Our Trustees

The NCPTA is fortunate to be led by a committed team of trustees who bring a range of skills and experiences to bear on the governance of the Charity. In most cases this includes current or past hands on experience of schools and PTAs.

Julian Piper - Chairman

Julian joined the Board of Trustees in December 2008 and became Chairman in July 2009. He is a former chemistry teacher, pastoral head, youth work manager and community vice principal.  More recently he has been closely involved in developing Extended Service provision in and through schools, having joined CEDC in 2001 as Community Schools Network manager.  He became ContinYou's lead for the Extended Schools Support Service in October 2003 and managed all the organisation's DCSF contracts for Extended Schools and Study Support until he retired in 2008.  

Anne Becker - Trustee

Anne joined the board of trustees in December 2008. She was a teacher in secondary schools and a lecturer in HE, FE and adult education before joining a local authority where she held a number of posts, including that of Deputy Director of Education.  Since 2003, she has worked with schools developing extended services and social enterprise initiatives.  She has been a member of a PTA and has also set up and supported PTAs in secondary schools.
Anne is a member of the Membership, Policy and Research Committee.

Judith Bennett - Trustee

Judith joined the Board in 2009.  She has wide education experience having taught for 24 years and been a secondary school governor for many years..Judith has been a primary school governor since 1993 and is currently a Director of the National Governors’ Association, the national representative organisation for school governors, and was its Chair until December 2008.

Judith has spoken on governance and education issues on Radio and on Television, sat on many educational committees and contributed at conferences and seminars on a wide range of subjects.

Mike Booth – Trustee

Mike became a trustee in September 2007. He worked in a senior management role for a national food retailer for several years before choosing to become a full time parent and part-time wine consultant. He has worked at County level dealing with school admissions and exclusions and also a role with the Youth Justice Team dealing with disadvantaged children.  He has been closely involved in the schools that his children have attended, both at primary and secondary level.  As governor of their secondary school and Treasurer of the PTA for the last six years, Michael has been a proactive member of the schools administration and is involved in all aspects of the education process.  Mike is a member of the Awards and Rewards committee.

Amanda Buchanan - Trustee

Amanda became a trustee in 2006. After a successful career in a range of commercial organisations, Amanda gave up work to devote her energies to raising her children.  This led to involvement in their school's PTA of which she subsequently became Chair. Amanda is currently the chair of the Membership, Policy and Research committee.

Martin Cox - Trustee

Martin joined the Board in September 2004. Having worked in community schools Martin was a Headteacher of a Community High School in St Helens for fifteen years. He recently managed the two EIC Action Zones in St Helens pursuing the theme of creative learning and collaborative leadership. Throughout his career, Martin has worked for the success of a comprehensive community ethos, working closely with “ContinYou” and the NCPTA. He is also a governor of a St Helens primary school and chair of their neighbourhood nursery committee. He is committed to the successful development of partnerships between parents and schools. Martin is vice-chair of the Membership, Policy and Research Committee.

Fay Hampshire - Trustee

Fay became a trustee in December 2003. Fay came to England from the Middle East 23 years ago. She was educated in England, qualified as a nurse then completed a first degree in Health and Social Studies at Guildford University followed by an MBA in business administration at Reading University. Fay is married with two teenage girls and two young boys, she believes that children should be given the best possible start in life and be delighted with their own potential. She has been actively involved with her children's school, where she served as parent governor, major event organiser and was the PTA treasurer. Fay is a member of the association for the education and guardianship of International Students and coordinator of an after school club in Merton Borough. Fay is a member of the NCPTA Awards and Rewards committee.

Susan Harrison - Trustee

Susan became a Trustee in July 2009 and is a member of the Finance, Insurance and Remuneration committee. She has two children and has been actively involved with the PTA for her local Junior school for the last nine years and became Treasurer and Voluntary Fund secretary four years ago. Susan is also Parent Governor of the school serving on the Curriculum Standards Committee. She is a qualified chartered accountant working for Cheshire West and Chester Council (formally Cheshire County Council) as a Programme Manager, many projects relating to delivering children services.

Lindsey Marks - Trustee

Lindsey became a trustee in December 2008. She is a qualified primary school teacher who has been a Year Group head, School Governor and has also taken part in the training of student teachers. Lindsey has two children and has been actively involved in the PTAs of their primary schools as both Secretary and Chair. She has recently worked with a group of like minded parents to set up a new PTA at her children’s Secondary school. Lindsey is a member of the NCPTA Membership, Policy and Research committee.

Michael O'Toole - Trustee

Michael joined the Board of Trustees in July 2009 and sits on the Finance, Insurance and Remuneration committee. He is currently Development Director with Connaught plc and a former Chief Executive of the educational charity; National Extension College. He was also Sales and Marketing Director of the education and advice charity bss, 2002-2008. He has been a primary school governor, has sat on the Direct Marketing Association Council and is also currently a Trustee of the regional charity Home-Start which offers support, friendship and practical help to parents with young children.

Tim Partington - Trustee

Tim became a trustee in September 2007. Tim is a pilot by profession, having flown fast-jets in the RAF and then 747s with several international airlines. Over the last two years he has changed course to become a business angel, helping entrepreneurs and small start-up companies take-off. Part of this role involves being a non-executive director and encouraging new and innovative ideas. He has two children at a small rural primary school in Cheshire and has been actively involved in its PTA. In July 2009, Tim became Chair of the Finance, Insurance and Remuneration committee.

Fiona Phillips - Trustee

Fiona was appointed to the Board in 2009.  Fiona is qualified as a Chartered Accountant and a Chartered Tax Advisor. She has spent her career advising on UK and Overseas taxation in accountancy practice, national government and large companies, and currently deals with these issues for a range of small and medium sized businesses.

Fiona believes in the value of parental involvement in a child’s education, being active in the North Yorkshire village school which her children attend. For the school’s PTA she has set up and administers a fundraising charity, and as vice chair of governors she has responsibility for finance and staffing. She is also currently introducing an extended schools programme for the school.

Stuart Rudkin - Trustee

Stuart joined the Board in 2009.  His career began as a project accountant in the construction industry before moving into a treasury function at Royal Mail.  Currently, he is Treasurer at the Nottingham Building Society.  He is a Member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers and a Certified Management Accountant.

Stuart has two primary school aged children and is currently Chair of the local infant’s school PFA and plays an active role in the local junior school PTFA.

Phil Street - Trustee

Phil became a trustee in 2006. He has been involved with education in one way or another for most of his working life.  He has a long standing interest in promoting parental involvement in their children's learning and whilst Chief Executive of CEDC and then ContinYou was responsible for bringing their ground breaking Share programme to life.