Our Leaders
Executive Team
Kelley Butcher
Chief Executive Officer
Kelley was appointed as CEO of the Trust in September 2020. During her 25 years of working in education, Kelley has enjoyed a range of roles, including primary teaching, consultancy work and as the Headteacher at St Hilary School. She is passionate about providing children with the widest breadth of opportunity and experience possible, so that they can fulfil their potential.
Outside the workplace, life is pretty busy being a mum of three boys. Kelley spends as much time outside as she can, often coastal walking, running or scoring a game of cricket or two. She has been known to enjoy having a physical challenge to work towards to keep her motivated to exercise!
David Teasdale
Chief Operating Officer
As Chief Operating Officer David’s role is to oversee Finance, HR, Premises, IT strategy and Community partnerships in all academies across the Trust, as well as being Chief Finance Officer and Data Protection Officer.
David has many years’ experience in senior leadership roles in a range of sectors. He has a particular passion for working in values-based organisations and communities. Having adopted two children in 2018, David has first-hand experience of how important a caring and supportive school environment is for young people and their families.
Dom Cook
Executive Director of School Improvement
Dom was appointed Executive Director of School Improvement in November 2023. Since qualifying as a teacher 30 years ago, Dom has worked extensively in all aspects of education including across mainstream, special SEND, primary, and secondary phases. Additionally, Dom has also worked as one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors for Ofsted.
Outside of work Dom enjoys theatre trips with his family, playing the piano and listening to live music. His happy place is anywhere by the sea – and would love, one day, to retire to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, USA.
Sue Mander
Finance Director
Sue moved to Cornwall in 2004 and began working at Mounts Bay Academy in 2005. She has had varied roles at the school and following completion of the AAT qualification became the Finance Manager. When the Academy became part of Leading Edge, Sue was appointed as Director of Finance for the Trust.
Sue’s overall responsibility for Finance across the Trust includes operational and strategic management. She manages the internal and external audit processes, Trust budgeting and financial reporting to the Trust Board.
In her free time, Sue enjoys spending time with her family and exploring the Cornish coast with her dog.
Helen Peerless
Director of Governance
Helen joined the Trust central team in January 2023 as Director of Governance.
Helen brings with her a wealth of knowledge having worked within Local Authority Education for 20 years at Cornwall Council, covering areas such as school place planning, education policy and early years. She now oversees Trust governance, compliance and policies.
Helen is a mum of two boys and enjoys spending time with family, walking and cycling in her spare time.
Vedette Rees
Director of People
Vedette joined the Trust in May 2022. She is an experienced HR Professional and focuses on employee wellbeing as well as keeping us safe both legally and ethically, ensuring our values are embedded in everything we do.
Vedette is passionate about learning and development and believes in bringing out the best in others.
In her spare time, Vedette likes to run, cycle and paddleboard (fair weather friend!)
Becky Bright
Communications and Admin Officer
Becky joined the Trust central team in January 2023, fresh from the RNLI.
Becky's job is to celebrate and promote our six unique schools through media engagement and communications, through Trust newsletters and social media. Becky is very keen to hear about any upcoming school events, projects or trips and will aim to be there with with her camera.
Away from the office, Becky loves swimming, family coastal walks and a good cafe!
Heather Kirkham
Clerk to the Governors
Heather joined the Trust central team in September 2023 bringing with her a wealth of experience in committee administration and governance. Heather will be clerking five of our Local Academy Committees, working together with the Director of Governance.
Heather’s role will improve consistency and communication across the layers of governance within the Trust.
Heather lives in Hayle with her husband and two Westie dogs.
Simeon Royle
Principal, Mounts Bay Academy
Originally from Lancashire, Simeon studied singing and conducting at York University before moving to train as a teacher at Goldsmiths’ College, University of London. After teaching music, Drama and PE in Camberwell and then Redhill, Surrey, he then taught at Dartford Grammar School for boys before moving to Humphry Davy School in Penzance during 2000. After 19 exciting years at HDS, Simeon moved to Mounts Bay Academy in 2019 and was delighted to be appointed Principal in March 2024.
He married Rachael from Crowlas in 1999, and they lead busy lives in Penzance with their three children – Thomas, Harry and Lily. Simeon spends any time away from school singing as a soloist with local choirs or playing the organ at Ludgvan. He is one third of the local Cornish Shanty band, ‘Farmer, Teacher, Seaman’ – you can guess which third!
Whilst not forgetting his Music Teacher roots, Simeon wants everyone in the Mounts Bay Academy community to have the chance to shine and find their passion and achieve academic and social success, whilst contributing to the wonderful community of West Cornwall and the wider world. He sees it as a huge privilege and an honour to be leading Mounts Bay Academy in the next stage of its journey.
Rachel Gibb
Headteacher, Five Islands Academy
Rachel is an experienced and knowledgeable senior leader who has built her career in education through her work for five different local authorities over 25 years. Rachel grew up in Portsmouth and started her career teaching secondary music and later also taught RE. Passionate about lifelong learning and the ability of education to transform lives, Rachel has achieved the Master of Educational Leadership and the National Professional Qualification for Headteachers.
Rachel became the head of Five Islands Academy in September 2020 and feels proud and privileged that her second headship is leading a Church of England through school spread across five islands! Having lived inland for most of her career, Rachel loves being back on the water in any kind of sea-worthy vessel and has recently taken up sea swimming.
Ben Eddy
Headteacher, Fowey River Academy
Ben is a proud Cornishman who is a fan of all sports, particularly rugby. Before teaching he was a semi-professional rugby player who played for a number of clubs; mainly for the ‘Pirates’ where he played over two hundred and fifty first team games.
Ben studied at the College of St Mark and St John in Plymouth (Exeter University) where he completed a Bachelor of Education Honours degree in Physical Education with Information Technology. He has been a senior leader for over ten years with a particular focus on behaviour and attendance, and previously ran the Student Services team at Mounts Bay Academy. Ben has also worked for the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) as a lead practitioner in Applied Learning.
Rob Hamshar
Executive Headteacher, St Hilary School and Ludgvan Academy
Rob’s teaching career started with 12 years in and around south west London, before joining the leadership team at St Hilary, and after 9 years there he could not be prouder of his place of work.
From September 2024, Rob also became Principal of Ludgvan Academy and will be dividing his time between the two primary schools.
As Head of both St Hilary and Ludgvan, Rob believes passionately that it is their role to uncover and nurture each child’s individual qualities and deliver a curriculum which ensures all can become the ‘Best they Can Be’ and ready for their exciting futures.
Out of school, Rob loves nothing more than spending time with his young and energetic family, walking the Cornish coast and trying to stand up on his very forgiving surfboard!
Josh McDonald
Headteacher, St Buryan Academy
Josh began his headship at St Buryan Academy in 2018 and has taught in every year group.
He is passionate about raising the aspirations of the children at St Buryan and in West Cornwall, allowing them to dream big and to achieve what they aspire to. He is a big advocate of using the outdoors and our local environment to inspire learning; as well as providing children with the ambitions to 'shatter the glass ceiling'.
Away from school Josh is a keen footballer and loves spending time with his young family exploring Cornwall's hidden treasures.