Nick Cross
Chief Executive Officer, KGA
Nick is CEO of King’s Group Academies, a nine school multi-academy trust. Nick has worked in three MATs and has experience of building capacity and developing high performing teams across organisations. He has introduced systems and procedures which have had a direct impact on outcomes, simultaneously developing the trust’s leadership capacity.
Nick is a National Leader of Education and served as an Ofsted Inspector for over four years. Additionally, he is a Pupil Premium System Leader, working with schools in receipt of a ‘Requires Improvement’ Ofsted judgement.
He is a former Head of an ‘Outstanding’ school. He was written to four times by Ministers of State and the Deputy Prime Minister, congratulating the school on the standards the pupils had achieved; it was regularly the top performing school in the borough at GCSE and A level and it was twice the highest performing school in the country in its category.
He led PiXL6, a national school improvement network of over 600 schools and FE colleges for five years. At these meetings he regularly gave keynote speeches as well as running workshops for Headteachers.
Nick is married to Jane and they have two children. He is a keen triathlete.
Sue Collins
Deputy CEO (Finance), KGA
Sue is the Deputy CEO for King’s Group Academies, leading on finance, legal, HR and estates. Sue is a Chartered Global Management Accountant with extensive experience in the not for profit sector – mainly in education - having worked in hospitals and independent schools since 1996 and academies since 2011.
While the Finance Director of a single academy trust she was asked to build and lead the finance team at a neighbouring standalone academy trust, and to provide an outsourced finance function to a third, and now draws on that experience in coordinating support services across a diverse multi academy trust.
As well as helping financially secure academies to maintain reserves, Sue has worked successfully with the ESFA over recovery plans for academies in financial difficulty.
Sue is a keen musician, and a volunteer technician for a talking newspaper.
Lorraine Walsh
Director of People, KGA
As Director of People, Lorraine leads on ensuring King’s Group Academies employs, nurtures and retains staff who are passionate about each and every pupil's success. She has worked in HR for 3 decades with 20 years experience of HR leadership in the not-for-profit sector, where she has played an active role in establishing robust safeguarding and pre-employment vetting practices.
In addition to being a chartered member of the Institute of Personnel & Development Lorraine has experience as a governor for an academy in South London that provides specialist education for students with autism and has served as a trustee for a leading safeguarding network for international charities.
Married with three adult sons, she spends most of her spare time cooking and baking with produce grown at the family allotment.
Paul Marks
Estates Director, KGA
Paul is currently the Estates Director. He was born in Portsmouth, and gained a qualified trade before moving into management. He has worked in different areas of the country and now has 24 years experience of working within the Education sector, primarily in Further Education. He has been a member of Senior Leadership Teams throughout this time and has overseen and managed estates teams through change over this period.
He has worked on several Estates Capital Projects, predominantly being the client representative and ranging in value from £10K to £10million. The latest being the complete refurbishment of Bournemouth & Poole College
Paul is a married man with three grown up children, who enjoys seeing his children succeed at whatever they do and has been known to participate in the odd game of golf or two.
Sarah Howells
Director of Academy Improvement
Sarah is currently Director of Academy Improvement. She has over 20 years of headship experience in both primary and secondary schools, including a period of interim headship rapidly leading a school out of special measures resulting in her leadership being described by Ofsted as ‘exceptional’.
Sarah has worked as an Associate for PiXL for the past six years. Additionally, she has led seminars and lectures for the RSA and worked with them as a consultant for their first academy opening. Sarah has considerable experience of mentoring new Headteachers; formally and informally and in supporting other school leaders with key school improvement strategies. She leads the KGA NPQML and NPQSL programmes.
Sian Williams
Principal, King's Academy Ringmer
Sian has lived and worked in Sussex for most of her life. She grew up on the Ashdown Forest and knows what it means to be a child living and learning in this inspiring county. She has twenty years of educational experience, teaching and leading high achieving schools with academic rigour as well as inner city schools, with their own educational issues.
Sian was the founding leader of Chichester Free School, when it opened in 2013, as Director of Teaching and Learning. During this time, she was the project educational consultant for the permanent site build and played a pivotal role in the ongoing recruitment and admissions drive, as the school rapidly expanded. She went on to become Head of Secondary and Deputy Principal. She also took on the role of pastoral care across the secondary phase and along with her other responsibilities, continued to teach English and Drama.
