Central Team

Dr Sarah Clark

CEO

Sarah Clark joined Derby Diocesan Academy Trust as Chief Executive Officer in May 2023. With National Professional Qualifications for both Headship and Executive Leadership, she has a strong track record as a leader in education. Sarah, who has a PhD in Molecular Genetics and a BSc in Microbiology, has held a variety of senior roles across South Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire.

Since January 2020 Sarah was CEO of Uttoxeter Learning Trust in Staffordshire, leading the trust through the pandemic, and its expansion with The Richard Clarke First School joining in September 2021 and the opening of a new Free school at Bramshall Meadows in September 2022.  During this time all nine schools within Trust that have been inspected by Ofsted have continued to be graded ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’.

Prior to this Sarah was Principal of UTC Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park from its opening in 2016. The pioneering academy specialises in Health Sciences, Sport Science and Computing, preparing students for careers in high tech job sectors of the future. Under Sarah’s leadership the UTC achieved a judgement of Good in its first Ofsted in 2019.

Sarah is committed to providing an inspired and innovative education for all students within our schools. She has ambitions to expand DDAT and build on the Trusts existing successes.

Jackie Stirland

Deputy CEO

Jackie joined DDAT as a Senior School Improvement Officer in 2017 and was successfully appointed to the role of Deputy CEO from September 2024. Jackie has experience of teaching in a variety of Primary settings in three different local authorities, across all ages from EYFS to Year 6. Jackie is a qualified teacher and holds the National Professional Qualification for Headship. She was the headteacher of an inner city and a large county primary school over a period of eleven years in two different local authorities.  Jackie has also led and facilitated training for Early Careers Teachers, Early Years Practitioners and SENCOs. She specialised in both Early Years and SEND whilst in school, and whilst working as a school improvement officer, and is passionate about delivering the very best provision for our youngest and most vulnerable pupils.

Under Jackie’s leadership, in both schools, great improvements were made, improving outcomes and the quality of the provision. Jackie has worked in and led schools that have many challenging contexts and was appointed as a Local Leader of Education. Jackie is passionate about supporting leaders to drive improvements in their schools.

Jackie has worked as a senior advisor for a local authority and has experience of working with a variety of schools in a range of contexts. During her time as an LLE and as a Local Authority SSIO, Jackie has worked with schools causing concern and with her support has brought about rapid improvement.

Jackie is committed to working in partnership with leaders and school practitioners to bring about improvements for the pupils. She is keen to work in collaboration with schools to build on the successes of the Trust. Jackie has been subject to enhanced DBS disclosures.

Hayley Wharton

Chief Operating Officer

Hayley joined the Derby Diocesan Academy Trust in June 2019. She has over 20 years’ experience working in the Education and Local Authority Sectors. Hayley holds the AAT qualification, a master’s degree (Msc) in Human Resource Management and is an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

Hayley leads on all operational functions across the Trust from school conversions and new free schools to complex HR queries, procurement and change management processes. Hayley has recently led the team to implement several new systems across the Trust. In previous roles, Hayley has worked at a senior level in HR, Operations, Finance and Training roles from the implementation of new systems to a harmonisation project.

Hayley has guided, coached and mentored others throughout her career and has also delivered training and support packages in addition to leading several successful change management projects. Hayley has been subject to enhanced DBS disclosures.

Pat Mosley

Chief Finance Officer

Pat joined the Derby Diocesan Academy Trust’s Finance Team in the early part of 2017. He holds a full AAT Finance Qualification and has over 16 years’ experience of supporting Derbyshire Schools.

During his time with Derbyshire he was responsible for producing and monitoring budget plans for Schools within the Nursery, Primary, Special and Secondary sectors. Pat has an excellent knowledge of school funding, and in particular, he has significant experience in assisting and advising schools which are facing financial challenges.

Pat has also played a key role in the recent implementation of a new finance system in the schools, alongside developing systems to ensure the close monitoring of budgets, so that both the Trust and the Schools have a clear understanding of their financial position. Pat has been subject to enhanced DBS disclosures.

Paul Clark

Finance Manager

Paul joined DDAT in April 2017 initially as School Business Manager for a federation of schools. He has a great deal of experience in School Business Management and in particular finance, having previously worked in Local Authority Schools Finance and has held finance roles in the commercial sector. Paul holds the full Assocation of Accounting Technicians qualification.  Paul has been subject to enhanced DBS checks.

