AAT academies are supported by a central executive team which works with Heads of School, academy leaders and Local Governing Bodies to implement the AAT model and deliver the vision of: Providing our students with the best life chances.

​Our board of trustees oversees the central organisation and is the legal governing body for all AAT academies. The board of trustees delegates many of its functions to the Local Governing Body in each academy. The local community, parents and staff are represented on each Local Governing Body.

Francis Hedges is currently a School Improvement Advisor across the Trust after many years as a secondary school senior leader. In this role he is supporting the Trust in raising standards through leading, implementing, monitoring and evaluating strategies, policies and provision, including the effective use of whole school data. He is also using his years’ of experience to develop and mentor newly appointed trust staff in a leadership role.

Francis was Head of School at Aldersley High School before his retirement in 2017, after previously being Deputy Vice Principal for Attainment and Standards there for 8 years. During this time he has also supported the Trust in its school improvement work at a local primary school and as Acting Headteacher at a special school for pupils with behaviour difficulties in Wolverhampton. Francis also has experience of leading on Attendance and Behaviour at senior level and line managing mathematics and science departments. Earlier on in his career, he was also a successful Head of Science at a secondary school in Walsall.

Francis is passionate about teaching, learning and assessment which he considers one of the key drivers in continual school improvement. Although he has been a successful teacher of science and mathematics throughout his career, he believes that there is so much more to find out about how pupils learn best so that they enjoy and achieve at school and develop into lifelong learners.

Harmail is the Senior Director in the Trust for mathematics having been a highly successful leader in two secondary schools.

During his teaching career Harmail has taken successfully led two mathematics departments whilst increasing the rigour and accuracy of tracking whole school; focusing on the use of new technologies to improve student engagement and achievement; as well as making improvements of parental engagement and coaching of students and staff.

Harmail has a vision to make sure that all students are engaged and enthused to develop into resilient learners who can work collaboratively and independently when needed. Furthermore, he has organised outside speakers and developed external links with businesses to raise aspirations and engagement in mathematics. He feels that creating motivated skilled learners will lead to students achieving their full potential whilst they study and more importantly building life skills for when they leave education.

Beth is currently an Assistant Vice Principal across the Trust, line managing English and Literacy.

As a Teach First ambassador with a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership, Beth is passionate about ensuring all pupils make fantastic progress and achieve their goals.

After completing her Teach First training within Aldersley High School, Beth became the Literacy Coordinator, working with colleagues across the curriculum to ensure Literacy was embedded within all subjects. Beth then worked as the Assistant Curriculum Team Leader responsible for KS3 English and, more recently, the Curriculum Team Leader for English, leading the team through curriculum changes and developing the delivery of the new English specification in light of pedagogical research and collaboration with colleagues from a number of schools.

Lisa is currently Senior Assistant Vice Principal with responsibility for curriculum across the Trust and for ebacc subjects; including Geography, History MFL as well as RESS (Religious Education and Social Studies).

Lisa has held a variety of roles at Aldersley High School, leading ebacc subject development, line management of SEND as well as Assistant Vice Principal for post 16, she currently teaches geography and sociology to advanced level. Lisa has school experience from two other local authorities; in Birmingham, developing from geography teacher, to Head of department and whole school Key Stage 3 Strategy Manager, and in Staffordshire as a Director of teaching and learning.

Lisa’s expertise related to curriculum development stems from eight years working as a National Strategies Consultant where she worked with foundation subjects to enhance curriculum and assessment practice. She led the Assessment for Learning initiative across the city of Wolverhampton and coordinated network groups for geography, history and RE.

Lisa is passionate about providing an educational experience for students across the Trust which stimulate a love of learning, with activities which enhance life chances and encourage curiosity and ambition in young people. A focus upon establishing links across trust schools, and developing opportunities to support professional development, to create dynamic and creative lessons is a key feature of Lisa’s role.

Jas is currently an Assistant Vice Principal of Aldersley High School leading on Science improvement across the trust.

Jas has worked within the Science Department at Aldersley High School for the past 9 years developing curriculum provision, teaching, learning and assessment at all key stages.

Jas is also keen to develop others and has successfully mentored staff as well as developing an in house peer mentoring programme for students.

Prior to commencing a career in teaching Jas worked for the Forensic Science Service.