Sian is an enormous advocate of the performing arts and all sport and will be volunteering to go on the school ski trip.
David Littlemore
Headteacher, King's Academy Prospect
David is the Headteacher of King's Academy Prospect, a large multi-cultural comprehensive school to the west of Reading which joined the KGA family in October 2020.
David is an experienced senior leader and after leaving the health and music industries for education, has always worked in schools facing challenging circumstances, where he has been instrumental in securing rapid and sustained improvements. Appointed permanent Headteacher at Prospect in January 2020, he is leading the school on a journey of challenge, renewal and significant positive change, following the school’s mantra of ‘Aspire, Believe, Achieve’. It is David’s firm belief and ambition that King's Academy Prospect will be the number one school within the local community, in terms of attainment, standards and parental choice. He is a strong advocate of partnership working and collaboration with a range of community leaders.
Originally from Cheshire, David now lives in South West London with his family, from where he follows the (mis) fortunes of Bolton Wanderers Football Club.
Emily Kingdon & Kathryn Wilden
Heads of School, King's Academy Northern Parade
Emily is the Acting Head of School of King’s Academy Northern Parade Infants. Having lived and trained in London, Chichester and Portsmouth, she has a firm belief in creating a rich, diverse and well-balanced curriculum that meets the needs of all children and supports the local community.
Over the last ten years she has worked across the primary Hampshire, as class teacher, English Lead, senior leader and Schools Partnership Programme Facilitator across a number of cluster schools. In 2021 she was employed as Deputy Head at King’s Academy Northern Parade Infants.
Emily has unwavering passion and commitment. She is determined to ensure that every child makes outstanding progress from their starting point both personally and academically. She has a decade of proven success in seeing the whole child; building innovative, well rounded, creative classrooms, where adults and children nurture a love of learning. She is looking forward to continuing her own academic journey, undertaking her National Professional Qualification for Headship. Emily has a 6-year-old daughter and enjoys going on adventures, reading and sport.
Kathryn is the Acting Head of School of King’s Academy Northern Parade Junior. She grew up in Portsmouth and has worked in the education sector for over 12 years taking on a variety of roles including Maths Lead, Phase Lead, Deputy Head and the more recent challenge of Head of School.
Kathryn initially graduated from the University of Chichester and worked a sports physiotherapist for a number of years before finding her true calling in education. She started her teaching career in Hampshire before returning home to Portsmouth in 2021.
Kathryn is extremely passionate about creating an inclusive curriculum where all children are valued for their individualities and differences. She believes that facilitating opportunities for children to learn through creativity, including the outdoor environment is pivotal to their success.
Kathryn is a mum to two young boys who keep her on her toes. In the very small amount of spare time she has she enjoys visiting the gym, paddle boarding and running.
Rachel Carlyle
Headteacher, King's Academy College Park
Rachel grew up in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire before moving to Devon where she studied at The University of the South West. She began her teaching career in Hampshire before moving into Portsmouth. After having her family Rachel took a step away from Leadership roles focusing on her children and being the best classroom practitioner she could be.
In September 2020 Rachel became Head of School for Northern Parade infants. After her success in this role, Rachel was appointed as Headteacher at KACP. Exciting times ahead.
Rachel is a keen runner and trains daily with Portsmouth Outdoor Fitness regardless of weather! Living by the sea has also allowed her to enjoy her new found passion - paddle boarding.
Katie Moore
Executive Principal, King's Academy Binfield & King's Academy Oakwood
Katie Moore joined King’s Academies in September 2022 as Executive Principal at King’s Academy Binfield and King’s Academy Oakwood. Katie lives in the locality of the schools and is passionate about working in partnership with all members of the schools’ communities to support everyone to strive to be better than their best.
Katie has some 30 years’ experience in education, having most recently been Principal at Fullbrook School in Surrey. Katie progressed her career at Fullbrook over sixteen years and was Assistant and then Vice Principal before leading the school. Previously Katie was an Education Advisor in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead as a Secondary National Strategy Consultant in ICT, before leading 64 schools in the development of digital learning.
Katie is an enthusiastic Parkrunner and swimmer and enjoys travelling to spend time with family and friends who are spread across both the country and the world.
