James is our Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He has extensive leadership experience within schools and trusts, leading schools of all types. He has directly led on the transformation of several schools and led schools to results in the top 10% nationally. Alongside his trust work, James also supports schools and trusts outside of the Oak family and he is also an Ofsted inspector.
James has led Oak Learning Partnership through a significant period of growth and is passionate about providing an exceptional education for all. He believes there is no limit to what young people can achieve with the right support. He is keen to cultivate a culture where everyone feels welcome and valued, whether that be pupils, staff or wider families.
Claire is our Chief Financial Officer. After qualifying as a chartered accountant, Claire spent 15 years working in industry before moving into education. She served as Chief Financial Officer at three other multi academy trusts before joining Oak Learning Partnership in October 2023.
Claire has led teams at school and trust level and has extensive experience of managing finance, HR, IT, estates, catering and administration. With expertise across primary, secondary and sixth form phases, Claire has experience of developing people, systems and financial and operational processes to support school and trust development strategies.
Orienne is our Executive Director of Education. She has 28 years of experience, during which time 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.
Jo is our trust primary lead and a a highly experienced and passionate headteacher with over 17 years of school leadership experience. Since Easter 2023, she has been leading Unsworth Primary School, where she brings a deeply inclusive, child-centred and ambitious approach to education.