she took part in a developing Young leader’s course run by Specialist School Trust. At this time she also had her first promotion having responsibility for RE and PSCHE. She later became SENCO and school safeguarding lead. She became Assistant Head at Chesterton Community Sports College in 2006 and Headteacher at Churchfields Primary School in January 2012. During her time at Churchfields the school has gone from Special Measures to Outstanding. Diane has an impressive reputation across Staffordshire for her work in regards to SEN and Safeguarding and is widely held as one of the County’s most experienced people in this field. She has also quickly become an established authority on primary education and leadership.

Sara Stevenson: Executive Headteacher at Crackley Bank Primary and Bursley Academy

Key Responsibilities: Leading all standards at Crackley Bank Primary School and Bursley Academy

Background

Sara qualified as a Primary Teacher in 1996 and originally taught in schools in Shropshire before moving to Staffordshire to take up the post as Deputy Headteacher at Crackley Bank in 2003. In 2005 Sara became the school’s Head Teacher and during this time she has taken a key role in working with the LA to support other schools within Staffordshire. Sara ensures that the curriculum impacts upon the quality of education whilst maintaining a strong focus upon inclusion - SEND support and behaviour managementare strengths of the school. There is a clear ethos of teamwork and positive growth mind-set within the school and this is led by Sara through her strong drive for improvement throughout the school.

Helen Swindells: Headteacher at Chesterton Primary School

Key Responsibilities: Leading all standards at Chesterton Primary School

Background

Helen qualified as a Primary Teacher in 2014 following a successful career in corporate marketing. She holds a degree in psychology and post graduate qualifications in special educational needs.   Helen joined the Collective Vision Trust in 2016, she has been a SENDCo since 2019, Deputy Head since 2022 and became Head at Chesterton Primary in 2023. Helen is passionate about curriculum and inclusivity and champions the needs of children in school. Her leadership is firmly centred around team-work and honesty which are key features of the school.

Rachael Williams: Executive Headteacher at Goldstone Federation

Key Responsibilities: Leading all standards at Cheswardine Primary and Nursery School and Hinstock Primary School

Background

Rachael qualified as a Primary Teacher in 1992 and originally taught in schools in Kent and Medway before moving to Shropshire in 2001. After working up to senior leadership in an outstanding central Shrewsbury school for ten years Rachael became an acting Headteacher for a small rural school in North Shropshire in 2013. She then went on to become Headteacher of Hinstock Primary School in September 2014. Since taking that role Rachael has been called upon by the LA to support a few of the North Shropshire rural schools alongside being Head at Hinstock. The most recent school to need support was Cheswardine Primary school and in December 2019 the two schools of Cheswardine and Hinstock federated and became Goldstone Federation with Rachael as Executive Headteacher. The Federation is now proud of its strong team where everyone knows the pupils well and the family like atmospheres are celebrated.

Lisa Taylor: Head of School at Crackley Bank Primary

Key Responsibilities: Support the Executive Headteacher in leading all standards at Crackley Bank Primary School

Background

Lisa has worked at Crackley Bank Primary School for many years, where she started as an NQT.  She has gained many promotions and had been the Deputy Headteacher for a number of years before being promoted to Head of School in September 2025.  She is also a very experienced SENDCo.

Julia Revell – Chief Financial Officer

Responsible for: Finance, HR, Trust Administration, Company Secretary.

Garry Gribbin – Director of Premises and Estates

Responsible for: Development and management of the Trust’s premises.

David Lawton – Director of ICT Infrastructure, Development and Technical Manager

Responsible for: ICT across the Trust and across other schools buying into the service.

Yvonne Jennings – Trust

Responsible for: (alongside the CFO) academy returns and financial compliance.

Lynn Jackson: Trust Governance Leader

Key responsibilities: Trust Governance Professional for all governance functions, policy development for the Trust and all its schools, ensuring Trust systems are developed and maintained.

Stella Formosa: Trust Educational Development Leader

Key Responsibilities: Support the trust’s growth strategy, aid Trust succession planning by helping to develop future leaders, understanding of national developments around education.