Craig is a highly experienced system leader dedicated to ensuring every child receives an exceptional education, regardless of their background. His leadership is marked by rapid and sustainable school improvement, exemplified by taking a school from ‘Requires Improvement’ to ‘Outstanding’ in all areas. A respected innovator, he is a  pioneer of 1:1 digital learning, a strategy that earned his school prestigious status recognising it as a global leader in educational technology.

His influence contributes to the wider education sector through numerous strategic roles. Craig is a member of Ofsted’s Key Stakeholder Reference Group, a trustee for Waterton Academy Trust, and has supported other MATs in developing their school improvement systems. This national perspective is built on a proven track record of success, most recently as a Regional Education Director for Lift Schools, one of the country's largest MATs, where he led fifteen primary and secondary schools across the North.

As CEO, Craig brings a robust skillset in organisational management developed while overseeing a large school estate and holding full accountability for educational, financial, and operational performance. He has deep expertise in financial strategy, talent development, and building collaborative leadership structures that empower others. This allows him to create a sustainable and high-performing organisation where operational excellence and educational ambition are seamlessly aligned.

Elliot is the lead on finance and accountancy at Extol Trust, bringing over 18 years of experience in public sector finance. He has been with the Trust for 9 years, witnessing its growth from 1 to 8 schools. Elliot manages the fully centralised finance team, ensuring high-quality service and continuous improvement of financial processes to drive efficiency across the Trust.

Throughout his career, Elliot has supported financial recovery in several schools, working closely with Headteachers to ensure that financial improvements do not compromise the quality of education. A fully qualified Chartered Accountant, Elliot completed the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Professional Qualification and the AAT qualification. His expertise provides timely insights on national funding formulas and financial horizon scanning, enabling effective scenario planning for the Trust.

Additionally, Elliot is an accredited School Resource Management Advisor (SRMA), undertaking deployments commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE) across the North of England. His work helps schools and local authorities improve budget efficiencies, ensuring the best possible outcomes for students.

Darron joined Extol Academy in April 2020 and is the strategic lead on all estate operations. 

He has a background of more than 30 years in the construction industry. For 19 years of his career, Darron worked for Hartlepool Borough Council as both a Project Manager and Principal Architectural Technician working on various new build, refurbishment and maintenance projects across the local authorities portfolio of buildings, providing design, project management and technical input into all of the schemes, this included many educational settings. 

Darron liaises with the management teams at each academy site offering input into all estate functions. 

Deb has worked in education for 29 years. She started her teaching career in Sunderland, moving to Hartlepool after three years to lead a key stage. She has led many subjects across the years, including English and Maths.  Leadership experience was gained as a Deputy Headteacher for several years and acting Headteacher. Following this Deb moved to work as a Primary Mathematics Consultant/ Adviser for Hartlepool Local Authority. Working across 31 primary schools supporting leadership teams and driving school improvement, as well as leading central and school based professional development. This work afforded her the opportunity to lead Moderation in Year 2 and Year 6 both across Hartlepool and Darlington. She led a team to verify standards of writing, reading and mathematics.

As Teaching and Learning Lead for Extol Trust she is able to utilise her skills and experience to support our passion for teaching and learning and raising expectations in our schools. Coaching staff, and supporting them to be a better version of themselves, forms a large part of her work. Networks are used across the Trust to share research, experience, and enhance our curriculum offer to our community of pupils, all voices are heard within these, all opinions count, ECTs to Headteacher. Through working with schools on an individual basis, and as a collective, she can support and advise on their bespoke developments to secure improvements in each school.

Having began her teaching career in the 1980s, Wendy brings a wealth of experience to the Extol Trust central team where she is now the Safeguarding and Attendance partner. Wendy has worked in education all of her life and retired as Headteacher at Thorntree Academy in 2022.

To this day, Wendy remains committed to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to flourish and thrive despite the barriers to education that exist in areas of high deprivation. Her commitment to this is unrelenting and Wendy continues to make a difference in creating safe nurturing environments for all of our children which ensures every pupil in our schools is given the opportunity that they deserve.

Emma has over 20 years of experience in finance, with the majority of her career dedicated to education finance. She began her journey at Hartlepool Borough Council, where she held various finance roles, focusing on supporting schools with sound financial management practices. Throughout her time at the Council, Emma developed a strong expertise in working closely with Headteachers and School Business Managers, advising on budgeting, financial planning, and ensuring financial stability within the education sector.

Prior to joining Extol Trust, Emma spent over 10 years as the Lead Business Manager at a busy secondary school, where she played a key role in overseeing the school’s financial operations and implementing efficient financial systems.

Emma is a part-qualified accountant, having completed the CIMA Diploma in Management Accountancy. In her current role as Senior Finance and Compliance Officer, Emma is the named Finance Officer for several schools within the Trust, she provides financial oversight and strategic guidance, ensuring that schools are equipped with the tools and resources needed for effective financial management. Emma also serves as the primary contact for School Business Managers within the Trust, providing support and fostering collaboration.

With her extensive experience and commitment to enhancing financial management in education, Emma looks forward to continuing her work at Extol Trust and contributing to the continued success of our schools. 

Jordon joined Extol Trust in 2019 as a Finance Apprentice and has since become a key member of the central team. He oversees the fully centralised finance operation, managing financial reporting, accounts payable, and accounts receivable. Jordon is often the first point of contact for Trust suppliers and has successfully achieved economies of scale on a range of Trust-wide purchases. Currently in his final year of the AAT Level 4 qualification, Jordon’s studies have enhanced his skills in accountancy, enabling him to ensure compliance with accounting standards and strengthen the Trust’s financial procedures.

Ethan joined Extol Trust in 2022 as a Finance Apprentice and has since completed his AAT Level 2 qualification. He plays a key role in the daily operations of the finance team, assisting with raising orders and processing invoices for the Trust’s family of schools. Ethan has developed strong working relationships with both Trust colleagues and suppliers, contributing to a positive and efficient finance environment. Currently studying for his AAT Level 3 qualification, Ethan continues to enhance his skills and knowledge, supporting the Trust’s financial operations in providing a quality service to schools. 

Jessica joined Extol Trust in 2024, bringing over 5 years of experience in a front-facing role within the public sector. As the newest member of the Trust’s central team, Jessica supports the daily operations of the finance department and is eager to further develop her finance skills. Currently studying towards her AAT Level 2 qualification, Jessica is dedicated to building her knowledge and contributing to the efficiency and success of the Trust’s financial operations.