Members & Trustees

Trustee - Chair

Toby Watson
Trustee – Chair
Toby Watson

Toby was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs International for 17 years where he was a partner until 2017. At Goldman Sachs he focused on structured finance globally and worked in the New York, Hong Kong and London offices at various times. Prior to that Toby worked at Deutsche Bank in New York and London. He read Physics at Oxford University.

Trustee - Vice Chair

Susan Clarke

Trustee
Susan Clarke

Susan has held leadership roles in local government in London and West Sussex. In that context, she has experience in governance, performance management, organisational change, human resources and public sector finance. Susan has extensive experience of both primary and secondary school governance as a local governor at Preshute Primary School and St Johns.  She was a founding member of the Trust and is Vice Chair of the Board and Chair of Staffing Committee.

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Chief Executive Officer

Nicky Edmondson

Chief Executive Officer
Nicky Edmondson

Appointed CEO in 2018 Nicky is a talented educationalist and successful leader.  She has extensive experience of successfully leading change, developing and delivering strategy at local and national level, and inspiring and developing future leaders. As CEO Nicky provides challenge and support to principals, leadership coaching and  professional development for leaders. She also chairs the Swindon and Wiltshire MAT Learning Set.

Trustee

Jane Butler

Foundation Trustee
Jane Butler

Jane has worked for 20+ years in the local voluntary sector as a funding and governance advisor and is currently Programme Director at Wiltshire Community Foundation. Jane has extensive experience of primary and secondary school governance having been Chair of Governors at Kennet Valley Primary School and Chair of Governors at St John’s Marlborough. Jane sits on Excalibur’s Education Scrutiny Committee.

Trustee

Dr Natalie Cozier

Trustee
Dr Natalie Cozier

Member

Rev Richard Curtis

Corporate Member
Rev Richard Curtis

Richard is Team Rector of the Cannings and Redhorn Team, his previous 24 years of ministry were in the Diocese of Leicester; whilst there he served on the governing boards of five different schools. He also served on the Leicester Diocesan Board of Education. Prior to reading Theology Richard worked in residential social work having previously taught physics and science in a secondary school.

Member

Warwick Dufour

Founding Member
Warwick Dufour

A local governor at Easton Royal Academy for six years, Warwick is a founding member of Excalibur Academies Trust and served as a director from the Trust’s inception in September 2012 until May 2018. He has worked in the IT industry for over 30 years in a highly technical capacity providing IT solutions and consultancy in medical imaging, 3D simulators, aviation, telecommunications, oil exploration and defence.

Trustee

Alan Gould

Trustee
Alan Gould

As Chartered Project Professional Alan is a freelance consultant helping engineering and technology companies with product development, projects and business improvement. Alan has extensive experience in overseeing governance and compliance of complex projects having been on advisory panels for government agencies and research programmes.  A governor at Fairfield Alan was instrumental in setting up the LGB at May Park. Alan is Chair of Excalibur’s Audit committee.

Trustee

Lawayne Jefferson

Trustee
Lawayne Jefferson

Trustee

Dr Kieran Kelly

Co-opted Trustee
Dr Kieran Kelly

Kieran tutors on a number of Senior Leadership and Management programmes at Aston University. He has a PhD in Business and Economic History and has taught and researched across a number of areas of business and economics. He is also a qualified executive coach. Kieran is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. 

Trustee

Lucy Lee

Foundation Trustee
Lucy Lee

With a first class degree in Politics and a Masters in Social Policy from LSE, Lucy began her career as a consultant with Accenture. She has held various posts as a policy adviser, latterly as Head of Education for Policy Exchange. Lucy has extensive experience in governance, is Chair of John O’Gaunt’s LGB and Vice-Chair at an academy in Hackney. Lucy sits on Excalibur’s Education Scrutiny committee.

Trustee

Stella Lithgow

Trustee
Stella Lithgow

Stella has professional experience of teaching and civil service roles, currently specialising in strengthening capability in the school business sector. She has been a trustee at Gatehouse Green Learning Trust since 2019, serving variously as chairs of finance and audit as well as vice-chair of the board, and joined the board of Excalibur in 2023 when the trusts merged.

Trustee

Jeanette Longhurst

Trustee
Jeanette Longhurst

Jeanette is an experienced health and social care professional and a qualified social worker. She has commissioned and delivered services at all levels. She has worked as a consultant for a range of clients including the Department of Health and taught Social Work on a degree course. Jeanette was Chair at Oare LGB. Jeanette is Excalibur’s nominated director for Safeguarding and chairs the Education Scrutiny committee.

Trustee

Ann Parry

Foundation Trustee
Ann Parry

Prior to retirement Ann worked as a School Business Manager in Swindon. Her professional background is in finance and commerce. She is a lifetime member of the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL). Ann was chair of Easton Royal Primary School at the time of the inception of Excalibur in 2012 and has served as a director of the Trust since then. She is also a trustee of the Parry Family Charitable Trust. Ann is Chair of the Finance Premises and ICT (FP&I) Committee.

Trustee

Catherine Pinder

Trustee
Catherine Pinder

Trustee

Nick Swan

Co-opted Trustee
Nick Swan

Nick studied Engineering at Cambridge University and qualified as a Chartered Engineer. He worked for 35 years in International Oil Trading. He was a Corporate Member for Kuwait of the Royal Institute of International Affairs. Nick was appointed to the board in October 2018 and sits on the Audit and Finance committees as well as the Trust’s Admissions Panel.

Declaration of Business for Trustees

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