Our Team
Alan Gray – Chief Executive Officer
Headteacher of Sandringham School for 15 years and previously Headteacher at The Hemel Hempstead School. Alan is a National Leader of Education and has experience of working with a number of secondary schools in this capacity to support leadership. Alan has trained and served as an additional OFSTED inspector and chairs Hertfordshire Schools Forum, the Alban Federation (ITT provider) and the Alban Teaching School Alliance. He has previously chaired local and Hertfordshire Headteacher groups. He was a member of the DfE Secondary Headteacher Reference Group, supporting the DfE with guidance on education matters. Alan is also a trustee of the Saracens High School MAT, contributing to the development of a new school in North London and a Trustee of the Radio Communications Foundation, supporting students with an interest in electronics and communications. Alan has worked closely with governing bodies for over 25 years and has significant experience of school leadership and how to create an outstanding learning environment for all.
Julia Shaw – Chief Operating Officer
Julia Shaw has worked at Sandringham School as School Business Manager for over 10 years, having started her career working within global finance in London before starting a family. She operates at a strategic level and has considerable business acumen.
After graduating from Bournemouth university with a BA in Business Julia started a career working in finance at Saville and Holdsworth Ltd and latterly The Wall St Journal. She subsequently joined Accenture where she qualified as a management accountant and spent 10 years + in their finance team. In 2007 she decided on a career change and took up a Business manager role at Sandringham School. During her time at Sandringham she has seen the school move from maintained school to an academy and finally to a multi academy trust and has gained significant experience in operating school budgets and managing the operation of a large institution.
Appointed as Chief Operating Officer and Company Secretary to the Trust Board.
Claire Oakes – Director of School Improvement, Secondary
Claire’s role is centred around working collaboratively with school leaders to improve the experience, outcomes and progress of learners across Alban Academies Trust.
After graduating from Warwick University with a BA in English and American Literature, Claire began her career as an English teacher. Since then she has been a highly successful middle and senior leader; as Strategic Lead for the Alban Teaching School Alliance, she grew the organisation from drawing board to working with more than 40 primary and secondary schools, before becoming Director of School Improvement for the AAT. She is also a Governor at her local primary school. Claire’s experience in educational collaboration, sharing good practice and as a classroom teacher and senior leader now inform her role in reviewing, supporting and challenging school performance and practice across Alban Academies Trust.
Penny Laskar-Brown – Director of School Improvement, Primary
After graduating from University of Surrey, Roehampton with a BA (Hons) in Teaching Studies with Theology and Religious Studies, Penny began her career working in Primary schools in London. In 2008 she moved to Japan to take on a role in the British School in Tokyo and worked supportively as a middle leader to ensure that teaching and learning aligned with the British curriculum and pedagogy. Penny returned to London to start her family, whilst completing her MSc in Psychology and continuing to develop her teaching practice and experience of leadership, including successfully being awarded her NPQH. She is currently Assistant Headteacher at Wheatfields Junior School responsible for the development of Teaching and Learning. With 20 years of classroom experience and leadership, and a passion for school improvement Penny’s experience of working collaboratively, supporting teachers to enhance practice, and working strategically now supports her role in reviewing, supporting and challenging school performance and practice across Alban Academies Trust.
Sarah Warren – Project Manager
Sarah oversees projects across the schools within the Alban Academies Trust.
After graduating Leeds Metropolitan University with a BSc in Information Systems for Business Sarah started a career in IT at EDS where she trained as a Systems Engineer and then worked within their Customer Relationship Management team implementing CRM and telephony software in a large European call centre. Sarah then went to work for PeopleSoft as an IT Consultant and worked on numerous projects implementing CRM software across many different customers. In 2003 she decided on a career change and completed a PGCE at Middlesex University and gained Qualified Teacher Status as a secondary school ICT Teacher. During her teaching career she was responsible for leading KS3 ICT in a large secondary school whilst teaching a variety of ICT courses at KS3, KS4 and KS5. Sarah held a Community Governor post at a local primary school for 5 years where she took on roles such as the Chair of the Curriculum Committee and vice-Chair of the full governing body.
Sarah now combines all of her skills and knowledge from the above as the Project Manager of the Alban Academies Trust.
Tina Crafford – Administrator
Tina has worked in the educational environment for over 15 years in both the public and private sector. She is experienced in co-ordinating communication across a range of organisations and has extensive experience in administration and secretarial support. Tina co-ordinates the AAT Conference and AAT publications and her broad skills and expertise are an asset to the organisation.
Lesley Dunkley – Executive Assistant to CEO/Clerk to Trust Board
After completing the London Chamber of Commerce Private Secretarial Diploma, Lesley worked for 14 years as a P.A. to a Partner in a firm of London Solicitors. Subsequently, Lesley has worked as P.A. to the Headteacher / Clerk to the Governors at Sandringham School for 15 years and also as E.A. to the CEO and Clerk to the Trust Board. Lesley has extensive administrative experience and is a well-experienced, knowledgeable clerk providing support and guidance at both local governing board and trust board levels and is a key member of the support team.
