Jon Lovatt - Chief Executive Officer, Accounting Officer, Trust Safeguarding and Governance Lead:

Jon has over 40 years’ experience working as a public servant in the Education Sector.

He helped to found The Societas Trust as a collaborative partnership in 2014, and was appointed CEO in February 2016 on the incorporation of the Trust. Jon is also a founding member of the Ivy Learning Trust based in Enfield; a member of The Aim High Trust in Sunderland; co-founder and director of The Valiant School - an Independent Primary School for children with extreme social and emotional needs in North Staffordshire; and Chair of Governors at two schools in a neighbouring Trust.

Jon undertook the Future Leaders' Trust's Executive Educators' Programme – the forerunner of the National Professional Qualification in Executive Leadership – in 2015.

He is a member of Stoke-on-Trent LA’s Children’s Improvement Board and CEO Partnership Board, and also works collaboratively with a number of other CEOs from the West Midlands and nationally.  Jon is also a member of the CEO Futures Forum.  

Jon is from Stoke-on-Trent and passionately believes in ‘Great Learning Opportunities for All’, the Trust's maxim.

 

Steve Martin - Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Trust Sustainability Lead:

Steve has over twenty years’ experience as a teacher in the primary sector, including ten years as a Headteacher.

Steve was part of the group of headteachers who helped to found the Trust as a collaborative partnership in 2014. He was seconded as Deputy CEO in September 2022 and, in addition to this, is also Headteacher of Goldenhill Primary Academy. Steve is passionate about working with school leaders and teachers in a collaborative and supportive way to ensure all children have the very best learning opportunities.

Part of his role as Deputy CEO is to support the development of an effective business development strategy and plan based upon the joint priorities of all the settings within the Trust. Steve also facilitates the pastoral support for headteachers across the trust and has oversight of all mentoring arrangements for new headteachers and deputy headteachers.

Alongside Nichola Gibson, Steve works with internal and external partners to enable the identification of improvement priorities across the Trust and in individual settings, and helps to lead our Improving Education Team.

He has extensive experience of facilitating school to school support and has carried out Continuing Professional Development in a number of schools as part of this process.

Steve has also been a governor for over ten years in two primary schools, supporting their strategic direction and vision and supporting their local communities.

Steve passionately believes in developing the whole child; developing them into citizens of the future, ensuring that they achieve their potential. He believes this is achieved through developing a well-structured and sequenced curriculum, consistent high-quality teaching, and meaningful assessment approaches, ensuring that children are taught through engaging and motivating learning experiences that inspire and lead to a deeper level of understanding.

 

Sally Henderson - Finance and Procurement Manager, Chief Finance Officer:

Sally has eighteen years’ experience in Business Management in the Education Sector and has worked across the entire age range (aged 2 – 19 years) in both mainstream and special schools.

Sally was awarded the Certificate in School Business Management in 2005 and the Diploma in School Business Management along with an Advanced Diploma in Administrative Management in 2008.

A firm believer in collaboration, Sally founded the Stoke-on-Trent School Business Manager Association. She established the group with the belief that collaboration and the sharing of best practice improves performance. Initially formed with three Business Managers in the North of Stoke-on-Trent, the group now comprises the vast majority of schools in the city and has gone from strength to strength.

Sally was the Business Manager at one of The Societas Trust primary schools during the conversion process and went on to be appointed as Deputy Chief Finance Officer in June 2021.

In November 2021, Sally was successfully seconded as Chief Finance Officer and is incredibly proud to be in the post. In addition to this, she is also the Head of Support Services at Summerbank Primary Academy.

 

Nichola Gibson - Executive Education Representative:

Nichola has over thirty years’ experience as a teacher within the primary sector, including over twenty years as a Headteacher and, more recently, an Executive Leader.

Nichola was part of the group of headteachers who helped to found the Trust as a collaborative partnership in 2014. She was seconded as Executive Education Representative in September 2019 and, in addition to this, was also substantive Headteacher of Ellison Primary Academy.  She has now retired as headteacher there but has remained in her Trust role.

Part of her current role as Executive Education Representative is to support the development of a Trust Improving Education Strategy and Plan based upon the joint priorities of our settings.

