Our People

James has extensive experience of leading within academy trusts. He worked as part of a team which established an outstanding  Academy Trust in Halifax and he was a member of the Executive Team of a Trust which supported their eight schools to significantly improve their performance.

James has a deep understanding of what makes schools exceptional and what systems, structures and processes need to be in place to support leaders and staff to provide young people with the very best education they deserve. He has over 10 years of school leadership experience, including being Principal of a large, high-performing, and outstanding secondary school.

In Executive roles, James has worked with schools to improve from special measures to good. He also has experience across all sectors of education including Governance positions in special and primary schools. James is passionate about providing inclusive education which is aspirational for all.  

After becoming a chartered accountant at Price Waterhouse, Claire devoted 15 years to industry before transitioning into education. Her journey includes serving as Chief Financial Officer at three Multi Academy Trusts before joining Oak Learning Partnership in October 2023. Throughout her career, Claire has spearheaded teams at both school and trust levels, boasting extensive expertise in financial management across primary and secondary education phases.

Jo is a highly experienced Head Teacher with 15 years of school leadership experience. She led an outstanding school for 6 years which achieved excellent outcomes for its pupils. She has a deep understanding of what makes Primary Schools great and the system leadership involved.  Jo was a Specialist Leader in Education for maths and assessment working across schools in Bolton.  She is also a trained Neuro Linguistic Practitioner, using her coaching skills to enhance her staff teams.

Jo is currently Head Teacher of Unsworth Primary School.  She is highly inclusive, child-centred and ambitious for all the pupils and staff she works with.

She is passionate about teaching and learning to the highest standard, ensuring children learn through a broad and balanced curriculum, making meaningful memories and preparing them for life in the 21st century.

Orienne holds the position of Executive Director of Education. She has 28 years of experience, during which she has worked across all phases of education, fulfilling a range of Teaching, Leadership, and Consulting roles.

Her dedication lies in enabling individuals to reach their full potential, regardless of any obstacles they may face. She is deeply committed to assisting the most vulnerable individuals and is resolute in her efforts to impact the lives of young people positively, firmly believing that education serves as the cornerstone for unlocking each person's unique contribution to the world.

Nicola is Director of Inclusion at Oak Learning Partnership; she brings ten years of experience from Elms Bank School where she dedicated her time to supporting students with a range of SEND. Whilst working at Elms Bank School her responsibilities have included Assistant Head Teacher Progress, where she oversaw the learning and academic development of all students. She also has a background as a Lead Teacher of Mathematics. Nicola is passionate about inclusive practices, committed to ambitious outcomes and fosters a culture of success.

As a seasoned HR Manager with over 10 years of experience in the education sector, I have developed a keen expertise in change management, HR policies and processes. My ability to foster a positive working culture and provide guidance to staff has resulted in successful employee retention and overall organisational success. I am passionate about creating strategic plans and implementing initiatives that ensure a positive and inclusive work environment. My experience has also equipped me with the ability to navigate complex organisational structures, engage with stakeholders at all levels, and oversee recruitment and retention strategies. Ultimately, my goal is to facilitate growth and success for both the organisation and its employees.

Rebecca has a wealth of experience working with young people in Health and in the voluntary sector.  Before dual qualifying in Learning Disability Nursing and Social Work, Rebecca worked for a national charity initially supporting young people with SEND to access inclusive short breaks and later supporting young parents to develop their parenting capacity and tenancy readiness.  She later worked for the NHS as a Community Learning Disability Sister working alongside multi-disciplinary colleagues to ensure young people’s health and care needs were met.   She is committed to safeguarding young people to ensure they get the best possible outcomes.  Rebecca is passionate about young people achieving their individual potential, being prepared for adulthood and enabling families to thrive with as much independence as possible.   She is particularly passionate about supporting the needs of young people with SEND.

Debra has a significant amount of experience in finance, with a career which began in banking and which involved gaining skills and knowledge in a variety of disciplines within this field. During the course of her career in finance, Debra has gained her ACIB and CIPFA qualifications. Debra is responsible for the management of all financial processes and transactions across the Trust and she very much enjoys using her skills in an educational environment.

Caroline brings with her over four years of dedicated service as a School Business Manager. Caroline's commitment to education extends beyond her role as a School Business Manager. She has actively contributed to her local community by serving as a governor at two primary school for a number of years.

 Before working in education, Caroline honed her skills in commercial insurance. Working within an industry which is heavily regulated, she became adept at navigating the intricate landscape of compliance and regulation. Her unique blend of experience in both the corporate and educational sectors along with her strategic mindset and attention to detail, helps Caroline understand the need for effective management, and regulatory compliance.

Phil has many years of buildings management experience within large organisations. He has an extensive knowledge of buildings and health and safety legislation as well as a detailed understanding of compliance requirements relating to buildings, facilities, staff and visitors. Phil is experienced in leading large teams of staff across a range of different working areas and he oversees facilities operations and building management across the whole of the Oak Learning Partnership sites.

Dan is a highly experienced senior leader within the Financial Services industry and has many years’ experience of working in senior roles across a range of blue chip financial services organisations.

Dan has an excellent track record of delivering commercial change, turning around projects and introducing new systems into businesses to transform their efficiency and profitability. As well as being able to offer robust financial advice to the Trust, Dan is able to offer expertise in business and operations management.

Daniel is the founder of several companies and groups developing and promoting new sustainability technologies in industry. He has held senior international roles in buildings systems, business development, strategy, general management and sales and marketing.

Daniel has a wealth of experience in the international business world which will enable him to share a shrewd analysis of the management of the Trust.

Carol McLachlan is the Chief Executive Officer of Vision Multi Academy Trust in Greater Manchester, a group of primary schools based in Bury.

