Team

Jay is an experienced public sector Corporate and Executive Director who has proved himself an effective change leader and manager by successfully setting up two new-start organisations and turning around two failing ones. He led for the LSC in London on 14-19 development and partnership work. As a consultant, he has delivered successful assignments for public and voluntary sector clients at local, regional and national level.. He successfully intervened and turned around Thurrock’s poor JAR outcomes on 14-19 and Youth. In Barnet, he integrated Early Intervention work into the leading edge Troubled Families programme and steered very significant restructuring of children’s centres and youth support services to achieve efficiencies. He started off Bristol’s Learning City and Passport to Employment initiatives and reworked Dorset’s Challenge and Improvement Strategy and Special Educational Needs and Disability Strategy, making sure resources could go to children rather than transport. He is a skilled partnership worker with good contacts and networks, and an experienced Chair, school governor, trustee and non-executive director of charitable and not-for-profit organisations, including this Academy Trust.

John became CEO for OHC&AT in September 2019 having previously been the Deputy CEO/Executive Principal through a period of significant organisational growth and development. Before joining OHC&AT in 2013, initially as Principal of Carew Academy, John spent many years as a teacher and senior leader in both the special and mainstream sectors, including leading two other special schools.  John has spent his career championing the abilities of, and advocating for, the best possible provision for children, young people and adults with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and their families.

Barbara has been in the field of learning disability, mental health and children with special needs for 25 years. She is currently a Director at Healthwatch Sutton and a Board member for three organisations that provide learning disability and mental health services. Barbara has worked as a Local Authority Commissioner of Adult Learning Disability Services, as National Head of Children and Young People’s Programmes at the Mental Health Foundation and at the Kings Fund where she led a five year programme to develop education, employment, leisure and social opportunities for people with learning disabilities. She is committed to improving the life chances of children and adults with learning disabilities and is keen to work with families and other partners to achieve this. Barbara is also Chair of the Unified Academy Local Governing Body.

Stephen Lawes is an experienced Chartered Accountant who has directed financial management and control in a range of public services, including transport, local government, and education. He lives in Wimbledon is keen to bring his professional expertise to support the very best educational provision for the communities served by the Trust.

Yolande works for London Councils as Strategy Director, Young People’s Education and Skills. She is responsible for the development of the strategic vision for 14 to 19 provision in London. She started her professional career as a Photographic Technician and then worked for the Employment Service as the New Deal District Manager for North London which involved the development of Neighbourhood Renewal strategies in Enfield and Haringey.  Prior to London Councils, Yolande was Partnership Director at the Learning and Skills Council where she was responsible for the planning and commissioning of learning provision locally and regionally and had budget responsibility and accountability of £300m annually.  She was previously a governor of Barking and Dagenham College and is currently a governor of Ambitious College.

Helen retired in April 2019 after a long and successful career in education as a Headteacher and leader in specialist provision, special schools and in local authority services for children and young people with SEND.  This included headship of special and mainstream schools and as Head of Joint Disability and Specialist Support and Disability Services for a London borough.

From 2011 to 2019, Helen was seconded as the the SEND Regional Lead for London with responsibility for leading the London Regional workforce development and training programme across 33 London boroughs, which included the delivery of training and moderation and co-ordination of the annual programme on all key SEND themes, working with a range of partners, including Ofsted, NHS and the DfE.  Helen also chaired the London Regional SEND Steering Group.

Anna is currently the Associate Director for Special Educational Needs and Disability in Achieving for Children. Anna has the strategic responsibility for supporting the delivery of SEND provision and planning for young people’s needs and aspirations within the community she works in. Anna has worked in schools, and a variety of roles in the Local Authority, which have been primarily related to supporting and promoting the outcomes of young people with SEND.

“I believe we need to ensure the voice of young people is at the centre of what we do and how we drive forward change for young people, particularly in their preparation for adulthood”

In addition to his role at Orchard Hill College, Peter is Chair of the Newcastle College Group, the largest group of colleges in the further education sector; and of the Construction Industry Training Board, which works on behalf of employers to invest a levy paid by 20,000 employers to improve training and skills in the construction sector. He is also a non-executive director of Sheffield Children’s Hospital where he takes delight in supporting an institution which is one of four standalone children’s hospitals in the UK and is greatly cherished by the people of Sheffield. He is also trustee of Educators International, a small third world development charity which specialises in linking education administrators from the UK with their counterparts in developing countries.

