Trustees

Richard Kearsey is the Chief Executive Officer of The Thames Learning Trust having held a number of senior management positions in secondary schools. He holds the National Professional Qualification Headship and the Professional Qualification for School Inspectors. Richard is an Ofsted Lead Inspector.

Deborah Ajose served as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Baylis Court Trust for five years before transitioning to part-time work as a freelance educational leadership consultant. Prior to her role as CEO, she was Headteacher of Baylis Court School for two years. This was her second headship, following seven years as Headteacher at a large comprehensive school in Reading, where she successfully led the school from an inadequate rating to good.

Deborah became a National Leader of Education in 2015 and has since worked with numerous schools, providing support to help raise standards for disadvantaged learners. In the same year, she contributed to the Department for Education (DfE) Data Management Review Group, which was part of the DfE’s review of teacher workload initiated in response to The Workload Challenge.

In 2019, Deborah was appointed as a Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching.

Chair of Health and Safety/Safeguarding Committee

Lindsey is an experienced governor and trustee.  She was Vice Chair of a Wokingham Primary school for six years before moving on to govern at a secondary school in Earley for 10 years.  She is currently a Trustee at another MAT and Chair of Governors at a Bracknell Primary school.    Lindsey was delighted to join The Thames Learning Trust in September 2019.  

Lindsey’s background is in accounts working for Combined Lease Finance PLC in the city then working locally while her children were young.  She is currently a host family for Reading Football club offering a safe ‘home from home’ for their young players on both a long and short term basis.

Victoria joined TLT in Autumn 2023. She graduated in 2009 with a BSc in Computer Science and has over 15 years’ experience of managing projects and programmes in the IT industry, across mainly the government and telecommunications sectors. In her current role as Senior IT Programme Manager, she is overseeing the implementation of new Cyber Security legislation into her organisation’s IT systems.

Victoria has many transferable skills from her professional career which she can bring to the Trust, including financial management and setting and monitoring of an organisation’s strategy.

Chair of Quality of Education Committee and SEND Trustee.

Bob spent 38 years in the Police Force and prior to retiring was Chief Inspector with British Transport Police.  On retiring, he returned to British Transport police for 7 years as their well-being manager with responsibility for health and safety and occupational health.  He has been a governor for 17 years and has held the following positions: -

• Previously Chair of Governors at a primary school in Earley
• Currently Chair of Governors at 2 schools in Reading. He was a Governor for Reading Girls School from 2016 - 2019, before the school joined The Thames Learning Trust.
• Currently Chair of Governors at a school in Earley
• Currently Governor at a primary school in Bracknell
• Trustee of 2 Multi Academy trusts one of which is The Thames Learning Trust.

Sharon Richardson has over 30 years of experience in Education, as a teacher and administrator at the secondary and tertiary level.  After relocating back to the United Kingdom last year, she has performed the role of cover supply teacher at various schools in Slough, Langley, Maidenhead and Windsor.

Sharon holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Strategic Management; Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management; Certificate in Secondary Education and is a Level 4 Assessor in Competency Based Education and Training. She has served as a member of the Technical Vocational Education and Training Council (TVET) in Anguilla, British West Indies and a Board member of the Anguilla Tourist Board.  She has participated in several hospitality curriculum writing workshops and strategic planning exercises in the Caribbean.  Sharon is a strong believer in student centred learning that allows learners to reach their full potential.