Members & Directors
at John Taylor Multi Academy Trust
Members
The Members collectively appoint directors to the Board (see below), hold the Annual General Meeting, and approve the appointment of auditors.
Gareth Moss MBE
As Chair of Members Gareth oversees the work of the Board of Directors, which in turn he Chaired for 10 years. During that time Gareth oversaw the growth of the Trust from a single Academy to 20 Schools and helped to develop the culture of “children first” which JTMAT is well known for.
Before involvement in the Trust Gareth was a Governor at John Taylor High School and a former Chair of Governors there and prior to that a Chair of Finance. Gareth is a Chartered Public Finance Accountant and has held senior roles in the public, private and charity sectors.
Gareth was awarded a MBE in the 2025 Kings Birthday Honours list for Services to Education recognising his role at JTMAT.
Gareth is married with two grown up daughters (both who went to JTMAT schools). His interests outside of work are running and watching & supporting local rugby and cricket. Gareth is also a Trustee at the O’Connor Gateway Trust in Burton Upon Trent, a charity associated with recovery from addiction.
Colin Hopkins MBE
Colin is Chair of John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust, and is now retired, having formerly held several senior roles in education. Between 2006-18, he was Director of Education for Lichfield Diocese. From 2019-22, he worked for the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) as Executive Director of RSA Academies, an ‘umbrella’ trust that oversaw several RSA-sponsored academies in the West Midlands. During 2023, he worked on an institution-wide project on gender equality for the University of Warwick. Colin has also been a Trustee of St Bart’s Multi-Academy Trust (23 schools in Stoke/N. Staffs/Cheshire East/Shropshire) since 2013 and chairs its Education and Standards and People and Practice Committees. He has previously held governance roles in several MATs and maintained schools including Interim Executive Boards. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Chartered College of Teaching, and was appointed MBE in 2018 for services to education.
The Diocese of Lichfield Educational Trust Ltd
The Diocese of Lichfield Educational Trust Ltd is a unique and forward thinking strategic partnership which brings together the Dioceses of Birmingham and Lichfield and the University of Wolverhampton.
The partners believe that our alliance will significantly enhance the provision of education in the respective dioceses by delivering a robust approach to high quality school improvement. A key aim is to provide services which will enable all Church schools to be good schools, where children can be offered the richness of experience that the Christian tradition supports.
The Diocese of Lichfield Educational Trust Ltd will adopt a proactive approach to extending educational opportunities for pupils, staff and governors across the Midlands region.
Fleur Robinson
Fleur Robinson is an accomplished business leader who has extensive experience working in the challenging and fast-paced football industry.
Fleur has twice held key positions at her hometown club Burton Albion FC and also enjoyed three years as Chief Executive Officer at Wrexham AFC. Fleur has spent more than 25 years making a big impact on the football world, gaining a wealth of experience and delivering major progress and commercial growth.
Her time at Wrexham saw the club progress on and off the field with the men’s first team achieving promotion from the National League to League One. Fleur oversaw a massive growth in the club’s commercial activities, all in the spotlight of the intense global media interest in the day-to-day activities of the club.
She previously held the position of Commercial Director at Burton Albion, working for the club as it rose through the divisions to spend two years in the EFL Championship; before later returning for a second spell at the Brewers as CEO.
A commercial leader with a huge passion for putting football at the heart of the community and making a positive difference to people’s lives, Fleur has been a long-time champion of girls’ and women’s football.
Among other roles Fleur has held are: Member of the 120-strong FA Council; Board Member of the Women’s National League; Ambassador for BTEC; Council Member of the Chamber of Commerce.
Fleur is a former pupil of John Taylor High School.
Dr Michael Stokes
Having qualified in medicine in Birmingham in 1988 Mike spent seven years in various training hospital jobs before moving into general practice.
He remained a family doctor and family planning trainer in Rugeley for 27 years, finishing in the latter decade as senior partner, until he retired in 2022. He has always been a keen cyclist, and upon retirement fulfilled an ambition by cycling from Barton to Barcelona.
He currently works ad hoc as a mobile health surveyor for a private company.
All three of his children have attended John Taylor High School and have then gone on to university and successful careers.
Trustees
Colin Hopkins MBE
As Above
Paul Freeman
Paul is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He qualified with a major International accountancy firm and worked in both the UK and Canada within the business services arm, focused on general accounting, taxation and business acquisitions.
On returning to the UK he has held a number of senior finance roles within the leisure and hospitality sector, with emphasis on financial analysis and management, performance improvement and cost control. He has worked throughout the UK and has detailed experience of both investment and contract appraisal, working closely with colleagues from property, IT, marketing and procurement.
Paul has been a governor at Paulet High School for over twelve years where he currently chairs the Managing and Organising Committee.
Paul is married with four children and has lived in East Staffordshire for over 30 years.