Peter took on these roles following a 40 year career in the public sector, with a focus for most of that time on the funding and organisation of the education system and in particular the post 16 education and skills system, including higher education.

Rama runs his own consultancy company specialising in project management with expertise in IT Service Management, Service Improvement and Business Process Change.  Since 2005, he has worked with schools and Trusts to facilitate the set-up of Academies, University Technical Colleges, Studio Schools and Free Schools.  He is a Trustee on three Academy Trust boards and assisted in the set-up of several other Multi Academy Trusts and their boards.  He currently works with multiple Trusts leading on their Academy conversions, re-brokerages, mergers and Free Schools projects.  Rama brings a wealth of knowledge from over twenty years in the retail, hospitality and banking sectors and over ten years working in the Academies sector.  He enjoys good food, good music and good company.

Julie has worked in education for 17 years holding a range of senior positions at school and local authority level and within the Department for Education.

These roles have included the development and implementation of strategic programmes to support educational improvement; managing complex stakeholders; finance and business management and maintaining key relationships in a political environment.

Julie’s previous experience includes acting as an interim Chief Operating Officer and Company Secretary for a medium sized mainstream multi academy trust (MAT) in Surrey, with responsibility for the oversight and smooth running of the business and operational functions. Prior to this role, for six years, she was the strategic lead for SEND and School Organisation within Surrey County Council leading an unprecedented basic need expansion programme and developing an improvement strategy for SEND in the LA. Both roles had a strong focus on robust financial management.

Julie is committed to supporting the development of all students to achieve their fullest potential, facilitating positive enabling environments and seeking opportunities to effect real and lasting system improvement for this to be possible.

Simon Fryer joined the Department for Education in January 2013 as Deputy Director for Human Resources Strategy & Business Partners. In November 2014 he was appointed Director of Human Resources. Simon previously spent much of his career in human resources roles at Cabinet Office.

John became CEO for OHC&AT in September 2019 having previously been the Deputy CEO/Executive Principal through a period of significant organisational growth and development. Before joining OHC&AT in 2013, initially as Principal of Carew Academy, John spent many years as a teacher and senior leader in both the special and mainstream sectors, including leading two other special schools.  John has spent his career championing the abilities of, and advocating for, the best possible provision for children, young people and adults with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and their families.

Laurie is passionate about the education of young people, particularly those with SEMH, and firmly believes that all young people can achieve their life goals given the right education and support. Laurie was appointed as Executive Head/Deputy CEO in 2019 and prior to this was Executive Headteacher of The Skills Hub and Young People’s Academy.

Corrina joined OHC&AT in 2014 having worked previously in both the private and FE sectors and has extensive experience of developing financially sustainable schools and centres. In challenging financial times for the schools and college, Corrina sees her role as ensuring that learners’ needs are kept at the forefront of all our business planning.​​​​​​​

Kelly has a wealth of experience with SEND, working in education and social care. She became a specialist teacher 13 years ago and has continued to develop her skills within mainstream and specialist Colleges.

Kelly joined Orchard Hill College in 2007 as a Lecturer and progressed to her appointment of Principal in 2019. Kelly is totally committed in ensuring all students have the opportunities to realise their full potential.

Stuart joined OHC&AT in 2021 having previously worked in property development, social housing and central government regulatory and governance roles before overseeing local authority major capital and PFI projects and immediately prior to joining OCH&AT covering the same role in a mainstream academy trust. Stuart sees his role as facilitating value for money across systems through successful procurement and asset management, enabling students and staff to excel through providing the best information technology, telephony and support systems, encouraging innovative ways to support improved staff retention and delivering reduced carbon-emissions and robust health and safety systems across OHC&AT’s sites.

Lynn joined OHC&AT in 2017 and has overall responsibility for strategic development, marketing, reputation management, GDPR, Fundraising, Governance, Policy and Research. Lynn has significant experience working across the education sector within funding agencies, local authority, MATs, further and higher education, schools, charities and the private sector.