Experienced Trust Board
We are proud of our experienced Trust Board at Archbishop Temple Trust. To ensure best practice and accountability our governance structure is categorised into three key tiers, with our Members Board sitting at the top. As a charitable company, our Members Board ensure that they comply with charity and company law requirements. Our Trustee Board sits below the Members Board and are responsible for the strategic priorities of the Trust. On a local level, Local Governing Boards (LGB) hold each school Principal to account for what is delivered in each academy.
Members Structure
Members Profile
Mr. Neville Norcross
I was a primary teacher for 37 years, 25 as the head teacher while acting as Associate head teacher for other schools facing challenging circumstances. Since retirement I have become a consultant for the Church of England Education Office, a SIAMS moderator and critical reader, adviser to the North West Dioceses on inspection and Christian leadership.  I am also an adviser to the Methodist Church, associate lecturer at Liverpool Hope and Chair of the Church of England leadership foundation steering group.
Deborah Smith
Rev Simon Cook
Deborah Smith is the Diocese of Manchester’s Director of Education. Previously, she was Deputy Director of Education for the Diocese of Carlisle. Deborah has worked for more than 30 years in the education sector, across Foundation stage through to Higher Education. She has a passion for quality early years’ education, having been an EYS lead and a Senior Lecturer at Liverpool Hope University where she taught on the EYS BA and QTS degree programmes.
She is a committed Christian and views her work as a ministry, serving those schools and leaders she connects with. She is committed to the transformational impact of education and feels blessed to be able to work with church schools across Manchester Diocese. In her spare time(!) she enjoys reading, being with family and spending time with her beloved grandchildren.
I have been the full-time Area Dean of Bolton since June 2021, and my role is about supporting, developing and leading the mission and ministry work across the Deanery - encouraging and supporting parish clergy and lay volunteers, and working alongside larger projects such as Children Changing Places. Prior to this post, I served in a parish in Bury for 10 years, and before then in Broughton in Salford. I am passionate about working with schools and young people and have served as Member, Trustee and Governor in a variety of MATs and at Primary and Secondary levels. I am married to a Primary School Headteacher and have two sons - one working, and the other in Y13.
Canon John Walsh
Appointed OBE by HM Queen for public and political service in 1994 and served as Mayor of Bolton in 2002-2003. In 2011 he received the Pride of Bolton Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2013 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Bolton for public service. A school governor since 1975 he is a Foundation Trustee and currently is Vice Chair of the Trust as a Foundation Trustee
Ven Dr. Rachel Mann
Rachel Mann has been the Archdeacon of Salford and Bolton since 2023. Prior to ordained ministry she worked as both a civil servant and as an academic. She has strong interests in the transformative power of education and is the author of fifteen books on theology, poetry, literature and the arts.
Trust Board Profile
Trustees
The Trustees are appointed with the skill set and experience to take responsibility for the strategic priorities of the Trust and they implement the Vision and Ethos set by the Members. At board meetings, Trustees have oversight of the financial performance, agree targets for pupil achievement and monitor progress of schools. They hold executive leaders accountable for standards and performance of employees and review the performance and pay. Trustees also carry out their statutory duties for health and safety, GDPR and safeguarding.
Trustee Structure
Trustees Profile
Canon Cllr John Walsh
Appointed OBE by HM Queen for public and political service in 1994 and served as Mayor of Bolton in 2002-2003. In 2011 he received the Pride of Bolton Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2013 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Bolton for public service. A school governor since 1975 he is a Foundation Trustee and currently is Vice Chair of the Trust as a Foundation Trustee
Canon Jill Pilling
I am the CEO of Archbishop Temple Trust having been the Headteacher at Bishop Bridgeman CE Primary for ten years, Executive Head at St James’s, Farnworth who subsequently formed the Trust. I have also held the Executive Headship at Holy Infants RC Primary for three terms during 2012/13. September 2018 St Maxentius joined the Trust, we now have over 1,000 children in our care. All 3 schools in our Trust are graded by Ofsted as good.
