Our Team
Michael Thorp
Chief Executive Officer
After completing a degree in Zoology at Liverpool University, Michael undertook a PGCE at Durham University. Michael has been a Teacher, Senior Leader, local authority advisor, Headteacher and Executive Headteacher in a career spanning over 25 years. He has always played a key role in school improvement in the authority. He has a particular interest in providing Resource Provision places for children with additional needs in mainstream provision. This is something reflected in Pennine Schools.
Michael contributes to the development of the local ITT programme and has a real commitment to leadership development at all levels. He has undertaken both NPQH and NPQEL. He believes that good Trust leadership is about not just talking the talk but walking the walk, consistently, every day.
Lindsey Denton
Chief Finance Officer
Lindsey started with Pennine Academies Yorkshire in 2022 and has over 15 years experience in finance, initially in industry before transitioning to the education sector in 2014. She is a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. Her previous experience involved leading the finance function of an educational Trust with a income of £38m.
Nicola Roys
Chief Operating Officer
Nicola started her career in the private sector, gaining over 7 years of experience in finance and people management before moving to the education sector in 2016.
Nicola has since progressed her career working for a small Multi Academy Trust as a Director of Operations for the last 7 years, managing large-scale projects, Human Resources, Estates and other critical corporate functions.
Continuing her professional journey, Nicola joined Pennine Academies in 2023 as Chief Operating Officer.
Rebecca Cradock
Director of School Improvement
After completing a joint honours degree in Primary Education with Sport, Health and Leisure at Leeds Trinity University, Rebecca joined the teaching profession over 20 years ago. She has been a Teacher, Senior Leader, Headteacher and Executive Headteacher in five schools across the district. Rebecca has also supported school improvement within the local authority through her role as Associate Headteacher.
Rebecca is the West Area Lead for Bradford Schools in Partnership and also chairs a Local Area Partnership, consisting of twenty primaries and one secondary school.
Rebecca is passionate about teaching and learning and is committed to providing children across Bradford a high quality education. Growing up in Bradford and attending state primary, middle and upper schools, Rebecca wants to give back to the community and is proud to work alongside like minded people.
Melissa Sellers
Trust Strategic Inclusion Manager
Melissa started her career in Marketing after completing a Marketing degree at The University of Huddersfield. She worked as a Marketing Manager of a commercial laundry company. She then undertook a PGCE at Bradford College. Melissa has been a teacher, a senior leader in school, and lead a behaviour centre in Bradford for children on the verge of permanent exclusion. She developed this provision and supported many children across Bradford in training staff and developing positive relationships. She has worked alongside SENDCos for several years in writing EHCAs, provision mapping and annual reviews. Melissa has more recently been instrumental in developing a number of resourced provisions across the Trust.
Melissa is passionate about providing a quality education for all learners, in particular those children with SEND. She is keen to drive this agenda in all schools in the Trust, embedding the graduated approach and working on early identification. Melissa works with the local authority on areas of improvement for SEND, in particular EHC assessment and Annual Reviews.
Rob Cameron
SEND School Improvement Officer
Rob has worked in Special Education for over 28 years, after teaching in both Mainstream primary and secondary schools as a PE lead. Rob graduated in Sport and Recreation degree at Leeds Polytechnic before doing his Postgraduate Degree in Primary Education. Before going university in his gap year he worked for 2 years for the Scottish Society for Autism, where his passion and drive to work in SEND was kindled. Rob has worked in Leeds, York and Bradford over the past 28 years working his way up from class teacher to Deputy Head Teacher. He completed his National Professional Qualification for Headship in 2004, but has preferred the hands on role as Deputy where he has worked tirelessly in Bradford for the last 13 years with Co-op Academy Delius, working and supporting a number of mainstream primaries with SEND provision, and in leading the SCITT programme for Exceed Trust for 5 years.
Outside of education, Rob has competed as an International athlete in middle distance athletics for 12 years. He now is International Team Manager for England Athletics and England Schools Athletics, giving back to the Sport that made him the person he is today. Following retirement from his previous role, Rob has joined Pennine Academies Yorkshire as the Trusts School Improvement Officer for SEND and hopes to support and make a difference to the schools within the Trust.
Kate Evans
Assistant Financial Accountant
After graduating from university, Kate began her career as an Office Administrator at Crossley Hall Primary School. Following rapid promotion to Finance Officer, Kate was responsible for managing the day to day finances for the school. This meant supporting the Business manager with a £3.5 million budget and a staff over 100. The school was exemplary in its financial management and consistently ran a healthy surplus budget with high pupil outcomes. She played a key role when the school joined Pennine Academies Yorkshire in December 2018.
Taking the next step in her career Kate was successfully appointed to be the Trainee Financial Accountant at the Central Trust. Here she supports the Chief Financial Officer in providing centralised financial support to schools. This means handling a Trust Budget of over £10 million. To support her in this she is currently undertaking her Association of Accounting Technicians qualifications.
Vicky Thompson
Trainee Assistant Accountant
Vicky worked as the Finance Administrator at a charity in Bradford supporting parents and children with Autism from 2012 until 2016, this role combined two of Vicky's passions - working with children and working with numbers. In 2016 Vicky started working at a large primary school in Halifax as an Admin Assistant and, in 2020, progressed to Finance Administrator. Vicky managed the day to day finances for the school. Vicky joined Pennine Academies Yorkshire in 2024 as a Trainee Assistant Accountant and is currently pursuing her Association of Accounting Technicians qualification.
Avais Javaid
IT Technician
After graduating from the University of Huddersfield with a degree in Wed Design, Avais has worked in the private sector in the IT industry before joining the Central Team at PAY. Avais is working as an IT Technician supporting our trust and schools.
Technology is always changing and Avais is passionate about keeping up to date with the latest devices and tech.
David Summerscales
Estates Business Partner
David joined the Central Team as Business Partner in March 2020, after working in Operations and Senior Management roles within Financial Services for over 20 years. David moved on to utilise this experience within IT, supporting some high profile businesses in the UK as their Account Manager.
As well as supporting schools day to day with, David is the Trust lead on Property & Estate Management.
Helen Bland
Senior Business Support Officer
Helen’s early career ranged from retail management to running a diving school and travel agent in Cyprus. After Helen had moved back to the UK, she joined the education sector in 2012 she has since worked in a secondary school, an alternative provision and a primary school, Helen joined Pennine Academies Yorkshire in 2024. Helen has exceptional organisational skills and excels in streamlining operations, enhancing efficiency and ensuring seamless administrative support.
Jenni Taylor
People & Culture Business Partner
Jenni's earlier career began as systems analyst and programmer in IT. Having started a family, Jenni moved into Education and worked her way up to Executive Business Manager, leading the finances, HR and Estates for over 1200 pupils. She is currently the chair of the Local Business Managers forum and organises their annual conference. In March 2020, Jenni left schools to begin her new career as Business Partner for Pennine Academies Yorkshire. Here she works as a business partner supporting schools and taking responsibility for the centralisation of services. With over 10 year experience in school leadership, Jenni has a wide range of skills including bringing many large capital build projects to fruition.
Sarah Peel
People & Culture Lead
After graduating from the University of Hull with a degree in Business, Sarah began her career in education at a Bradford school, working her way from Office Administrator to School Business Manager. Following several years of successful school business leadership, Sarah moved to specialise in Human Resources for a large primary school with over 100 staff. Sarah is passionate about improving the outcomes for children across our district and strives to develop and embed the trust's People and Culture strategy.