Liz Cook
Head, King's Academy Easthampstead Park
Liz Cook was appointed headteacher of the school in January 2013 after serving as deputy headteacher for several years. The school joined King’s Group Academies in November 2022. Liz has always identified with the view that success is a result of hard work and a positive attitude to challenge. Liz believes our school can meet the needs of all learners and is passionate about offering students the opportunities to attain and be successful at the highest level.
Liz’s childhood and formative years were spent in Liverpool before settling in the South of the country. However, her allegiance to the Liverpool football team continues. After leaving University Liz worked in the fashion industry before developing a career in Product Management before deciding to return to study as she wanted to use her creative skills more directly. Liz holds both a PGCE in Design Technology and a Master's degree in Design Studies.
Liz has led on school improvement and teaching and learning developments across several schools. She implemented the national strategies within KS3 and supported the development of resources for teachers on sustainability. Liz has been awarded the FCCT The Fellowship of the Chartered College of teaching as a result of her work and experience.
Liz remains passionate about art and design and enjoys being with friends and family.
Louisa Perkins
International Director
As an educator with 20 years experience both in the UK and overseas, Louisa comes to the role of International Director with a passion for enriching curriculums in ways that enable pupils to become truly global citizens. Following 7 years teaching in London and Surrey, she embarked on a solo around the world trip, which culminated in securing the role as School Development Leader at a British International School in Bangkok, Thailand. The 11 years spent in Asia gave Louisa the perfect breadth of experience required to spearhead KGA’s ambitious programme designed to prepare pupils for living and working in a diverse, multicultural world.
After returning to the UK to be close to family, Louisa worked with the wonderful children and dedicated staff at King’s Academy Northern Parade. She is now excited to be joining the central team to provide pupils across all KGA schools with opportunity and success on a global stage.
Since moving to Portsmouth, Louisa has abseiled the Spinnaker Tower and taken up a new hobby - roller skating. She is a mother to two young daughters and a big, fluffy rescue dog from Thailand called Zephyr.
Louisa Loney
Teaching and Learning Lead
Louisa has worked as a Senior Leader at King’s Academy Ringmer since 2017. Previously, she was a Senior Leader at a school in Worthing and has been a Subject Leader for English in schools in both West and East Sussex. Louisa has extensive experience of working in underperforming schools and improving the quality of education and leadership and management. Louisa works as a Specialist Leader of Education across East Sussex supporting schools.
Louisa lives on the coast in East Sussex with her husband and daughter. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, being outside in nature and travelling.
Sarah Lee
Teaching and Learning Lead
Sarah is Assistant Principal in charge of curriculum and teaching & learning at King’s Academy Binfield and Oakwood. Previously, she was Director of Communications, overseeing English, Humanities and MFL, and has worked as Subject Leader for MFL in both Berkshire and Leicestershire. Sarah’s passion for languages stems from childhood holidays to France, and was the driving force behind entering the world of education, with the aim to pass on the same love of languages to her students. Sarah is passionate about the development of both students and staff, and has extensive experience working to raise teaching standards and develop curricula.
Living with her husband and two cats, Sarah spends her spare time gardening, reading and spending time with friends. She also enjoys cooking and is an avid watcher of Masterchef, the Bake Off and anything food related.
Laura Phillips
Safeguarding Lead
Laura started teaching in Surrey in 2006 and since then has carried out a range of pastoral leadership roles. Prior to joining KGA, she was a SENCO at a secondary school in Surrey. Laura has worked as a Senior Leader and DSL at King’s Academy Binfield and Oakwood since its opening in 2018. Laura thoroughly enjoys working to support and develop staff; she facilitates the best practice network NPQML and NPQSL courses.
Laura lives in Hampshire with her two children and husband. In her spare time, she enjoys fitness, reading and travelling.
Jo Davis
Digital Learning Lead
Jo has worked as Director of Maths and Computing at King’s Academy Binfield and Oakwood since its opening in 2018. Previously, she was a Head of Maths at a school in Hampshire. Jo is passionate about what technology can bring to education, supporting all learners and giving every child an opportunity to succeed. She has been through the ISTE certification and is currently completing the NPQSL, and is a certified Google Trainer. Jo is looking forward to further developing her role as Digital Learning Lead, ensuring that everything that she brought to schools during the pandemic is maximised, to enhance the learning and providing the digital readiness to our students.
Jo was born in Barbados before moving to the UK to further her hockey ambitions. She is an ex national player for Barbados who now lives in Surrey. In her spare time, she enjoys hockey, coaching, fitness and travelling.