Martin Thomas was appointed as the CLF’s Director of Estates and Facilities in July 2023.

Martin began his career as an ICT professional, building up extensive experience and leading a number of ICT teams in local government.

He then developed into a seasoned transformational change management consultant, working across the public sector.

Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a track record of delivering successful transformations for a range of clients, using expertise in project management, stakeholder engagement, and process improvement to achieve lasting results.

Prior to joining the CLF, he was Director of Business Management at Tewkesbury School, delivering measurable results through strategic planning and effective leadership.

As Director of Human Resources, Rachel has responsibility for HR matters across the Federation and plays a leading role in championing a purposeful, safe and inclusive working environment for all.

Rachel joined the Federation in 2022, having worked for over 25 years in a variety of HR roles in the public and private sector as well as charities. Prior to joining, Rachel was Head of HR Services at the University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol. Rachel is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and qualified to use a range of psychometric assessments.

HR provide advice on a whole range of employment matters including safe recruitment, professional development, capability, record management and pay, ensuring fairness and consistency of practice and compliance with employment law. Our staff are really important to us and the HR team work closely with academies and other central teams to ensure they have an excellent employee experience.

As IT Director Andy leads the vision for ICT across the Cabot Learning Federation ensuring that technology and systems meet the needs of the organisation whilst keeping data secure.

Andy became Head of ICT in 2011 having previously lead ICT at John Cabot Academy. Since leaving university Andy has worked in education, ensuring the systems in schools meet the specific requirements demanded from the classroom. He has a strong understanding of the technicalities of computing, networking and secure environments. Andy is also a member of the Chartered Institute for IT (BCS).

Alison Fletcher is Director of the CLF Institute and Cabot Learning Federation Teaching School Alliance and a member of the Executive leadership team of the trust. The CLF Institute provides a wide range of teacher training and leadership development, support for school improvement and trust development, and is home to the Boolean Maths Hub and the CLF SCITT.

Alison joined the Cabot Learning Federation as Head of Research and Development in April 2015. Alison’s previous role was Head of the Education Department at the University of the West of England, UWE Bristol. Alison qualified as a Secondary mathematics teacher and taught in the Bristol area before leading the PGCE mathematics course at UWE. Alison is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching.

Alison is one of the national Teaching School Council representatives for the South West. In this role, Alison has worked with the Regional Schools Commissioner’s team and system-leader colleagues across the South West region, recently chairing Team South West and a South West Covid-19 Education Task Group of education stakeholders from across the system. The Teaching School Council has provided support for the induction and development of new Teaching School Hubs.

Tony Searle is Education Director. Since qualifying as a Science teacher in Bristol in 1999 Tony’s career followed a route through Head of Science and Raising Attainment at Senior Leadership level. Tony has been Principal at Hans Price Academy for the past 10 years.

Tony has previously been Chair of the Secondary Heads in North Somerset group and been an active member of the Strategic Schools Forum in North Somerset for many years.  Currently, Tony represents the CLF on The North Somerset Educational Excellence Partnership Board and School Standards Board.

Susie is an Executive Principal with the CLF. Most recently, Susie has been working across the primary phase as part of the Executive team, supporting the school improvement across the trust.

Prior to Susie’s appointment as Executive Principal, she was the Principal at Wallscourt Farm Academy, which opened in September 2013 as a new base need school. Before joining Wallscourt, Susie spent a decade working in schools in Bristol, taking on roles in a range of contexts. Inclusion and Special Educational Needs are areas of expertise, as is managing change in various settings.

Susie has much experience in EYFS and KS1, and has taught children, pupils and students from 3-19.  Susie is also highly experienced in leading teacher professional development, leadership training and is passionate about learning and leadership at all levels. Research and teacher development is at the heart of the school’s vision for learning.

Susie also carries out the role of link to the CLF wide CEIAG strategy, taking a lead on Careers Information, Advice and Guidance across the Federation. Beyond the CLF, Susie is an Education Adviser (EA) for the South West RSCs office, in addition to leading training and professional development for middle and senior leaders, Sencos and Assessment Leads.

Kate is an Executive Principal with the CLF. Most recently, Kate has been working within the Bristol cluster and across the primary phase as part of the Executive team, supporting the school improvement across the trust.

Prior to Kate’s appointment as Executive Principal, she was the headteacher at Hareclive E-ACT Academy in Hartcliffe, Bristol and prior to that was headteacher at Greenfield E-ACT Academy in Knowle West. Kate was part of the team at Headey Park Primary in south Bristol and before moving to Bristol, Kate worked in Hackney in London taking on roles in a range of contexts including undertaking SENDCo training. Kate has always worked in schools with high levels of deprivation.

Kate takes the lead on attendance, exclusions and wellbeing across the trust. Kate also leads on Big Events across the trust, which serve to enable our pupils to feel they are a part of something bigger – our wider CLF family.

Sarah Lovell is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Cabot Learning Federation. The COO is responsible for all areas of operational activity outside of educational delivery. This includes leading professional services which covers, estates management, governance, IT, administration, communications, HR, and finance.

Sarah started in role in January 2022, having previously held the role of CLF Finance Director for over 4 years. She is a qualified accountant of 10+ years and has worked in range of different sectors including legal and IT. Sarah is involved in a number of external networks that include the Bristol and South Gloucestershire School’s Forum and the Queen Street Group Finance Subgroup.

Sarah is passionate about the role of professional services within education and the positive impact it has on our pupil’s experience within CLF. This includes ensuring our professional services colleagues have excellent professional development and opportunities to progress within the Federation.

Sally Apps is Education Director responsible for the Secondary Phase and Specialist Settings. Since qualifying as an English teacher in Manchester in 2003, Sally’s career path followed literacy, standards and achievement, working in three schools en route to headship in 2013. Her first headship was as Principal of Bristol Metropolitan Academy, where she had previously been Vice Principal.

Sally takes system leadership seriously, and currently works alongside the Department of Education as a former member of the South West Headteacher Board, providing advice, support and challenge to the Regions group. She is also a member of the National Oracy Commission, a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and holds governance roles in other multi academy trusts.