Our Central Team
Steve Brady - CEO
Steve's role in the Trust
As Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Steve is the Trust’s lead officer, providing strategic leadership and oversight across all academies. Steve works with all of our key stakeholders so that we achieve consistently high educational standards, use our resources effectively, and comply with our legal and moral obligations. Steve provides external coaching support to senior and executive leaders and is an active participant in local and regional networks, including the DfE, ESFA, and Local Authorities. He shares the trust's passion in helping our school to thrive.
A bit about Steve
As of September 2024 Steve has been able to focus all of his efforts on being the CEO of the Forest of Dean Trust. This enables him to work alongside our fantastic staff and help shape strategy and the delivery of plans. A key element of his role is to help unlock the issues that are preventing our staff from working on their key purpose and having spent 14 years prior to this as Headteacher at Dene Magna School, Steve knows how important this is.
Steve is passionate about the role our trust can play in harnessing the potential that exists in our schools, and our wider area. He sees real value in the Forest of Dean Trust and can see the impact we have as we work together as a trust of schools.
Prior to working at Dene Magna Steve led a school in very challenging circumstances. Under his leadership, the school came out of special measures. He has also worked as a Foundation Subjects Consultant for Gloucestershire LA and has been a Director of the Gloucestershire Association of Secondary Headteachers and the Chair of the Local Organising Committee of the Gloucestershire School Games.
As a teacher, Steve was Head of Geography before moving into Senior Leadership.
He has a BSc (Hons) in Geography, PGCE, NPQH, PG Dip Ed, MPQEL and Level 7 Coaching and Mentoring Qualifications with the ILM.
Janet Ray - Finance Director
Janet's role in the Trust
As Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Janet is the Trust’s senior finance lead, responsible for the strategic management, oversight, and sustainability of all financial operations. She ensures compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements, provides financial guidance to the CEO, Executive Team, and Trust Board, oversees budgeting, reporting, and resource management, and leads the finance team to maintain transparency, efficiency, and value for money across all academies.
A bit about Janet
Janet has worked for the Trust for several years and assisted with the transformation from a maintained school to an Academy conversion and, in recent years, various expansion projects to the growing Multi Academy trust it is today.
Janet is supported by our Finance Manager, Coralie.
Gemma Meek - FODT Assistant Headteacher & Curriculum and Quality Assurance Lead
Gemma's role in the Trust
Gemma works with the Trust CEO and Headteachers to ensure all schools deliver a high-quality curriculum and can demonstrate its impact on pupil outcomes. She oversees curriculum reviews, coordinates subject deep dives, supports subject leads in evidencing intent, implementation, and impact, and facilitates professional development and resource sharing across the Trust. This also involves gathering feedback from pupils, parents, and staff, producing reports for Headteachers and Trustees, and line-managing key staff to support curriculum and learning priorities across all academies.
A bit about Gemma
Gemma has worked for the Forest of Dean Trust for ten years. In 2015, she became Head of English at Dene Magna School. She relished the opportunity to develop staff, build a strong team and ensure that all students could leave us at the end of their learning journey with the core qualifications required for the next steps in their future and enjoy the process.
A few years ago, Gemma became Assistant Headteacher for the Forest of Dean Trust, with responsibility for Curriculum and Quality Assurance across all of our Trust schools. Her role is to ensure that children in our Trust receive high-quality curriculum provision throughout their school journey from nursery to the age of 18. This all-through curriculum is a unique provision offered by the Forest of Dean Trust because it ensures a collaborative approach across primary and secondary schools.
All Trust schools collaborate on a different subject area each half-term to ensure that good practice is observed and shared. Part of this collaboration also includes a half-termly networking event, where subject leads from schools in the Forest of Dean meet to discuss their curriculum and offer new ideas that could be implemented within schools.
As a previous Drybrook and Dene Magna student, Gemma cares deeply about education in the Forest of Dean and enjoys the opportunity to ensure that students from the area gain the very best education to succeed.
Gemma has a BA(Hons) in English Literature, PGCE (Distinction), MEd in Educational Leadership and NPQ in Leading Teacher Development.
Her role as Assistant Headteacher for the FODT is the development of talent and potential of all staff and students across the FODT community. At the heart of her role lies the crucial task of ensuring that the all-through curriculum from nursery to KS5 is of high quality and is enjoyable for our students and teachers in the Trust. This is achieved via a caring, supportive and collaborative approach with the opportunity for CPD and networking.
Stephen Bourne - ICT Manager
Stephen's role in the Trust
Stephen is responsible for overseeing the Trust’s IT infrastructure, providing technical support to staff and students, and ensuring systems are secure, reliable, and aligned with the Trust’s educational goals. This includes leading and mentoring the IT team, developing and implementing IT policies, managing budgets and vendors, delivering training, and driving IT projects from planning to completion. Stephen also monitors emerging technologies and cybersecurity trends, recommends innovative solutions, and ensures operational continuity to support the Trust’s mission and objectives.
A bit about Stephen
Stephen joined the Trust in December 2023. He has over 25 years' experience working in ICT, primarily in the housing sector. Stephen has managed ICT teams for 15 years, leading teams of between 4 - 16. During that time, he has managed organisational changes big and small, and enjoys championing continual improvement.
Ben Lyons - Director of Primary Education/Outreach)
Ben’s role in the Trust
As director of primary education and school improvement outreach, Ben drives excellence across the Trust's primary schools, analysing outcomes, developing action plans, and celebrating successes. He leads Trust-wide networks, collaborates with the CEI abd Curriculum team, and represents FODT in regional school improvement initiatives, strengthening links with local authorities and RSC teams.
A bit about Ben
Ben has been the headteacher of Forest View Primary School since 2010. Under his leadership, Forest View has evolved from a local authority school under support interventions to a strong single academy trust and subsequently to a member of the Forest of Dean Trust. Ben has played a crucial role in supporting other schools across the South West to enhance their educational provision in an advisory and executive head capacity. He has an immense passion for the Cinderford community, which the school serves, and continues to find ways to work for and support this rural community through the work that the school undertakes. Ben now looks forward to supporting the development of the Forest of Dean Trust across all schools, enhancing provision and encouraging collaboration.
To find out more about the other important members of our team, such as our Headteachers and Governance members, please visit the other pages under our "About us" and "Governance" tabs.