Our Team

CDAT Central Team

CDAT Central Team

Securing a high standard of education for the children in all our schools is the heart of CDAT's work. We know, though, that a lot goes on in the background to make sure that our teaching staff are able to deliver a broad, balanced and engaging curriculum.

Staff

Staff

  • Neil Dixon

    CEO

    Neil joined CDAT as CEO in May 2019, having spent the previous three years working for Ofsted as one of Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMI). Prior to that, Neil was headteacher of a Church of England primary school in Liverpool diocese. That school moved from having a 'notice to improve' (2003) to Ofsted 'outstanding' (2008) and was one of the first cohort of Teaching Schools nationally.
School Improvement Team

School Improvement Team

Supporting our schools to be the best they can be is central to CDAT's work. To allow us to do that, we have a small, core School Improvement team, supplemented by expertise from professional partners and strong practitioners within our own schools. Our School Improvement Team consists of:

Staff

Staff

  • Kerry McLean

    Director of Education

    Kerry is CDAT's Director of Education and she oversees school improvement across the trust. Kerry has worked as a Headteacher and Executive Headteacher within CDAT since 2018. Her main areas of focus are leadership and management, assessment, safeguarding and curriculum. She has a particular passion for Early Years and Phonics and has experience of leading small schools and working within other multi-academy trusts.

  • Lisa Sharkey

    Early Years Strategic Lead

    Lisa joined the CDAT team having previously worked extensively in St Helens – initially in school leadership and then in senior positions within the local authority's Early Years and School Improvement teams. Her particular areas of strength being Early Years, Attendance and improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.

  • Leanne Shaw

    Teaching and Learning Strategic Lead

    Leanne joined the CDAT team in September 2022 as School Advisor, having previously worked extensively in Warrington both as a senior leader in a large and very successful primary school and latterly as an advisor, specialising in teaching, learning and curriculum development. Leanne also manages CDAT's ITT programmes.

  • Grace Page

    Inclusion Strategic Lead

    Grace joined CDAT in 2022, having had over 18 years experience in specialist and mainstream education and Early Years settings within several Local Authorities. During this time, Grace has worked as a SENDCo, Inclusion Manager and Senior Leader in a number of schools and within another Church of England Multi-Academy Trust in Lancashire. Grace has a real passion for enhancing education for all children, developing inclusive cultures and embedding effective behaviour and relationships policies, supporting schools on their journey towards being fully inclusive. Grace also leads on partnership working with parents.

  • Emma Drew

    Cluster Lead

    Emma brings a wealth of expertise to her role as Cluster Lead, drawing on her extensive experience as a Headteacher across a diverse range of educational settings. As a dedicated Christian leader, she is highly regarded for her ability to foster inclusive, values-driven environments that inspire both staff and pupils to flourish.

  • Yasmin Jones

    ITT and ECT Lead

    Yasmin serves as a Cluster Lead with a broad portfolio, bringing significant expertise to the trust through her leadership of Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and the development of Early Career Teachers (ECTs).

  • Jane Creed

    BC Education

    Jane delivers all trust wide CPD for English. This includes development days for Writing Leads. She also offers bespoke support to schools.

  • Toni Priddey

    First4Maths Academy

    Toni and her team deliver all trust wide Maths CPD. This includes development days for Maths Leads, as well as year group specific training.
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CDAT also have excellent relationships with The English Hub at Lacey Green, ensuring schools can access high quality support and resources.

We also work in close partnership with all seven Local Authorities.

Finance and Operations

Finance and Operations

  • Tom Nixon

    Director of Finance

    Tom joined CDAT in May 2025, having had a wide and varied career working in school finance. Prior to joining the CDAT team, Tom has had experience as CFO of another multi-academy trust, and working for other education support organisations. As well as his role as Director of Finance, Tom is also CDAT's CFO.

  • Chris Williams

    Director of Operations

    Chris joined CDAT in September 2023, having had over twenty years of experience in education: in a local authority education department, diocesan education service, and a MAT. In his previous role as a diocesan officer, Chris' principal areas of responsibility included school organisation, admissions, school place planning, and capital, also working on a broad range of other operational and educational matters with schools across eight local authority areas. He is a foundation governor at a joint Catholic and Church of England primary school in Liverpool.

  • Judith Castledine

    Governance & Compliance Manager and Clerk to the Board

    Judith joined CDAT in June 2023 as Governance and Compliance Manager, bringing extensive experience in school and academy governance. She was previously the Senior Governance Support Officer at Stockport local authority supporting maintained school LGBs, Academy Committees and Trust Boards. Judith holds a Level 3 Certificate in Clerking of School and Governing Boards and an Honours degree in Modern Foreign Languages. She loves the diversity of her role at CDAT and works closely with the Trust's 32 LGCs, the Trust Board and Members to ensure robust, effective governance

  • Emma Furlong

    Emma provides administrative support for all of our CPD programmes, including the NPQs, and for our School Direct provision as well. Emma also administers the joint CDAT/CDBE Headteacher Consultant offer and provides support for governor training and appointments.

  • Dawn Lloyd

    School Business Support Officer

  • Vera Thomas

    School Business Support Officer

  • Claire Barker

    School Business Support Officer

  • Jennifer Wheelhouse

    Finance Assistant

    Jennifer supports our schools by ensuring financial processes are accurate, well-organised, and efficient. She helps maintain clear records, supports reporting, and ensures day-to-day finance tasks run smoothly.

  • Jacob Hart

    Operations Assistant

    Jacob ensures that all work is carried out efficiently, consistently, and in line with required standards. He takes a proactive approach to compliance, maintaining accuracy and reducing risk, while continuously improving processes to support smooth and effective operations.

  • Millie De'Lucia

    Marketing and Communication

    Millie leads the Trust’s marketing and communications, driving a cohesive digital presence through her strategic management of social media and central publications. She works closely with individual schools to amplify their unique stories, ensuring their successes reach the wider community effectively. Her creative approach and expert support help our schools maintain a vibrant, professional, and engaging brand identity.
Professional Partners

Professional Partners

CDAT work with a small number of well-respected Professional Partners who provide specific, specialist services for the trust.

Our current Professional Partners are:

  • Working With Schools – HR, payroll and pensions

  • Stone King – Legal support

  • Jeanne Fairbrother Associates – Health and Safety

  • Second 2 None School Support – Governance and Clerking

  • Veritau – DPO services