Recently she has become involved with Challenge Partners Hub as a quality assurance reviewer and trust reviewer.

Before taking on the CEO role she has been a substantive primary Headteacher for over 25 years leading three primary schools and carrying out various executive headteacher roles. She has a proven-track record of leading schools in various contexts, including special measures schools, and has been instrumental in the rapid improvement of attainment and progress outcomes in both KS1 and KS2.  She has also had a period in school improvement in a local authority working across the primary and secondary sectors focusing on succession planning and supporting deputy heads/assistant heads into their first headship.

 Carol’s passion is coaching, and she is accredited as a level 7 coach.  She coaches aspirant and newly qualified headteachers and coaches executive leaders on the NPQEL programme.  She also is a volunteer coach on the Women in Leadership programme.

Carol is a visiting Fellow with Ambition Institute and facilitates on NPQH and NPQEL.

Simon is a franchisee owner operator of several national branded restaurants having bought his first outlet in 2010. He has consistently improved his business operations in terms of profitability and customer satisfaction.

As a business owner he has made a commitment to the local area and uses his business activities to create a positive impact in the community, providing jobs, skills, and investment. Previously he worked in the newspaper industry; latterly as Group Commercial Director and Assistant MD for Guardian Media Groups Regional Media Division.

Bernie Garner is the Chair of The Oak Learning Partnership Multi Academy Trust. In her role Bernie draws upon a wealth of experience in Education, Business, Social Care and Local Government. Her career has been driven by her passion for equality and she has a proven track record of improving opportunities for disabled children and adults.

 Bernie’s role in the trust is to ensure the development and delivery of innovative services, both specialist and inclusive, to support all children to develop and achieve.

Janet is a former headteacher with a passion for supporting disadvantaged children.

Janet is extremely well-respected, and prior to retirement she assisted local schools where improvement was required. As an experienced Trustee sitting on the boards of other MATs, Janet’s areas of expertise include school improvement, the analysis of school data, and strategic planning. Janet is a firm believer in forging links with the local communities surrounding our schools, and carries out valuable work in supporting and developing community partnerships.

Ashley is a qualified business coach and communication trainer working with and advising small and medium-sized businesses and service providers.

Ashley is passionate about improving the prospects of young people in the local area, and he is actively involved with Digital Advantage, an organisation which brings the workplace to schools to help students develop their thinking, analytical, creative, business and digital skills. His areas of interest include curriculum planning and careers advice.

Sheila has extensive experience of working as a School Improvement Officer in both primary and secondary education and she held the position of School Effectiveness Officer for Bury Children’s Services for many years.  During this time her main area of expertise was in helping schools to make effective use of pupil performance data to raise standards.

Sheila also has a wealth of experience as a school governor, and has taken an active role in ensuring that governors support and challenge Senior Leadership Teams on the full range of school and Trust functions. Sheila has been instrumental in driving change so that governing boards are more accountable and effective, and more actively involved in daily school life. Sheila’s particular focus is upon raising standards, with the regular monitoring of pupil attainment and progress.

Alan brings extensive knowledge of employment law to the Oak LP Trust Board, having worked as a solicitor in various law practices since 1988.

Alan set up his own employment law consultancy in 2019 and acts for both employers and employees, advising and acting as an advocate in employment law tribunals. In addition, Alan was a governor of a local senior school for 12 years, and this involved helping the school to achieve a complete rebuild funded by PFI, dealing with appeals of pupil exclusions,  and recruiting and interviewing for school senior leadership positions. He is therefore well-placed to be a ‘critical friend’ of Oak LP.

Les Windows has an impressive background in industry and management consultancy across several corporate sectors, and has more recently  undertaken interim executive roles. He also has experience in school governance.

Les has expertise in transformation and culture change, governance and oversight, performance improvement, restructuring, strategic resource management and cost management. His experience and skills mean that he makes a valuable contribution to guiding the vision, strategy and growth of the trust.

A chartered accountant and FCA with over 30 years’ experience in industry and through his own practice, MJ Goldman Chartered Accountants.  Mark has been involved in several varied businesses and companies over the years and his 10-strong employee base manage over 600 clients.  Complementing his strong financial and commercial skill set, Mark’s passion for education stems from close familial links in this sector.  This situates him in a strong position to add value to the Board of Trustees through financial compliance, procedures and audit, as well as offering guidance on the trust’s financial standing.

Mark recently retired after 45 years of service in the NHS, with his most recent appointment being Chief Executive at Calderstones Foundation Trust. As well as being a trustee for Oak Learning Partnership, I am a public governor for Lancashire Care Foundation Trust, a councillor for the Whalley and Painterwood ward in the Ribble Valley and a member of the Police Joint Ethics Committee for Lancashire, undertaking work with the police to ensure professional standards are upheld. 

I am passionate about seeing great opportunities for young people.

Jessica recently retired as Head of Education of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, where she was responsible for the strategic leadership and management of the education department and associated policy and budgets. This included direct leadership of school improvement, post 16 education and skills, school organisation and place planning, schools capital programme, inclusion, attendance, behaviour and SEN.

She was a member of Children’s Services senior leadership team, responsible for liaison and joint development with Children’s Social Care and Health, and a member of the Council’s extended leadership team. She also has significant experience of working with colleagues across the North West and with Ofsted, the DfE and the RSC’s Office.

She has 23 years' experience teaching in primary and secondary schools and 18 years' experience working as a senior officer in local authorities. Her qualifications include a Master of Education (Leadership and Management) and accreditation as a Primary and Secondary School Improvement Partner. Jessica has extensive experience working with Blackburn Central High School and Crosshill School, plus was a Trustee of East Blackburn Learning Community Trust.