WSAT Leadership Team

Trudy Danby - Chief Operations Officer for the Trust

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Paul Rushforth is the Chief Executive Officer of the Trust

He has been a Headteacher of four schools over the last 24 years.  Paul has worked as an additional inspector and lead inspector for 11 years and been based in West Somerset for the past 18 years. He works with a number of partner Trusts to review primary and secondary provision across the South West. In September 2020 Paul was also appointed head at St Peter's C of E First School.

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Barbara O'Keefe is the Head of HR for the Trust

Barbara has worked in school business management for over thirty years, working in schools and running her own management consultancy. Barbara and the Trust Central Services Team are keen to ensure that our children and staff work in the best possible learning environment and have the resources they require to maximise learning opportunities and raise educational standards across all of our schools and nurseries.

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Mr Crossley is our newly appointed Executive SENDCO. His role is to support the provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities across our Trust. He works closely with our team of school based SEND managers and headteachers to ensure that our Teachers and Teaching Assistants have the right training to meet the needs of the children in our care. 

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Emma Murch  joined West Somerset Academies Trust in September 2019 as Director of Early Years. Emma was an early Years Teacher and Advisor before having her own family. In her role as Director of Early Years, Emma works with the Head Teachers and Early Years Teachers across West Somerset Academy Trust to create an outstanding curriculum that inspires children and meets their learning needs, to ensure they achieve their potential.

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