Jeanette Hodgkinson
Jeanette brings over 20 years of dedicated service in school governance, 15 of them with JTMAT, having served as a school governor across both primary and secondary settings and recently completing an 8 year tenure as chair of governors at John Taylor Free School. With a professional background in law, she offers valuable expertise in legal compliance, policy interpretation and risk management.
Throughout her tenure as a governor, Jeanette has contributed to strategic planning, safeguarding oversight and leadership appointments, with an unwavering focus on improving outcomes for children and young people. She is passionate about education and committed to supporting the Trust in maintaining high standards, delivering its vision and ensuring robust governance.
Tim Hopkins
Tim Hopkins is the Strategic Development Manager for a local childcare company, where he has driven strategic growth and operational excellence for 14 years. The organisation includes two nurseries, a school-based Pre-School, five out-of-school care settings, and two holiday schemes.
A qualified teacher (QTS) with expertise in Early Years and English, Tim has taught across both maintained and independent schools from Early Years to Key Stage 3. His strong foundation in pedagogy and child development informs his leadership and curriculum design.
Tim has also worked as a freelance Early Years Consultant, supporting settings with Ofsted readiness, compliance, leadership, and curriculum innovation. He is a Safeguarding Trainer for the Staffordshire Safeguarding Children’s Partnership and contributes to multi-agency professional development through the Learning in Practice Forum.
Beyond his professional roles, Tim is committed to educational governance and advocacy. He serves as a Governor at two primary schools, is Treasurer for Staffordshire’s NDNA regional network, and a Director of Early Education, the UK’s oldest early childhood education charity. He contributed to the development and sector engagement of the Birth to 5 Matters guidance, promoting high-quality learning experiences for young children.
Ava Sturridge-Packer CBE
Ava Sturridge-Packer CBE was born in Jamaica and is part of the Windrush Generation, arriving in England when she was 5 years old.
She was a teacher for 44 years and has taught in a range of communities across the West Midlands. She was a Headteacher/ Executive Headteacher for 22 years and was awarded the CBE for Services to Education in 2000. During her Headship, she was accredited as an additional Ofsted Inspector, Headteacher Advisor for Birmingham Education Department, a Primary Strategy Leader for the National College of School Leadership, Consultant Headteacher for Systems Leadership, National Leader of Education and a Teaching School Director.
For many years, Ava has been a member of various DFE reference groups, including being a steering group member, as well as a member of the writing group for The DFE Teachers’ Standards. After taking early retirement from teaching, she worked for the DFE as a Retention and Recruitment Advisor on a 2-year project and Birmingham Education Partnership, as a Key to Success Advisor.
Ava is a Director in her own business, providing a range of educational services, and she is currently the Chair of Governors for a Local Authority school as well as a Chair of Governors for a SUMMIT Trust school. Over the years, Ava has volunteered as a Trustee for a number of Trusts in Birmingham, as well as other voluntary organisations. She served on Birmingham Anglican Diocese, Board of Education for 18 years.
Ava was awarded Titan Partnership’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Education in 2024. She is currently an Honorary Fellow in the College of Social Sciences at the University of Birmingham, and chairs the Education Leadership Academy seminars at Birmingham University, on behalf of Professor Colin Diamond CBE.
Claire Sanders
Claire is a Senior HR professional within the Ministry of Defence, supporting Cyber and Specialist Operations Command, which manages the joint capabilities across the Army, Navy and RAF. Prior to her current role, Claire worked in the NHS in the West Midlands for 20 years, her last role was as a Programme Director for Workforce Transformation. She has a wealth of experience in all aspects of Human Resource Management across both the NHS and Defence.
A CIPD qualified HR professional with a Masters in HR Management, and a post graduate certificate in Strategic Workforce Planning.
Claire has been a co-opted Governor since 2011 at John Taylor High School and is the Chair of the Learning and Standards Committee. Claire is married and has two boys, she has lived and worked in Staffordshire for her whole life.
Selena Tye
Selena is an accomplished Business Relationship and Development professional with over 30 years of experience in the Financial Services industry, including 20 years specialising in General Insurance. Recognised for the ability to build, nurture, and strengthen long-term client relationships through outstanding communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
She is currently responsible for managing a substantial portfolio of Registered Social Landlords, providing tailored insurance and risk management solutions on behalf of a leading provider. Her role requires a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by clients in the housing sector, enabling me to deliver expert advice, mitigate risk exposure, and ensure comprehensive protection.
Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a consistent ability to develop trusted partnerships, identify client needs, and implement strategies that align risk management with broader organisational goals. She thrives in client-facing environments where collaboration, trust, and proactive service are key to achieving positive outcomes.
Selena brings proven expertise in portfolio management, client retention, and business growth, underpinned by a strong record of delivering high-quality, bespoke solutions. My extensive background across both Financial Services and General Insurance allows me to bring a broad perspective, ensuring clients receive well-rounded and practical guidance.
Dedicated, commercially aware, and relationship-driven, she is passionate about delivering value to clients and contributing to the long-term success of both customers and the organisation she represents.