The Department for Education has revealed the full list of candidates running in regional advisory board elections as polls open this week. A total of 164 trust and academy leaders have thrown their hat in the ring for 32 elected roles advising their regional schools commissioners on local academy oversight. Academy leaders are being urged to vote in the elections, which mark the first time trust chief executives without headteacher experience have been eligible to stand. Covid saw the elections delayed last year. Four elected candidates will advise and challenge each of England’s eight RSCs, alongside up to four individuals appointed or co-opted by the government-chosen RSCs themselves. The number of candidates in each region varies from 15 in Lancashire in West Yorkshire to 29 in the West Midlands. The East Midlands and the Humber had the second lowest interest at 17, and the North West London and South Central England the second highest at 27. None of the 10 biggest trusts have candidates standing while E-ACT was the only trust with candidates standing in more than one region. But some large trusts outside the top 10 have fielded candidates, including Tim Coulson, a former RSC now leading the Unity Schools Partnership, Diocese of Ely MAT chief executive Adrian Ball, and Hamwic Education chief executive Robert Farmer. More than 9,700 academies can each vote for four candidates in their region, potentially giving candidates from trusts with large clusters of schools an advantage. Academy heads, senior leaders or senior trust officials must “agree amongst themselves” who casts the ballot, . “It is important that you get involved,” one RSC office today. All academies were due to receive election packs from Monday, with now open until Friday 10 December and results due late January. A DfE spokesperson said on Monday that candidates’ election statements were “for those who are eligible to vote only” and “not in the public domain”, in contrast to the 2017 election. Schools Week then asked for an explanation and began contacting every candidate requesting their statement. By Tuesday afternoon, the DfE had U-turned – with statements to be made public via the voting website “shortly”. Officials told candidates via email: “We have generated a lot of interest in these current elections, and we are receiving many requests, including from other candidates, for sight of candidate statements.” Scroll for the full lists of candidates in each region below: East Midlands and the Humber CandidateTrustAcademyRowena HackwoodAstrea Academy TrustNAChris WheatleyFlying High TrustNAKerrie HentonStone Soup LearnsStone Soup AcademySian HamptonArchway Learning TrustNASean KellyRaleigh Learning TrustNANeil LockyerSt Thomas Aquinas Catholic Multi-Academy TrustNATim SutcliffeSymphony Learning TrustNAPaul HeeryThe White Hills Park TrustNAJulian ScholefieldEsteem Mult-Academy TrustNAGareth NelmesBradgate Education PartnershipNASue BridgesCascade Multi Academy TrustNASimon Alexander WithamVenn Academy TrustNATom BanhamHCATNAMark MallenderDerby Diocesan Academy Trust (DDAT)NAJonny UttleyThe Education AllianceNAAngela SpencerSt Margaret Clitherow Catholic Academy TrustOur Lady and St Peter Catholic AcademyJohn MorrisonLincoln UTCLincoln UTC East of England and North-East London TrustAcademyBrian ConwaySt John the Baptist Catholic MATNADarren WoollardLearning in Harmony TrustBlenheim Primary SchoolJames BiddulphUTS CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge Primary SchoolLawrence ChapmanSENDAT (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Academies Trust)NAPaul HarrisThe Tapscott Learning TrustCurwen Primary SchoolGareth StevensThe Inspiration TrustNAMark GreatrexBellevue Place Education TrustNARuth BrockSECAT (SOUTHEND EAST COMMUNITY ACADEMY TRUST)NAAdrian BallDiocese