Our trustees

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    Ryan Clifford

    CHAIR OF TRUSTEES

    Ryan is a product director with experience building and taking to market B2B and B2B2C SaaS and fintech products within enterprise and scale up companies. He has a passion for complex technical products, in particular APIs and developer tools.

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    Kevin Fox

    TRUSTEE

    Kevin is Head of Democratic Services and Information Governance at the London Borough of Bexley, where he oversees council governance, decision-making, and school appeals. A former Chair of Governors at two schools, he now serves as a Trustee and Education Committee member, with a particular focus on SEND and vulnerable learners. He is passionate about helping young people achieve their full potential.

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    Sebrina Dawnes

    TRUSTEE

    Sebrina is an experienced education leader and Headteacher of a large, diverse primary school, known for driving school improvement and championing high standards. With expertise in curriculum design, staff development, safeguarding, and strategic change, she has also worked as an EYFS and Primary Consultant. As a Trustee, Sebrina is committed to ensuring every child across the Cygnus Multi-Academy Trust has access to exceptional education and opportunities to thrive.

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    Alison Scott

    TRUSTEE

    Alison has over 20 years’ experience in education, spanning early years, primary, and further education. She currently supports students with additional needs in a large college and previously worked as an Ofsted Inspector and with a Local Authority School Improvement Team. A former Chair of Governors at Upland Primary, Alison joined the Cygnus Board in 2025 and now leads on sustainability, championing high-quality education and improved outcomes for all learners.

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    Ashish Majithia

    TRUSTEE

    Ash is a seasoned professional in the City of London with extensive experience in the professional services sector. As Chair of the Finance and Risk Committee at Cygnus, Ash brings strategic and financial expertise to support the trust’s long-term sustainability. Also a governor at a SEND school, Ash is passionate about equity in education and committed to helping every child reach their full potential.

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    Jane Platt

    TRUSTEE

    Jane is an experienced entrepreneur, board advisor, and mentor with a strong track record in scaling service businesses and leading strategic transformation. She brings commercial acumen and governance expertise to support organisations through change and growth. A committed advocate for opportunity and inclusion, Jane has volunteered with Cygnus Academies Trust since December 2023, helping to drive positive impact across the trust.

  • A man wearing glasses and a navy blue suit with a white shirt, smiling, standing next to a potted plant with green leaves, against a white wall background.

    Manish Gokani

    TRUSTEE

    Manish is a senior leadership professional with extensive board-level experience in the retail and financial services sectors. A strategic thinker with a passion for developing future leaders, he brings commercial insight and lean practice to his work. A former local governor within the Cygnus Trust, Manish now serves as a Trustee, committed to aligning and strengthening the Trust’s ethos. With two daughters educated in Kent, he is passionate about using his skills to help future generations thrive.

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    Mark Jackson

    TRUSTEE

    Mark has over 18 years’ experience in higher education, specialising in facilities management, health and safety, and campus operations. As Buildings and Safety Manager at UCL’s Department of Computer Science, he brings expertise in space planning, supplier management, and inclusive design. A qualified facilities professional, Mark is passionate about accessibility and creating safe, supportive learning environments. A former governor at Gravel Hill Primary, he now serves as a Trustee at Cygnus, committed to helping every child thrive.

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    Daniel Pothecary-Smith

    TRUSTEE

    Dan is a Trustee at Cygnus Academies Trust with strong expertise in governance, safeguarding, and risk management. He previously served as Vice Chair and Safeguarding Link Governor at Gravel Hill Primary. Professionally, Dan works in the charity sector with Police Now, specialising in data, governance, and risk. He is passionate about the power of education to transform lives and is committed to creating safe, inclusive, and inspiring environments for all learners.

  • Trustee member

    Elizabeth Alamu

    TRUSTEE

    Elizabeth is a Senior Estates Manager in healthcare with extensive experience in health, safety, and facilities across local authority, education, and healthcare settings. A long-serving governor at Dartford Bridge Community Primary School, she was Vice Chair and link governor for SEND and health and safety. Now a Trustee at Cygnus, Elizabeth is committed to creating safe, inclusive environments where all children can thrive.

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    Paul Langridge

    TRUSTEE

    Paul brings over 30 years’ experience as a Head and Deputy Head in a large primary school, alongside work in the SEND sector. He also served on the strategic and financial board of Kent and Medway Training, supporting school-based teacher training. A long-standing governor and former Chair at Dartford Bridge School, Paul is passionate about ensuring all children experience a broad curriculum that nurtures their individual talents beyond academic achievement.

  • Emma Neale

    Emma is a highly experienced Learning and Development professional with a strong track record in leadership, strategy and organisational development. Over the course of their career, Emma has consulted on, designed and delivered innovative programmes across diverse sectors, specialising in leadership and management, resilience and wellbeing, stakeholder engagement, and performance improvement. They are a certified Leadership & Business Coach and Mentor, and hold multiple professional accreditations including Insights Discovery, MBTI, & TEIQue

    Passionate about education and lifelong learning, Emma offers the Board a unique blend of strategic insight, people development expertise, and a strong commitment to equity and excellence in outcomes for all learners.

Trustees

 The Members have appointed a Board of Trustees.

The trustees are responsible for:

  • Setting the strategic direction of the trust

  • Holding senior leadership to account

  • Overseeing the trust’s financial performance

Trustees are ultimately responsible and accountable for the trust. It is up to them to make sure the trust is compliant with its charitable objectives, but also with company and charity law.

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Members

Members are the custodians of the governance of Cygnus Academies Trust.

Members are appointed by the rest of the Members Board.

The Members hold an Annual General Meeting and meet as required throughout the year.

Organisation & finance

Please click on a section to access governance documents relating to financial and organisations elements of the Cygnus Academies Trust.

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To learn more about Trustee vacancies at Cygnus Academies Trust, please contact office@cygnus.org.uk and a member of the Governance Team will be able to tell you all about the role of a Trustee. Should a vacancy become available at Cygnus, you will be informed and you can put yourself forward.

Please also visit Inspiring Governance or Governors for Schools to learn more about why Trusts and their schools need volunteers like you and the benefits and rewards of becoming a Trustee.