Jaime Barrett

HR Manager

Jaime has over 25 years’ experience working in Human Resources, with over 11 years of those working within Local Authority Children’s Services HR, supporting schools across Nottingham City and Derbyshire.  Jaime has a Master’s degree (Msc) in Human Resource Management and is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Jaime has experience of Governance in a Primary setting, which has allowed her to gain a more in-depth knowledge and understanding of school life and the challenges that schools face.

Jaime will provide professional HR advise and support to schools within the Trust on all aspects of people and change management.  She will continually review and develop best HR practices, policies and procedure alongside DDAT colleagues and our employment solicitors, to support our academies to achieve their organisational strategies and objectives, whilst protecting them from the risk of litigation.  Jaime has been subject to enhanced DBS disclosures.

Matt Goy

Estates and Health & Safety Lead

Matt holds previous Education Sector experience having worked as an Estates and H&S Lead previously covering primary, nursery and special needs settings, including delivering DfE funded projects to improve building conditions and introducing a digital compliance system. Matt possesses over twenty years experience working in local government roles and ten years’ experience working in facilities and operations. Matt holds the NEBOSH General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety,  a B.Sc. (Hons) degree and a level 5 certificate in Leadership from the ILM.

Jo Harris

Senior Operations Officer

Jo joined DDAT in February 2020 and has a wealth of operational administrative and PA experience. Prior to joining DDAT, Jo worked as a Business Services Officer for Derbyshire County Council Adult Community Education Service. Jo has also previously worked with several MATs and their local governing bodies in South Yorkshire. She holds a Prince2® Foundation Certificate in Project Management and ILM certificate in  Leadership and Management. Jo has been subject to enhanced DBS disclosures.

David Jones

Senior Operations Officer

David joined DDAT in December 2021 as the School Business Manager at Firs Primary School and has acquired an array of experience across Finance, HR, Health and Safety and Property Management.

In November 2024, David joined the Central Team on secondment as a Senior Operations Officer (0.4), whilst remaining at Firs Primary School (0.6).

Prior to joining DDAT, David worked as a School Business Manager at a local authority school in Birmingham.  David has also previously worked for Derbyshire County Council within Audit Services and Social Services. David holds the full Association of Accounting Technicians qualification.  David has been subject to enhanced DBS checks.

Dawn Bradley

Senior Finance Officer

Dawn joined DDAT in Sep 2020 and has a wealth of experience gained in both commercial and education sectors, having more recently worked in a Primary School, an inner city Multi Academy Trust and Local Authority Schools Support Finance.  She holds an AAT qualification and IAB certificates in manual payroll. Dawn has been subject to enhanced DBS checks.

Gemma Eales

Executive PA to CEO

Gemma joined the Derby Diocesan Academy Trust in 2024 as Personal Assistant to the CEO. Prior to joining DDAT, Gemma has over 9 years experience in Civil Litigation and Contract disputes, working in-house and for Solicitor’s. She has a Level 6 Higher Professional Diploma in Law and Practice. Gemma has been subject to enhanced DBS disclosures.

Ellie Johnson

HR Officer

Ellie joined the Derby Diocesan Academy Trust HR team in 2020. Prior to joining DDAT, Ellie completed a graduate management trainee scheme working across HR, procurement, customer service and quality improvement, having studied a degree in Business Management with a year in industry. Ellie has been subject to enhanced DBS disclosures.

Hannah Boulby

HR Assistant

Hannah joined the Derby Diocesan Academy Trust HR team in December 2022. Hannah has completed a level 5 CIPD in Human Resources and has got previous four years of experience working in HR Services processing HR & payroll systems and also working in the Pensions department for the local authority. Hannah has been subject to enhanced DBS disclosures.

James Hopkinson

Central Business Administrator

James has worked for DDAT since April 2022. In his role within the trust he provides central admin support for Finance, Operations and School Improvement. He also has over 14 years experience working for the local authority, most recently within the Shared Services Department at Derbyshire County Council. In this role he supported Schools, Academies, Council Staff and Pensioners across all levels of Payroll support. James has been subject to enhanced DBS disclosures.

