As a charitable company limited by guarantee, ELAN is governed by a board of trustees who have overall responsibility and ultimate decision-making authority for all the work of the trust,  delegating some matters to the local governing body through the scheme of delegation. The trustees will oversee the educational standards, performance and finances of all the academies in the trust and meet the government guidelines on safeguarding, equality and diversity.

The trustees are accountable to the Department of Education (DfE) and ensure the standard and quality of education remains high and that any associated academy funding is used effectively. The trustees will focus on the three core functions of governance:

• ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
• holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the performance management of staff
• overseeing and ensuring effective financial performance.

Our story

We are a group of individuals with a diverse range of backgrounds, experience and expertise who dedicate our time to supporting the trust and improving children’s lives and life chances.  We do so as we all feel it is the right thing and that we can make a difference together.  We believe collectively we are adding value to the trust, its colleagues, the children and the communities that our schools support.

We are there to support and challenge the Chief Executive and the Central Team, helping to set clear direction by approving and monitoring what they do and plans that they put forward for the future. As Directors of the Trust we are legally accountable to provide effective and ethical governance.  We often have to make tough decisions, and we do so based on information provided to us by the central team and other agencies such as the Department for Education. We always act with careful consideration. We make judgements but we are never judgemental.

Julian Baldwin  - Education Specialist

Julian has had a lifelong passionate commitment to education, starting as a Foreign Languages Teacher in 1981 to completing 10 years as Headteacher of Backwell School in 2016, during which time the school was twice judged by Ofsted to be outstanding. Julian has been a National Leader in Education (NLE) and led the North Somerset Teaching Alliance through the Backwell Teaching School. Since 2015 he has been employed on a consultative basis by the Department for Education as an Education Specialist. Having retired from headship, he now specialises in supporting schools in leadership and teaching and learning.

Rosemary Carr (Chair)  - Marketing Specialist

Rosemary has over 30 years of experience in strategic planning, brand development and marketing. From 1995 – 2010 she was Brand and Marketing Director of Clarks, helping to transform the business into a profitable global brand leader. As an independent consultant she has developed transformational brand and marketing strategies, and supported their implementation, for large and small organisations across a wide range of sectors.

Rosemary’s governance experience includes serving as Trustee and Vice Chair of both WaterAid UK and WaterAid International, and as Governor and Chair of Sidcot School.

Malcolm Davey  - HR Specialist

Malcolm has a proven track record at Director and Board level in the UK public sector with extensive experience of leading the full range of corporate support functions, including HR, finance, risk management, security, IT, estates and facilities management.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD), with thirteen years experience as an official of CIPD’s West of England Branch, including the roles of Vice- Chair and Chair of the Branch’s Public Sector Forum. In recognition of his services he received CIPD’s Award of Merit in 2014.

Following retirement from the UK Civil Service, Malcolm has operated as a HR Consultant specialising in employment relations as well as acting as an advisor and assessor in the delivery of CIPD professional qualifications.

Until joining the Trust, Malcolm was a governor at Banwell primary school for 8 years, including 5 years as Chair.

Elouise Huxor  - Higher Education specialist in design and engineering

Elouise is a lecturer with the Open University and higher education specialist in design and engineering. Elouise has spent many years within governance, formally Elouise was the Vice-Chair and then Chair at Mead Vale Primary School (part of the ELAN family of schools) from 2013-2021. Elouise also served as a governor and then Chair at a North Somerset secondary school from 2017-2021.  

Mark Jaloszynski - Project Management Specialist

Mark is a Director in the project management team of a large multi-national infrastructure company and specialises in working with clients in the public sector. Mark has extensive experience of leading project teams, implementing procurement strategies, oversight of project budgets and finances and risk management. In addition, Mark brings several years’ experience of governance within primary education.

Adam Matthews (CEO) - Education Specialist

Adam qualified to teach in 1995, after spending 11 years working as a logistician for several companies in the UK and USA. He is now a National Leader of Education (NLE)  and has, over the past 14 years, in the capacity of NLE, Local Leader of Education (LLE) and Advisory Headteacher worked with many schools across the country to improve outcomes for children through effective school improvement.

As Headteacher of Bournville Primary School he has overseen the amalgamation of two schools, the design and construction of a new school building, the award of National Teaching School Status and Gaining AFA Quality lead school. Adam is a trustee of XTND charity and Sidcot School. Adam chaired the North Somerset Learning Exchange school improvement board for four years, has been a member of the Strategic Schools Forum and serves on the Formula Review and Future Schools boards.

Claire Williams (Vice Chair)  -  Financial Specialist

Claire is a qualified accountant, having trained private practice she has experience in Audit, Corporate Finance and Restructure and Recovery. She transferred into Banking in 2010, currently working for Lloyds Banking Group leading a large operational finance team. Claire has a strong track record of delivering to a high standard and is experienced in delivering continuous improvement and motivating large teams in a continually changing and challenging environment.

Joanna Leite - Education and Safeguarding Specialist 

After gaining her degree in Hispanic Studies at the University of Sheffield in 1996, Joanna lived in Barcelona where she taught English as a Foreign Language for four years. 

On her return to England, Joanna qualified as a teacher, specialising in Early Years and Primary education. In 2007, Joanna specialised as a Learning Support Teacher taking up a post at the Ratcliffe College Prep School.  During this time, Joanna returned to University in Leicester and completed her Masters in Special Educational Needs- Dyslexia.  Not one for sitting still, in 2010 Joanna took on a role as Senior Housemistress in the Girls’ boarding house at Ratcliffe College and in 2017 joined the Senior Leadership Team as Head of Boarding.  During her 12 years at Ratcliffe College, Joanna taught in the Learning Support Department across the whole school (3-18 years), and taught Spanish in KS2 and KS3. 

Joanna moved to Sidcot School in 2019 to take up her role as Deputy Head (Pastoral).  Joanna is the Designated Safeguarding Lead at Sidcot and has oversight of all the pastoral care in school, mental health and wellbeing, boarding and the co-curricular programme. Joanna is passionate about pastoral care, putting the pupils’ needs at the centre of all decision making.