TEAM Executive
Sarah Baker
Chief Executive Officer
Sarah is the founder and CEO of TEAM Education Trust. She has successfully supported the growth of the Trust which still holds true to the founding statement – Together Everyone Achieves More, TEAM.
Under Sarah’s visionary and supportive leadership, the Trust employs a highly skilled team of education and school improvement experts and has been shortlisted for a number of national awards. External QA of the Trust points to strong governance and supportive management as well as the benefits offered by the Trust’s knowledgeable and experienced Central Team.
Sarah has experience of working for a large Multi Academy Trust operating across 30+ schools across the East Midlands where she held Trust responsibility for Inclusion.
Sarah holds the National Professional Qualification for Executive Leaders and is a qualified facilitator for coaching, specialising in educational leadership.
Sarah has experience of leading whole school and Local Authority training and development programmes at a local and regional level, with findings being reported into the DfE around SEND and Inclusion. Additionally, Sarah has lectured on the National SENDCo Award and is a facilitator for NPQs.
Sarah sits on several Executive Boards and national strategic networks, including Schools Forum representative for Derbyshire. More recently she is an Executive for the AP/SEND national network.
Natalie Borrinton
Chief Operating Officer
A highly experienced Chief Operating Officer whose work is informed by over a decade of operational leadership within school and Trust settings.
Natalie's expertise in all aspects of operational compliance in education settings include risk management processes, GDPR and data management as well as designing and implementing safeguarding practices to ensure that all aspects of operations are efficiently and effectively managed. Natalie's meticulous eye for detail, together with knowledge of policy implementation and management, is matched by her expertise in all aspects of Health & Safety so ensuring that all school settings follow consistent processes whilst being safe and warm.
Natalie has led a number of DfE funding applications for complex building projects which have led to successful developments across the Trust. These bids have been both independently and in multiple partnerships where Natalie's approach to teamworking and identifying shared resources has proved highly successful.
Natalie’s expertise covers all aspects of estates strategy and compliance. Her focus on optimising resources and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations, positively impacts on the development and implementation of effective estate management plans that support the overall sustainability objectives of the Trust.
With her extensive background in education, Natalie possesses a unique perspective and first-hand understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with additional needs. This understanding is further amplified by her personal experience as a parent of two children with additional needs, enabling her to approach her work with empathy, compassion, and a deep commitment to advocating for inclusive practices.
Nicola Cook
Chief Financial Officer
Nicola Cook is a dedicated finance professional with over 20 years’ experience in senior financial management and operational roles.
She has been instrumental in achieving the continued growth of existing companies in a range of sectors and in setting up new companies and offices, both in the UK and overseas. Key to this was implementing procedures and software to ensure the smooth and efficient running of all aspects of the finance and administrative functions. With a degree in Applied Accounting, Nicola is proficient in dealing with purchase and sales ledger, payroll, budgetary control, financial planning, forecasting and cashflow management. She has also been responsible for implementing, documenting and monitoring policies, procedures and processes and ensuring compliance with statutory and legal requirements.
Experienced in identifying and securing funding for growth, procuring equipment, asset management, and negotiating on pricing enables Nicola to add value and identify cost efficiencies.
Nicola is patient, has a hands-on approach, and enjoys sharing her knowledge with others. This has proved successful in team building, staff mentoring, leadership and motivation.
Matt Morris
Director of Transformation
Matt has a rich experience of education, working across all sectors over the last 19 years. Before joining TEAM, he was the Headteacher of an Alternative Provision Academy where he took great pride in helping hundreds of vulnerable children who had previously been permanently excluded from mainstream school, to develop their social skills and move on to a positive destination. Prior to relocating to Derbyshire from Kent, he was a successful senior leader, with oversight of teaching and learning at an Outstanding secondary school. Originally trained as an English teacher, Matt has led an award-winning Media and Film Department, and taught a vast range of additional subjects.
Matt has been an SLE, and as part of this role provided support with the embedding of an entirely new English curriculum. He has coached other leaders, supported the development of curricula, and developed teaching and learning strategies and non-negotiables. One of the most enjoyable aspects of Matt’s work, is training middle leaders in the use of outcome data to inform planning, assessment, and future curriculum development.
Rachel Watson
Director of Education & Achievement
Rachel has worked in education for the last 15 years, and in that time has enjoyed supporting a range of students with Special Needs to grow and develop. In addition to this Rachel has used her talent to coach and mentor other teachers both in the Special and Mainstream sectors to improve their quality of teaching and thus the outcomes of their students.
Rachel has a BA Honours in Primary Education with a Specialism in Science, and an MA in Autism. In 2015 Rachel was designated a Specialist Leader of Education working for Synergy Teaching School Alliance. Rachel continues to take part in continual professional development activities and remains keen to develop her own skills and knowledge whilst supporting others. Rachel has recently successfully completed her National Professional Qualification in Senior Leadership, leading on a whole school project around the use of Coaching to improve the quality of Teaching and Learning and reduce the variation in pupil outcomes.