Meet the Central Team

Vicki Shelley

Chief Executive Officer

Vicki has worked in education for 25 years, 19 of those in Coventry, 8 as Headteacher of a large, over-subscribed, successful secondary school and four as part of the Inspire Education Trust as an Executive Leader working across their primary and secondary schools. Over the course of her career she has worked in three multi academy trusts and taught and held leadership roles in Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Coventry. She is a National Leader of Education and in this role she has supported a number of schools in a wide variety of contexts. She was the Chair of the Coventry Secondary Education Partnership for 4 years and worked strategically with schools and local authority colleagues. She has taught Key Stage 3, GCSE and A level in a variety of 11-18 schools. As well as school improvement, she has been involved in school governance for 15 years and is currently a governor at a Solihull primary school and most recently a director at a Coventry Multi Academy Trust. She has a Masters in Educational Leadership and has completed her National Professional Qualification in Executive Leadership.

Vicky Rudge

PA to CEO and Operations Assistant

Academy Improvement Team

Maggie Spence

Director of Education

Maggie Spence has been a successful Headteacher and Executive Headteacher for over a decade in Worcestershire and Herefordshire. She has been working for the Diocese of Worcester Multi Academy Trust since 2022 and has greatly valued the opportunity to work collaboratively with colleagues across the MAT as a School Improvement Advisor. Maggie leads the DoWMAT Academy Improvement Team; supporting academy leaders in ensuring all DoWMAT pupils receive a high standard of education.

Prior to this, Maggie was a School Improvement Advisor working for the Hackney Learning Trust. In this role she worked strategically and operationally across Hackney supporting leadership and teaching and learning. She delivered countywide professional development. She was a lead teacher for mathematics and English and an Advanced Skills Teacher for Islington. She supported teaching and learning across the Local Authority and schools in Islington. She has extensive experience in leading organisations through change and school improvement. Maggie has worked in a wide variety of schools including schools with a high percentage of children with English as an additional language, special needs and disadvantage. She has led on behaviour, safeguarding and inclusion. Maggie is a trained coach and an Ofsted inspector.

Palbinder Kaur Brom

Academy Improvement Advisor

Pal Brom has been in leadership roles for the last 11 years in Birmingham. During this period, she has successfully led one of the primary schools from Requires Improvement to Outstanding within a 18 month period. During the last 2 years she has worked strategically supporting teaching and learning across trust primary schools as well as leading on faith and virtues development. She has extensive experience in leading EYFS teams as well as all areas of school improvement. She has taken every opportunity to enhance her career and experience at every juncture which has provided her with a portfolio of skills at all levels within primary education. Palbinder chose teaching as a career to influence the society of tomorrow with a firm set of values and ethos along with providing a fantastic level of education. Pal began her role as School Improvement Advisor and Executive Head in September 2022.

Clare Stockford

SENDCo

Clare has been a teacher for over 24 years and has worked with children with additional needs for over 10 years. She has worked in a Primary Pupil Referral Unit and a specialist children's home as well as at a Steiner school. Clare joined DoWMAT in 2023 and has worked across the Trust as SENDCo and with specific schools to support with educational and behavioural needs.

Finance Team

Claire Rushton

Director of Finance

Claire has worked in education since 2005 and has held various roles in a supportive function in both primary and secondary education. She spent 15 years as a School Business Manager to a large secondary school managing finances, school estates and ICT. In 2012, she was runner up for the School Business Manager of the Year awarded by the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL). Claire has completed her Certificate in School Business Management (CSBM) and School Financial and Operational Leadership qualifications.

Since joining the DoWMAT in 2018 as Head of Finance, she has been instrumental in centralising Trust finances and expanding the team to help support further schools joining. In 2021, she became the Director of Finance leading a strong team of dedicated staff to help all our schools. She has a real passion for helping support the education of young people ensuring that schools within the Trust have the best facilities and resources to hand to help develop and nurture our young people.