The structure of the Trust has evolved over recent years and is governed and managed by a dedicated team of staff and volunteers.
Click here for current organogram
Click here for a summary of our Local Governing Committee attendance
None of our employees have benefits which exceed £100k.
Our members
The members are tasked with assessing if the board of trustees is performing well and ensuring that the charitable object of the Trust is being fulfilled. The members are currently Jennifer Elizabeth Gill, Julie Fletcher and Ceri Owen.
Our Trustees
The Trustees are ultimately accountable for the standards of education in each of the academies in the Trust and also hold responsibility as Directors of the company. The trustees are currently Julie Fletcher (Chair), Paul Bunn (CEO and Accounting Officer), Kath Dunning and Nick O'Dell.
Julie Fletcher (Chair of Trustees)
Julie has been a parent governor for Bunwell Primary School since June 2018 and was previously a governor for four years at a primary school in Northamptonshire. She was appointed Trustee of Cooperative Education East in June 2019 and became Chair in February 2020. She has worked most of her career in the financial services industry across business research and HR roles. She is currently working for Norfolk Police in a specialist HR Reward role. Her skills and experience include research and analysis, project management, communications, recruitment, employee pay and benefits and HR policies.
Paul Bunn (Chief Executive Officer)
As a father of three children at one of the schools in our Academy I have a personal interest in making sure the schools are the best they can be, both now and into the future. There is no better feeling than seeing the children in our schools try new experiences as they learn and grow through their time with us. Their energy and enthusiasm is infectious, and this helps to inspire you to do the best you can to make sure they all achieve their full potential and have a positive time with us. I try to bring my experience and skills from my work as a solicitor practicing within the NHS into being a Trustee. As well as providing in-house legal advice in all it shapes and forms I’m also privileged to be an honorary lecturer at the University of East Anglia where I teach law to the medical students. When work and school stuff is finished I retreat to the garden to relax and unwind, or I drag the kids on a long walk with the dog!
Kathryn Dunning
Kathryn has been a primary school governor in Norfolk for over 15 years, with her expertise lying in finance. She worked and trained at a regional firm of Chartered Accountants where she gained the ICAEW Chartered Accountant qualification, in a role which included business advisory services, predominantly working with owner managed businesses and charitable organisations in the Norfolk & Suffolk area. Kathryn then joined the Corporate Finance team, specialising in Due Diligence, Business Plans and financial projections. Having been a school governor for a number of years, she has carried out various of school governor roles including Chair of Governors, Vice Chair, Chair of Finance Committee and Head Teacher Performance Management. Kathryn currently works in both the finance and agricultural sectors, having left her Corporate Finance Manager role to spend time with her young family. In her spare time Kathryn enjoys spending time with her family, going swimming or bike riding in the forest.
Nick O'Dell
Nick has a strong track record of business management in the commercial sector having worked for a number of leading media and publishing companies. He has extensive experience in business strategy, planning and development and now dedicates his time working in the non-profit management sector.
Central Business Team
This small team manages all the central functions for the Trust on a day to day basis - including finance and budgeting planning and processing, HR and payroll administration, and supplier services and procurement
Simon Gray (Business Manager)
Simon has worked as a school business manager for over 9 years, after previously working for over 20 years in the public sector for Aviva. He worked in a variety of roles including product and proposition development, sales and marketing and project management. He has experience managing the central function in a primary school Multi Academy Trust and holds a Level 5 Diploma in School Business Management, as well as the CIPFA Financial reporting for Academies qualification. Simon is married with two daughters and likes to spend his spare time socialising with friends and family, gardening, watching sport and attending concerts.
Michelle Davis (Finance and Admin)
Michelle works on a day-to-day basis to support the finance and admin function for all of the schools in the Trust. She has a background working for over 15 years in schools’ finance, and before that in the banking sector. Michelle provides a valuable additional operational layer between the schools, suppliers and customers. In her spare time she loves to read, going for long walks and enjoys doing jigsaw puzzles.
Deborah Smith (Clerk)
Debbie is CEE's Trust Clerk and Governance Professional, and has worked in the Education sector for a number of years.