Governors

Tom Attwood was for a number of years Chief Executive of Intermediate Capital Group PLC. He was previously director of HSBC Investment Bank and a Non-Executive Director of a number of companies including IPC Media, Wightlink, Target Express and Gala Coral; and until recently a Director of the Private Equity Foundation, the Centre for Social Justice and Chairman of Thanet Schools, five primary academies in Thanet sponsored by TKAT. 

Tom is now Chairman of HgCapital, a member of the Commission for Social Mobility and Child Poverty and a Director Actis Private Equity and the Hastings Pier Charity. 

Tom is Chairman of the Attwood Educational Foundation and Attwood Academies, sponsor of Bexhill Academy.

Business Interests

The Attwood Education Foundation, Attwood Partners Ltd, A-Plan Holdco Ltd, 24 Haymarket Ltd

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Sara was a headhunter for twenty years, specialising in consumer PR.  She worked for Whitehead Mann and The Miles Partnership in London. 

Sara is now a JP in Kent working with Magistrates in the Community.

As well as being a director of the Attwood Educational Foundation, she is also a mentor for children in London. 

Business Interests

The Attwood Education Foundation, Attwood Partners Ltd, Kassiopi Holidays Ltd

Frank has a considerable reputation as one of the country’s leading educational thinkers and innovators. 

His career in education has so far spanned 44 years.  Most recently he was National Schools Commissioner, 2013-2016, with oversight of all Academies and FreeSchools.  He established the Regional School Commissioners structure as part of the mechanism to co-ordinate and oversee the development of the academies programme.  Prior to that he had been Chief Executive of Leigh Academies Trust from 2008, one of the first MATs, having created it from the original Leigh City Technology College, of which he was Principal from 1997.

From 1992 to 1997 he was the first Head of The Lincoln School of Science and Technology, which was the very first specialist school and the model for that programme.

In 2013 he was appointed Commander of the British Empire for his services to education.

He is currently Chairman of Shoreline Enterprises , Vice Chairman of Leigh Academies Trust, Chairman of George Salter Academy and a Director of Challenger Trust.

Steve leads the schools and academies team at KPMG, is a qualified accountant and his personal area of expertise is finance and financial management. He has worked with a wide range of Academy Trusts to support them across a range of areas of their development, including strategic development, financial management, due diligence, turnaround support and re-structuring, amongst others. He is also the Chairman of the Challenger Trust, which is a member of the Challenger Multi-Academy Trust and is passionate about improving social mobility through learning outside the classroom.

Ralph is a qualified Solicitor. His legal career has spanned 35 years working as a commercial lawyer in two of the City of London’s leading law firms, including postings to Hong Kong and Brussels. He has represented international clients in some of the largest commercial and trade disputes involving the European Commission and domestic competition authorities.

He served as Managing Partner at his last law firm for nine years gaining considerable management experience. During that time he lead the firm through a period of significant growth and expansion across Europe.

Ralph is also a qualified Mediator in dispute resolution and an accredited Executive Coach. 

He is married with three sons.

Christine Bayliss is a leading Education Consultant supporting schools, academies and Multi-Academy Trusts on project management, governance, school marketing and PR. She set up her consultancy company CBECS in 2015 following 15 years' service as a Civil Servant in the Department for Education. Her experience in Whitehall included spells at HM Treasury advising Ministers on Children’s services and on secondment to Manchester City Council serving as an Assistant Chief Education Officer developing the City’s education strategy ‘High Standards for All’.

Christine has lived nearly all her adult life in Bexhill and is a local district councillor serving on Rother’s cabinet as lead for Economic Development and Regeneration. She has two grown-up children who both attended Bexhill High School – the predecessor school to Bexhill Academy. Christine is also a Trustee of Aurora Academies Trust which runs Glenleigh Park and King Offa Primary Schools in Bexhill. 

William enjoyed a long career within Financial Services before the decision to put 30 yrs of experience to better use by demystifying the workplace for others. The idea for WS Work Savvy Ltd was inspired in 2017 with the strapline “We Get You Hired” as primary mission. Although self-taught as a Careers Advisor, William’s credentials are fortified as a Certified Professional Resume Writer and with pending approval as a  Certified Interview Coach (PARWCC). William is also an Accredited Mediator (London School of Mediation, 2014) and has overseen the process as a volunteer with West Kent (WKM) and Maidstone Mediation for domestic situations, neighbour disputes and Parent-Child relationships.

William Casement was appointed by the trustees 25/01/24. 

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Rob has a long career in education.  He has wide experience acquired through many varied roles. This includes teaching in all phases, senior management positions in schools and local authorities, Ofsted inspection, senior roles for the Department for Education (DfE) and trustee and chair of several schools’ governing bodies and charities.