Organised for success

Ian has been closely associated with school governance since 2010, having specialised in holding leaders to account for academic results and ensuring school finances are deployed to provide the best possible outcomes for children. During this period, he has held the position of Chair of Governors for one of our Trust’s schools. Ian has fully embraced the role and spent a considerable amount of time in schools with head teachers, teachers, business managers and children. This has given him a comprehensive understanding of how schools are run. Through owning his own business and school experience, he has strong strategic planning skills and likes to look at the bigger picture. Ian is the link trustee for disadvantaged pupils.

Both of Ian’s daughters attended a primary school within the Trust. He started his own estate agency and lettings business 20 years ago and he now employs 21 local people, his award winning business is regarded as one of the market leading property businesses in the South West. Ian is a member of the Plymouth Area Business Council, the Plymouth Area Property Professionals Association, a Fellow of the National Association of Estate Agents and a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor. Ian gains great satisfaction from supporting schools and finds it very rewarding giving some of his free time to an organisation that’s sole purpose is to provide children with the best education and childhood experiences possible.

Meet Stuart Bellworthy, our CEO/Trust Leader. Stuart's extensive education career began as a 1:1 teaching assistant in a village school in Devon, later becoming a qualified teacher, leader and Headteacher in a range of schools in the South West. He served as one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors for Ofsted and then became the Midlands Regional Director for E-ACT. In 2018, Stuart was appointed as the CEO of Connect Academy Trust, where he aims to improve educational provision for all children, have the very best staff working in our family of schools and grow the Trust in a sustainable way. An interesting fact about Stuart is that he has four amazing adult children, none of whom have chosen a career in education—so far!