Trustees

The trustees are also our company directors. The board of trustees manages the business of the academy trust and should focus strongly on the three core functions of governance:

• ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
• holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the performance management of staff.
• overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.

Our trustees ensure compliance with the trust’s charitable objects and with company and charity law, and adherence to the trust’s funding agreement with the Secretary of State.

Our Trust Board includes 7 Trustees covering the wide range of skills and expertise that we require.

Bernice Kostick (Chair of Trustees)

My Name is Bernice Kostick. I am recently retired but was the Head Teacher of North Ridge High Specialist Support School since 2007. Prior to this I was a Head Teacher of a special school in Trafford.  I have worked in education since 1983. Most of my career has been as a teacher working in the SEN sector for schools within Manchester City Council.  I have lived in Manchester throughout my life and was educated in Manchester Schools. I have a B. ED degree in Education, M Sc. in Education Management and I was a national leader of education. I strongly believe Greater Manchester Children should have a high-quality education provision and especially children with additional needs.  I am delighted to be a member of the Trust Board for Ambition Community Trust and offer my services in a voluntary capacity.

Jamie Rogers

Jamie Rogers is the Director of Partnerships and Business Development at The Difference, where he leads national strategy across programmes, delivery, and local authority partnerships. He plays a central role in shaping and scaling the organisation’s work to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable young people in education.

Formerly a senior leader and associate headteacher, Jamie has a strong track record in school turnaround, particularly in inner‑city and under‑resourced contexts. His work has focused on strengthening inclusive practice, building leadership capacity, and delivering sustainable, system‑level improvement.

At The Difference, Jamie oversees the delivery and growth of the Inclusive Leadership Course, Internal Alternative Provision Development Days, and local authority strategy design nationwide. He has recently partnered with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole to develop a borough‑wide three‑tier Alternative Provision strategy and contributes nationally through research and advisory work, including with the Department for Education’s expert group on Inclusion Bases.

Gareth Nixon

Gareth Nixon is Programme Lead for ACEs and Trauma Informed Practice at Manchester City Council, based within Public Health. Since joining the council in 2018, Gareth has led Manchester’s strategic approach to understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences and embedding trauma‑informed practice across the city.

He initially led a place‑based pilot in Harpurhey, north Manchester, supporting communities and services to adopt trauma‑responsive approaches. Gareth now provides citywide leadership for ACEs and trauma informed work and is the locality lead for Manchester on the Greater Manchester Trauma Responsive Steering Group, as well as a member of its executive group.

Alongside his council role, Gareth is Chair of Trustees at a Harpurhey primary school, a board member of the Ambition Community Trust, and an accredited ACEs/trauma trainer. He is passionate about community‑led work, investing in the voluntary sector, and exploring innovative ways to support trauma‑responsive systems and services.

Stephen Brock

Stephen has over 25 years’ experience working with children, families and communities. He has over 20 years statutory social work experience. Stephen now works as a Social Work Consultant. He is passionate about the work he has done and continues to do, and has been fortunate to have had several valued teachers in life along the way. Stephen obtained a Hons BA in Sociology and Media Information Studies through University of Western Ontario in and Master if Social Work through Wilfrid Laurier University. Prior, Stephen has worked in the area of community development and youth development projects in Canada.

Helen Barker

Worked in homelessness/supported housing/drugs recovery in Oxford from 2001-2005

Qualified as a social worker 2005 and worked in Older Peoples services and Community Mental Health Team in Bicester until 2009

Moved to Manchester in 2009, worked as social worker/AMHP in Early Intervention Service, CMHT, Gateway service before moving into management positions from 2017-2021

Undertook training contract with Irwin Mitchell commencing in Feb 2021. Training included working Court of Protection, Public Law and Human Rights and Medical Negligence departments.

Qualified as a solicitor with Irwin Mitchell in Feb 2023. Now work as a solicitor in the Public Law and Human Rights team in Manchester, specialising in Court of Protection and education work. Recent education work includes EHCP appeals, securing a school place for a girl who had previously been out of school for almost 2 years and a secondary school admissions appeal.

Ruth Sheard-Pearson

Ruth Sheard‑Pearson is an experienced senior leader in education and currently serves as Deputy Headteacher for Quality of Education at Manchester Hospital School. She provides strategic leadership across multiple hospital and outreach sites, overseeing curriculum design, assessment, and teaching and learning in complex medical and non‑traditional settings. Ruth has a strong track record of improving outcomes in both hospital and mainstream secondary schools and is highly skilled in multi‑agency collaboration, working closely with health and social care professionals to ensure inclusive, high‑quality education for all learners.

Elaine Horridge

I have been involved in education for 48 years, having gained QTS in 1974. I am passionate about education and improving the life chances for all children. It is essential to have high quality learning and teaching and to constantly seek for new ideas. I understand the importance of creating effective learning environments and a varied and interesting curriculum to increase the learning potential and achievements of pupils.

I have worked in primary schools in Oldham and Tameside.

In 1997 I was appointed as Head teacher at a failing school in Tameside. Rapid changes enabled this school to come out of Special Measures within 18 months.

In 2000 I became Head teacher of an Outstanding primary school in Tameside and in 2013 was asked by Tameside LA to become Executive Head teacher of another school which was facing huge challenges. This school received a Good OFSTED outcome within 12 months.

I retired in 2016. I am now a Governor at 3 schools: Vice Chair of a CE primary school in Oldham, Vice Chair of a VC primary school in Tameside and I am Chair of the Management Committee at Tameside Pupil Referral Service.

Jerome Francis

Jerome Francis is a CIPFA‑qualified public sector accountant with over 15 years’ experience across local government, specialising in schools, education finance and children’s services. He is currently Head of Finance – Management Accounts at Greater Manchester Combined Authority, where he leads financial oversight across multiple organisations including GMCA, Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service and the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Jerome has extensive experience in senior financial leadership, managing and developing high‑performing teams and overseeing complex, high‑value budgets through periods of significant challenge, including austerity and the Covid‑19 pandemic. He is a highly regarded business partner, providing clear, strategic financial insight to senior leaders, politicians and boards to support informed decision‑making, service transformation and long‑term financial sustainability.