Reach4 Transition Board - Castle Academy
Chair of the Transition Board
Alan Richards is an experienced Chair of Governors in both the Primary and Secondary sector and is licensed as a National Leader of Governance by the National College of Teaching and Leadership. He is the Chair at two Teaching Schools rated as outstanding by Ofsted and is a Director of a School Improvement company based in Rotherham. Alan has a very successful track record of supporting school improvement and governor development.
Andy Redfern
Reach4 Academy Trust Deputy Director of Education
Andy joins Reach4 as Deputy Director of Education working across both primary and secondary phases. He has held senior leadership positions with a pastoral and academic focus. As a senior leader, Andy has line-managed curriculum areas and managed school systems for quality assurance,assessment and reporting, along with the day-to-day running of a large Sixth Form.
Andy’s career has been characterised by curriculum design and innovation. In particular, introducing enterprise, leadership and competency-based programmes at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 5.
Bringing together the state and independent sectors, Andy has established collaborative networks for sharing best practice across secondary schools in South Yorkshire with the focus on raising the standard of teaching and learning and improving teacher-led CPD. Andy is also an educational author and Principal examiner at GCSE level.
Dr Aoife McGuinness
Reach4 Academy Trust Senior Governance Advisor
Prior to working at the Reach Family of Trusts, Aoife held various roles in education, regulation, finance, and medical sectors which span the UK, Ireland and Australia and includes household names such as: Solicitors Regulation Authority; University College Dublin; University College London; Royal College of Psychiatrists; Royal Australasia College of Medical Administrators; City Gateway; One Housing Group; Royal Academy of Engineering; National Employment Savings Trust; Chartered Professional Accountants Australia; Suncorp Bank/Insurance and AMP Financial Services.
Aoife is passionate about rights and responsibilities with a strong background in governance, quality assurance, policy and research. She holds a PhD in Applied Social Science from University College Dublin and was top of her year with a double first class honours degree in Social Science (International) from same, which led to the award of a post-graduate scholarship. This bachelor degree included an international year at Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven, Belgium. She is a qualified professional trainer and assessor and holds a Higher National Diploma in Health and Social Care Practice. At University College Dublin, she delivered a series of core lectures on gender studies and equality to second year undergraduates.
Nicola Law
Reach4 Academy Trust Safeguarding Leader
Beth Laidlaw
Reach4 Academy Trust Regional HR Adviser
Daniel Yongo
Governor