Board of Trustees

• Mr Mark Whitby
  Chair of Trustees
  Mr Mark Whitby

  (Special Educational Needs (SEND)

  I am a former Head Teacher of Alternative Provision, Special Education and Mainstream Schools, with particular expertise in Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties, leadership coaching, staffing and finance. I was for 12 years Principal at The Alternative Centre for Education (ACE), a 5-16 Special School in Brighton and Hove, where I also worked as an interim head of three mainstream secondary schools. In 2012 I set up my own business   Acuity Education Ltd and have been working as a freelance consultant ever since, starting out as Executive Head of the West Sussex Alternative Provision College (WSAPC) and Associate CEO of Orchard Hill College Academy Trust. I am a qualified leadership coach and my current contacts include being a Specialist Adviser for New Schools Network and co-ordinating the start-up of two new free schools.

• Mr James Toop
  Vice Chair of Trustees
  Mr James Toop

  (Pupil Premium and Progress)

  I am an experienced charity Chief Executive in the education and youth sectors, and passionate about social mobility and opportunities for young people.   I have recently launched Bite Back 2030, a new 10-year youth-led movement to halve childhood obesity by 2030. Before that I was Chief Executive of Ambition Institute for eight years leading it through two mergers to become the largest leadership development charity in education.   I was a teacher in the inaugural cohort of Teach First and have been a Chair of Governors at three schools over the last ten years.   I grew up in Petts Wood and still live in South East London with my wife and two young children.

• Mr Simon Garrill
  Chief Executive Officer
  Mr Simon Garrill

  Having taught and led, in and around London for the last 25 Years, I established two new schools in Haringey, running a small multi academy trust. Passionate about social mobility, fairness and opportunities for young people, I am looking forward to leading Education for the 21st Century to ensure that all of our schools achieve excellence through collaboration.  

• Ms Penelope Jones
  Trustee
  Ms Penelope Jones

  (Whistleblowing)

  I have a wide range of experience to support the continued development and improvement of E21C and its schools. I began my professional life in retail leadership for a number of national chains. I moved into education teaching and leading in a range of settings, mostly inner London. My first Headship was of the first primary academy in the UK. My latest role was as Leading Headteacher of an multi Academy Trust in Kent and Bexley. I now work in a number of voluntary sectors including courts, prisons and adult mental health.

• Mr Brendan Hollyer
  Trustee
  Mr Brendan Hollyer

  (Early Years and Governance)

  I have been a school governor for eighteen years, serving on governing bodies across all phases of primary and secondary education. I also have experience of governance of a special school. I am recognised for my ability to work with senior leaders to drive significant, rapid, sustainable improvement and in 2014 was designated as a National Leader of Governance. I currently serve as Chair of one school in a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) and Vice-Chair of another school in a different MAT.  

• Mrs Claire Singleton
  Trustee
  Mrs Claire Singleton

  (Looked After Child, Safeguarding and Child Protection)

  I qualified as a solicitor in 1991 and worked for two well known regional firms. I specialised in employment law and, in time, took on the roles of staff partner and managing partner. During the course of my career, I advised and worked with a wide range of clients including small and large businesses, charities and educational establishments. I developed and presented many training courses for HR and line managers. I retired in April 2015.I have served as a longstanding governor at Coopers and more recently at Mead Road Infant School. I was a trustee of the William Willett Learning Trust. During my spare time, I sing in a local choir, enjoy walking and spending time with my grand daughters.

• Mr David McKivett
  Trustee
  Mr David McKivett

  I have been a school governor for many years, serving both as chair of governors at a primary school and the chair of trustees at a secondary academy. I am committed to comprehensive education as the best way to maximise the potential of all pupils. With a legal background and many years experience in the travel industry negotiating and drafting contracts, dealing with intellectual property matters and managing both corporate and financial services compliance I now work on a freelance basis providing a range of services and have also trained and practise as a lay funeral celebrant.

• Dr Rachel Norman
  Trustee
  Dr Rachel Norman

  (Pupil Premium and Progress )

  I started my career in education 25 years ago as a History teacher in a Lambeth Secondary school and currently work with primary and secondary schools across London as a School Effectiveness Adviser. As a former Secondary Headteacher, I am passionate about education and I have a Doctorate in Education from King's College, London.  I am currently Chair of the Local Governing Board of a Merton secondary school.  I seek to use the latest educational research to apply best practice in driving school improvement and my main objective is to enhance the quality of teaching and learning to secure aspirational outcomes for pupils of all abilities. I firmly believe in education as a liberating, powerful and empowering force that changes lives and brings about social justice and equality.    

• Mr Neil Roskilly
  Trustee
  Mr Neil Roskilly

  I  was a teacher, headteacher, local authority foundation governor and sat on the national committee of the General Teaching Council for England. For eleven years,  I was chief executive of a national educational charity and membership association, advising schools and headteachers across the country.  I regularly featured in the national press and advised awarding organisations and government departments at a policy level.  My work now includes acting as trustee for a number of national charities, including Beat Eating Disorders and We - Free the Children.

• Mr Paul Featherstone
  Trustee
  Mr Paul Featherstone