David Bateson – OBE, MA, B.Ed, ADB, NPQSH, NLE

Newfriars College Trustee

Over the past 50 years, David Bateson OBE has held a portfolio of roles across educational sectors having retired from 20 years of headship in two all-age, all-ability and all-disability day and residential schools. His schools gained 6 outstanding Ofsted day inspections and 6 outstanding residential ones across the Early Years to Further Education stages. He was awarded an OBE in 2015 for services to special educational needs and disabilities and received a Nasen special lifetime contribution award in 2023. Ash Field aimed to be an outward-facing centre of excellence and formed a cross-phase and sector school, agency and university trust. This headship followed a previous one in a national Speech, Language and Communication school with pupils from 33 LAs.

Ash Field academy gained national and international recognition, being a National Teaching School training up to 5000 adults a year, supporting 500 pupils in mainstream and providing an outstanding education across 6 stages of education from P level to University entrance. The academy had many links with schools abroad, receiving visitors from 23 countries, and a significant impact on a school for children with SEND in Delhi.

David combined executive headship with a variety of roles in special and mainstream education as an Ofsted inspector, consultant leader, external adviser, school improvement partner, professional partner, a threshold assessor, an NPQH panel member, a Local Leader in Education and a National Leader in Education, commissioned to turn schools round. David chaired regional, local and national special, mainstream and further education groups.

As both a Principal and a Regional Leader for the National College for Teaching and Learning, David visited several countries and sat on various OECD, DfE, Cabinet Office and Foreign Office groups. David has been a governor and trustee for 40 years. He is a trustee of the Shaw Education Trust, Chair of Newfriars specialist independent college and was a trustee of the Active Learning Trust. He served on the Laurel Trust and as Chair of EMLC Academy Trust. He founded and then chaired the National SEND Forum for ten years, an organisation consisting of 25 of the most significant SEND bodies and which meets regularly with the DfE, Ofsted, the NHS and other agencies over the year.

David feels privileged to have been involved in a wide range of projects including the primary curriculum review; Futures Thinking; the launch of the Green Paper that later became the Children and Families Act; the Wellbeing and Mental Capital Project led by the government Chief Scientific Officer; and research e.g. a DfE/Derby University survey; the Bristol project in turbulence in schools; reading research for a dissertation; and NCTL publications on the Chinese Education system and Everyone A Leader. He recently sat on the education board of the Centre for High Performance at Oxford University and on the European panel of experts for the LeHo project. David also contributed written and filmed material for the national headship, senior and middle leader programmes. David has often spoken at and chaired national conferences for special needs, including those at the Royal Society and the Royal College of Nursing.

David remains passionate about serving all children and young people and their families but especially those with special educational needs and disabilities. He is particularly focussed in his consultancy work on leadership, quality assurance and appraisal when working with mainstream schools, multi-academy trusts, special schools, LAs and national organisations.

His most recent work includes performance management, training and improvement work across the special schools in Sheffield; national research across mainstream and special schools partnerships sponsored by the Laurel Trust; and bespoke leadership development and curriculum work in state, academy and independent schools in London, Birmingham, Northampton and the Home Counties.
David writes and records songs; chaired a club that stages acoustic concerts; is a member of Sheffield Theatres and enjoys family and travelling.

Rob Taylor

Newfriars College Trustee

Prior to this, I spent 30 years with Staffordshire Police, with a significant portion of those years spent in Stoke-on-Trent. From 2015 to 2018, I served as the Neighbourhood Commander for Stoke South, where I was proud to lead local policing efforts. In my final years with the police, I specialized in child protection and collaborated with multi-agency partners on complex investigations, including leading the response to Operation Campus, which dealt with child criminal exploitation. I was truly impressed by the multi-agency commitment to making a difference.

Now, I focus on the strategic oversight of the safeguarding partnership, ensuring our partners collaborate effectively under the Working Together 2023 legislation to support and protect children in Stoke. I am excited to be part of this vital work and look forward to continuing to contribute to Newfriars’ mission.

It is clear the important role that Education plays in keeping students safe. Students with SEND needs within the UK have a heightened risk of neglect, abuse and exploitation and I am committed to supporting the team within the College to help them keep the students safe.

I will work hard to ensure that staff wellbeing is a priority for the College. Staff who feel supported, valued, and well are more likely to be vigilant, confident, and proactive in identifying and responding to safeguarding concerns.

Simon Bartram

Newfriars College Trustee

Having graduated in 1994 with a B:Ed in Business & Information Technology, I have spent 30+ years teaching across 16+ provision, prison education, and special educational needs. I have demonstrated a strong commitment to inclusive practice and learner engagement in complex settings and this was also reflected in my time working for Connexions Staffordshire.

Alongside my educational career, I have successfully established and managed two
property and investment companies through good, leadership, financial acumen, and strategic decision-making skills. I am calm, reflective, and solutions-focused and understand the need to balance competing priorities, to maintain high standards and building positive professional relationships.

I believe these skills will benefit Newfriars College to move forward and develop a sound educational strategy for the future.

Neil Warner

Newfriars College Trustee

Neil joined the SET team as CEdO after 28 years working in a range of schools in different contexts. Neil started his career as an English teacher and then gained a wide range of leadership experiences, including head of English, assistant headteacher and deputy headteacher. He has held two successful headship tenures, as well as being an executive headteacher. Neil is currently a National Leader of Education, having supported a number of schools and multi-academy trusts as a system leader. He has also been a director of education, strategically leading a number of primary and secondary schools.

Mark Howes

Newfriars College Trustee

Mark is currently Senior Director at Shaw Education Trust with responsibility for raising standards and performance. He has also worked closely with other schools to look at quality assurance and school improvement.

Jo Owen

Newfriars College Trustee

Jo is a teacher who has worked in special education for over 20 years. She has taught in a range of special school and colleges across Staffordshire.

Jo’s passion lies in working with learners with complex needs and PMLD and she has led several departments in this area; developing curriculums and pedagogical approaches to meet the needs of SEND learners of all ages.

Jo has previously worked as an Ofsted inspector specialising in inspecting special schools. Jo’s interests outside of work include running, cricket and spending time with friends and family.

Nicky Birch

Newfriars College Trustee

As a qualified teacher with over 25 years’ experience in further education, including 15 years in senior leadership roles across several colleges, I am currently the Deputy Principal at the City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College . Throughout my career, I have developed extensive expertise in leading and managing high-quality SEND provision and have a strong passion for promoting inclusion to ensure young people have access to opportunities that lead to positive outcomes.

Lynn Watkins

Newfriars College Trustee

Lynn has been a City Councillor for Bentilee, Ubberley & Townsend for 3 years. Lynn has had several portfolio responsibilities, including Chidren & Families, Public Health & Wellbeing. Lynn’s current role is Adult Social Care and All Age Commissioning.

Before becoming a councillor Lynn worked in education for 31 years and was a Senior Caseworker for Stoke North MP Ruth Smeeth for 5 and a half years.

Lynn grew up in Bentilee and is honoured to represent the community which shows resilience, compassion and a can do attitude when faced with the everyday challenges faced by all of us.

Lynn’s connection with Newfriars College goes way back to her first employment in education when Newhouse Special School was on the same site. Lynn was employed there for 6 years and states she was lucky enough to be with a supportive team, and developed knowledge and skills about how students learn and engage when the curriculum is broad and balanced.