Mrs Barbara Kinch
Former Diocesan schools Advisor for the Anglican Diocese of Manchester and Headteacher in Manchester for 18 years until retirement in 2006. Has a wide range of experience of Chair of Governors and has previously been a SIAMs inspector for over 20 years.
Mr John Waring
I have a background in education with a degree from the University of Liverpool and a PGCE at Chester College. Now retired after 39 years of teaching experience at a secondary school. I was co-opted onto the governing body of a local primary school when the body was reformed and I am now the Chair person
Mr Imran Khan
I am a Solicitor and I was admitted onto the Roll of Solicitors in 2012. In terms of the actual area of practice, I am currently working within the Equity Release Market. I am honoured to take up the position as Trustee and I feel that I would be able to contribute a great deal to the board. Having five young children, four of which are currently going through Primary Education.
MRS KAREN BEAL
I have served in the Diocese since 2016, first as Children’s Officer, and now as Manager of the Man Dio Growing Faith Programme. My background is in working with children and young people including through Theatre and Drama education, with charities and with churches.
As well as being a trustee for the Archbishop Temple Trust, I am a trustee of Tameside Oldham and Glossop Mind. I am passionate about giving children and young people the opportunity to flourish, reflecting the National Education’s Vision to bring, in the words of Jesus, ‘life in all its fullness’ .
REV HANNAH LANE
Hannah is Vicar of Bolton and enjoys working with local parishes. Her role brings her into regular contact with the young people across Bolton.
Prior to her ordination, Hannah worked in education and spent most of her teaching career at Rumworth Special School. Hannah’s expertise in IT led to her appointment as the lead for developing learning technology.
Hannah has significant experience of working with Government and DfE policy, particularly those elements covering SEND and digital expectations. Hannah has had responsibility for educational policy writing, including the creation of practical protocols for operational implementation. With a passion for inclusion, Hannah is involved in various volunteer settings and she is a governor for primary and secondary schools in the Bolton area.
Hannah unites educational and governance experience with a deep involvement with our local communities and with the young people across the Archbishop Temple Trust.
Hannah is married to Dean and they have 2 Sealyham terriers. Hannah finds her fun as a Leader for Girlguiding Lancashire Border and she also plays tuba in Astley
Unlimited Band.
Revd Simon Cook
I have been the full-time Area Dean of Bolton since June 2021, and my role is about supporting, developing and leading the mission and ministry work across the Deanery - encouraging and supporting parish clergy and lay volunteers, and working alongside larger projects such as Children Changing Places. Prior to this post, I served in a parish in Bury for 10 years, and before then in Broughton in Salford. I am passionate about working with schools and young people and have served as Member, Trustee and Governor in a variety of MATs and at Primary and Secondary levels. I am married to a Primary School Headteacher and have two sons - one working, and the other in Y13.
Mrs Judith Pollard
I have 21 years experience with Bolton Governance Services supporting Academy Trust and Local Boards and Maintained school Governing Boards. Keen interest in the development of Governance across and beyond the Authority. I appreciate the time that many volunteers give to the role, helping to improve the lives and opportunities of children in the Bolton family.
Rev'd Karen Hopwood-Owen
Awaiting Biography
Local Governing Boards
The main focus of the Local Governing Boards is to hold individual schools and school leaders to account for school standards, behaviour, quality of education and safety of pupils. They set clear expectations, monitor and review progress and achievement for all pupils and ensure that the school spending represents good value for money. They monitor and review the quality of teaching and learning considering feedback from parents, pupils and staff and ensure pupils are properly safeguarded. The Chairs of all Local Governing Boards submit a formal termly report to the Trust Board. For more information on governance in individual academies please see individual school websites.
St John's CE Primary
Farnworth
Bolton Parish CofE Primary School
Diversity Data
The Members and Trustees of Archbishop Temple Trust believe it is important the board reflects the diversity of the school communities which they serve. Diverse boards promote inclusive school environments and provide diverse role models for staff and young people.
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The Trust are currently collecting data on the diversity of the board, including data on age, gender and ethnicity. They will use that data to inform future recruitment and training needs and ensure there is always a diverse range of perspectives around the table to support robust decision making.