Alongside Steve Martin, Nichola works with internal and external partners to enable the identification of improvement priorities across the Trust and in individual settings, and helps to lead our Improving Education Team.

As part of her commitment to lifelong learning and continued professional development, she has achieved a Master’s Degree in Education Management and, more recently, a National Professional Qualification in Executive Leadership.

Nichola has recently gained a post-graduate level qualification in coaching and mentoring and believes in the value of coaching to support the development of leadership skills for the benefit of all.

 

Lisa Barnett - Co-Training and Compliance Manager:

Lisa graduated with an LLB (Hons) Law degree and then worked in IT recruitment for over fifteen years, gaining extensive experience of contract management and compliance.

She joined the Education sector in 2015 and has since gained broad experience of school support services, working in school Business Management and as part of school Senior Leadership Teams.

Lisa is extremely proud to have worked for The Societas Trust since September 2020, also serving as Academy Business Manager, initially at Goldenhill Primary Academy and currently at Ash Green Primary Academy.   

As part of her Trust duties, Lisa co-ordinates the Data Protection Audit for the Trust and liaises with the Trust's Data Protection Officer on all related matters. She also strives to ensure all relevant policies and procedures are compliant, implemented and adhered to.

Lisa is now looking ahead and is excited to contribute to the Trust’s further development and growth.

 

Sallie Powell - Co-Training and Compliance Manager:

Sallie has extensive experience of the financial services industry, having worked for over thirteen years in high street banking. This provided an excellent platform for the development of her career as a School Business Manager over the last eighteen years. Her career has taken her to senior leadership positions in a number of schools, eventually leading the support team at Ellison Primary Academy.

She completed the Certificate in School Business Management in 2008 and has recently completed IOSH Managing Health & Safety Risks in the Education Sector.

In April 2022, Sallie was appointed as Co-Compliance and Training Manager.  As part of her duties, she co-ordinates the Internal Audit for the Trust and liaises with the Trust's Internal Auditor on all related matters. She also strives to ensure all health and safety related policies and procedures are compliant, implemented and adhered to.

Sallie is dedicated to the role and particularly the modelling of the values of the Societas Trust. 

 

Jo Cowden - Strategic Improvement Lead for Inclusion and Behaviour:

Jo has been teaching for eighteen years and has taught across the primary age range. She has been SENCo for sixteen years and a subject leader in a number of subject areas.

In addition to being a Strategic Imrovement Lead for the Trust, she is also Deputy Headteacher, responsible for Inclusion and Safeguarding, at Carmountside Primary Academy.

Jo has completed various leadership programmes, including the Aspiring Senior Leader’s programme, and has relished the opportunity to create an environment supportive of individuals in the process of change. Jo has supported other colleagues in other settings in the role of an SLE.

Jo is a trained Mental Health First Aider and has also completed the DfE Senior Lead Mental Health and Wellbeing training. She is also an Early Help Champion and has successfully completed NPSLBA National Programs of Leadership in Behaviour and Attendance.

She has a breath of experience and knowledge, covering aspects of the effects of trauma and the impact on brain development, domestic abuse, child abuse, mental health, substance misuse, neglect, behaviour management, family support, looked after children, and interventions to support behaviour, speech and language.

Jo has a passion for inspiring pupils, parents and colleagues to overcome barriers to learning, increasing self-esteem, moderate behaviours and, in turn, achieve and be happy.

 

Janine Oakley - Strategic Improvement Lead:

Janine has a passion for all things teaching and learning. As an experienced English leader, she enjoys sharing good practice and working with colleagues to try new, innovative approaches or techniques. As an SLE, Janine has led English Leader CPD across Stoke-on-Trent, exploring how to engage with the latest research and to implement it practically in a way that works for individual settings.

In addition to being a Strategic Improvement Lead for the Trust, she is also Deputy Headteacher at Ellison Primary Academy.

She sees supporting other teachers and leaders through the process of school improvement, acting as a coach and mentor, within her own academy and across the Trust, as an enormous privilege. Janine has a deeply held belief in collaboration, empowering leaders and investing in the development of all staff to provide the best learning opportunities for all children.