Central Services Team

Karen is the Trust Operations Manager. Her roles includes: supporting the Chief Operating Officer; providing operational services within the Central Team; supporting the schools within the Trust; overseeing procurement, maintaining safe and healthy work environments by establishing, following and enforcing standards and procedures; complying with legal regulations. Before joining the Central Team, Karen was Premises Manager at Manor CE Academy.

Georgia joined Hope Sentamu Learning Trust in February 2023 as their Executive Support Officer. Georgia has previously worked with children in a youth theatre group and has a pastoral background working as a graduate housemistress. More recently she has worked in secondary education supporting children with SEND needs. Georgia is committed to providing opportunities for children and young people by aiming to support them in their education and the development of character and social skills which are crucial for later life.Georgia will provide an extensive range of support to the Executive Leadership Team and will assist with supervision, coordination and communication of issues across the Trust.

Lauren joined Hope Setamu Learning Trust in November 2022 as their Compliance Officer. Having previously worked in further & higher education supporting students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and more recently at North Yorkshire Police as a Witness Care Officer, Lauren has extensive experience involving safeguarding vulnerable young people. Lauren is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and will act as lead within the trust for the coordination of compliance and associated governance.

Tania deals with all the Purchase ledger duties for the Trust and is responsible for payments and bank reconciliation for all schools within the Trust. Tania has a vast amount of experience working within Accounting from Military, Private Hospital, Construction to IT software company and holds Qualified Association of Accounting Technician – Level 4.

I have worked in a finance function role since graduating from The University of Humberside in 1995 with a BSc (Hons) in Finance with Business. My most recent role was in the print and technology sector where I worked for 18 years, managing a small finance & payroll team. I have experience in all areas of the finance function, from purchase ledger right through to the preparation of monthly management accounts.

Since completing my AAT level 3 and gaining my AATQB qualification I am also looking to complete my AAT level 4.

I was born and raised in Scarborough and attended Graham School before moving on to college. I worked in the tourism industry before completing a Business Administration apprenticeship in the Motor Trade where I spent the next 4.5 years working through the different accounting roles and working through the AAT levels. I joined the education sector in May 2021 becoming a Finance Assistant at a Trust in Scarborough before becoming a Finance Officer at HSLT in November 2021. I am looking forward to this next step in my career and also to continuing to develop my accounting skills and knowledge.

Margarita is the Purchase Ledger Clerk for all schools within the Trust and has a Level III Diploma in Manual and Computerised Bookkeeping and is a Member of The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers. Before joining the Trust Margarita spent over 10 years’ working in a biotech company where she managed purchase and sales ledgers.

Megan joined Hope Sentamu Learning Trust as an Accounts Apprentice, working with the Purchase Ledger Team. She is currently looking forward to training with the team and working towards her AAT qualifications. Prior to joining the Trust, she worked within Retail.

Chris is a HR Officer for the Hope Sentamu Learning Trust. Her role includes supporting all the primary and secondary schools within the Trust with disciplinary investigations and hearings, grievances, sickness absence, recruitment and selection, policy and toolkit development, face to face, telephone and written advice and guidance, restructures, TUPE transfers, safeguarding and child protection concerns etc.

Chris joined the Trust in March 2017. Prior to this Chris worked for Wakefield Metropolitan District Council for 14 years supporting schools and services.

Chris has a Postgraduate Diploma in Personnel Management and a BSc (Hons) in Psychology. She is an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Katherine joined the Trust as Secondary School Improvement Lead in May 2018. She works closely with the CEO, as well as headteachers, staff, governors, trustees and the central team, to continue to raise standards across the Trust. She supports staff and young people to exceed their potential, through access to the very best opportunities to flourish, in both their academic and personal lives.

She was previously employed as Education Adviser with the Diocese of York.

Jim joined the Trust as Director of Mathematics in September 2018 and has over 20 years of experience working at numerous schools at all levels of mathematics and senior leadership. He works closely within the Secondary Schools Improvement Team to raise the teaching of mathematics standards across the Trust. He supports the schools mathematics leader to identify areas for improvement and provides quality assurance measures. He leads on providing one-on-one support for colleagues who require it and also works closely with ITT maths students within the Trust’s teaching school.

Jim believes passionately in raising standards of education thus enabling all students to achieve so much more than they thought was possible, providing them with the very best of opportunities for their future. Jim is married to Claire and has 3 older teenager girls who provide his support and drive.

Heather Wright is acting Director of English and joins the team from her senior leadership position at Hope Sentamu Learning Trust’s Barlby High School. Her role is to provide Leaders of English and their teams with the support and challenge to ensure that outstanding teaching and learning is taking place across the Trust’s secondary schools and that students leave education with their very best outcomes. Heather is a Specialist Leader of Education and, prior to working for Hope Sentamu Learning Trust, she has worked with several schools in improving English and literacy provision at all secondary key stages. Heather is also experienced in working with early careers teachers and works closely with English teams across the trust to support high quality training. 

Sarah Cope is the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator for the Primary Sector of Hope Learning Trust. Sarah obtained a BSc (hons) in Applied Psychology from Durham University before fulfilling a 2 year role as a Special Educational Needs Teaching Assistant in a mainstream primary school in Harrogate. From there she moved to York to qualify as a Primary school teacher and subsequently achieved the National Award for SEN Co-ordinaton.

In September 2018, Sarah joined the central team and now co-ordinates Special Educational Needs Provision across all of the Hope Sentam Learning Trust Primary Schools whilst fostering a network for sharing of good practise.