Joanne Harvey

Senior School Improvement Officer (partner consultant)

Joanne Harvey is a qualified teacher and has held senior management positions, including headship, in primary schools. Joanne has worked internationally as a school improvement consultant. She formerly worked for Ofsted as a HMI and SHMI, working with the maintained and independent sectors.  She has particular expertise in leadership and the Early Years Foundation Stage. Joanne has been subject to enhanced DBS disclosures.

Lisa Harrison

Senior School Improvement Officer

Lisa has over twenty years’ experience as a senior leader, much of the experience has been at multi academy trust level, leading teaching and learning. She has gained the National Professional Qualification for Headship and is accredited as a National Leader for Education.

Lisa started her career within the East Midlands and then worked improving teaching and learning as an Advanced Skills Teacher (AST). Lisa has led a SCITT and enjoys working with teachers new to the profession. Additionally, Lisa has worked as part of the Teaching School Hub, leading strategic leadership professional qualifications. Lisa has a particularly interest in computing education.

Paul Lowther

Senior School Improvement Officer

Paul is a primary educational practitioner with over 24 years experience in teaching in early years, KS1 and KS2. Within this time he has been a subject leader in a range of curriculum subjects including maths, PE, computing, geography and history.

Paul is a qualified headteacher who has achieved the NPQH award. He has implemented high quality teaching and learning experiences and assessment systems to support all pupils to make outstanding progress. During this time his school achieved World Class Schools status, TES English team of the year and became a research schools lead school.

Paul has worked as a SENCo in three different settings which were successful in achieving the dyslexia quality mark and supported pupils whatever their need to be able to access rich and impactful learning experiences.

Currently, Paul is working with schools to enable them to be fully inclusive and to empower them to enable all pupils to have all the tools they need to be ambitious and strive for the very best.

Matthew Clark

Senior School Improvement Officer

Matthew has been a primary teacher since 1998. He has over eighteen years’ experience in senior leadership and headship. He has been a Director of Primary Education in a Church of England Multi Academy Trust and CE Primary Headteacher for over ten years. Matthew has taught and led in a broad range of school contexts from inner London and the south east, including international settings in Singapore and The Netherlands. In his work as a Headteacher, Matthew rooted his leadership in evidence-based and collaborative improvement.

Matthew has worked as part of a Teaching School Hub and SCITT and is a facilitator on the NPQH and NPQEL programmes and is passionate about helping nurture new leaders. Matthew has particular interests in SEND and character and personal development. He is a founding member and Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching.

Lisa Atkins

Senior School Improvement Officer

Lisa is a qualified teacher with almost thirty years of teaching and leadership experience in a range of schools. She holds an MSc in Educational Leadership, the NPQEL and is a Pupil Premium Reviewer.

Lisa has been a headteacher for fourteen years and moved her school from the bottom 20% to the top 1% for KS2 outcomes and Phonics, gaining recognition from the Minister for Schools. Lisa taught and led in a British International School for thirteen years where the school gained Outstanding in all areas of inspection.

Her specialisms are in ambitious leadership, Personal Development, Behaviour and Attitude and English across the primary age range.  Lisa believes all children have the right to an excellent education.

Heather Hogg

Safeguarding Lead

Heather joined DDAT in October 2022, taking on the role of Safeguarding Lead.

Heather has 15 years’ experience of working in safeguarding in education settings, most recently as a DSL and Inclusion Lead in an academy in Staffordshire.

Prior to working in education Heather managed volunteering projects on behalf of local authorities, providing services to vulnerable children and young people, including befriending and advocacy services for looked-after children and advocacy services for children and young people involved in the child protection process.

Heather has a Degree in Applied Community and Youth Work Studies; she is passionate about keeping children safe and the role that education can play in bringing about positive change for those who are most disadvantaged.

Jason Hampton

Governance Professional and Company Secretary

Jason’s role as Governance Professional is to provide procedural guidance to the Board on governance, constitutional and procedural matters, and to support the Chair in ensuring that the Board and its decision making is effective. Jason has worked with DDAT since its inception in 2014 providing the Trust with Company Secretary, Governance and data protection services.

Jayne Hadfield

Derby City Council Governor Support Manager

Jayne has worked in the local authority for over 20 years and was instrumental in setting up the Governor Support Team for Derby City Council in 2002. Jayne is keen to support Clerks and Governors’ to help them in their role fulfilling their core functions. Jayne is passionate about quality up-to-date training being available for governors and clerks to enable them to be confident, strong, challenging and thereby meeting the six key features of effective governance.