of Ely Multi-Academy TrustNASarah SkinnerSouth Suffolk Learning Trust (SSLT)NANikos SavvasSuffolk Academies TrustNASusannah Edom-BakerAttain Academy PartnershipNAMark FarmerBridge Academy TrustNALynsey HolzerEvolution Academy TrustNATim CoulsonUnity Schools PartnershipNAClare FlintoffASSET EducationNANeil GallagherThe Sigma TrustClacton County High SchoolLucy ScottEastern Learning AllianceNAAnita JohnsonLoxford School TrustNATony ParfettCatalyst Academies TrustNARichard PotterAlpha TrustHome Farm Primary SchoolSimon ElliottCommunity Schools TrustNAJeremy RoweWaveney Valley Academies TrustNA Lancashire and West Yorkshire Tania LewyckyjThe Bishop Fraser TrustNANeville BeischerFlagship Learning TrustNACarol McLachlanVision TrustNARichard Charles RonksleyAltus Education PartnershipNAMark WilsonWellspring Academy TrustNAJohn TarboxThe Pennine TrustNAJohn McNallySHARE Multi-Academy TrustNACarol Dewhurst OBEBradford Diocesan Academies TrustNABrendan LoughranGreat Academies Education TrustNAKash RafiqSouth Pennine AcademiesMoor End AcademyMichael GoslingTrinity Multi-Academy TrustNAAdrian KneeshawCarlton Academy TrustNAJames KeulemansClitheroe Royal Grammar School TrustClitheroe Royal Grammar SchoolNicola BeaumontLindley Church of England Infant SchoolLindley CE Infant SchoolKaren BurnsVictorious Academies TrustNA North of England Kelvin SimpsonAdvance Learning PartnershipNAMaura ReganBishop Hogarth Catholic Education TrustNAJo Heaton OBENorthern Lights Learning TrustNAPaul RickeardDurham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning TrustNAJulia ArmstrongPrince Regent Street TrustNAJoanna BaileyTees Valley Collaborative TrustNAColin LofthouseSmart Multi-academy TrustNAJonathan JohnsonWest Lakes Multi-Academy TrustNAChristina JonesRiver Tees Multi-Academy TrustNANigel AshleyElevate MATNAAndy Brown OBEAd Astra Academy TrustNAAnita BathBishop Bewick Catholic Education TrustNAAlex HookNorth East Learning Trust – NELTShotton Hall AcademyDebi BaileyNEAT Academy TrustNADame Nicola Stephenson DBEValour Multi Academy TrustNAJenn PlewsNorthern Star Academies TrustNANick BlackburnLingfield Education TrustNA North West London and South Central England Marino CharalambousNorth Star Community TrustNADr Andrew CampbellBrooke Weston TrustNAMatthew Kleiner-MannIvy Learning TrustNASusan Douglas CBEEden Academy TrustNAAlice HudsonTwyford Church of England Academies TrustNAMark ThomasWoodland View Primary SchoolWoodland View Primary SchoolRichard EvansVale Academy TrustNARozalyn ThomsonGreat Learners TrustNAJamie ClarkeTove Learning TrustNAAnnabel KayThe Warriner Multi Academy TrustNAJoshua ColemanEast Midlands Academy TrustNASandra ApplebyDavid Ross Education TrustGreenfields Primary School and NurseryDr Alan LeeBedfordshire Schools TrustNACath KitchenThe Skylark PartnershipNASue CollingsRidgeway Learning PartnershipNASarah TurnerELT Partnership (formerly Enfield Learning Trust)NAAnn Marie MulkerinsMiddlesex Learning TrustThe Compton SchoolSarah BennettInspiring Futures through LearningNAGinny RhodesThe Circle TrustNAChris HillNene Education TrustNAJosephine ValentineDanes Educational TrustNAMatthew GauthierScholars’ Education TrustSamuel Ryder AcademyDr Penny Barratt OBEThe Bridge London TrustNAStuart LockAdvantage SchoolsNAAndy SquiresThe Denbigh Alliance Multi Academy TrustNAAndrew WilcockVeritas Educational TrustBishop Ramsey Church of England SchoolAntony WitheymanInnovate Multi Academy TrustNA South East England and South London Andrew CarterSouth Farnham Educational TrustNACassie BuchananThe Charter Schools Educational TrustNAJack MayhewAthena-GEPNAJohn PriorOrchard Hill College Academy Trust (OHCAT)NANick OsborneMaritime Academy TrustNAMatthew WrightCharacter Education TrustNAMarie SweetloveFortis TrustNAJonathan MorrisSussex Learning TrustNATracey SavageSandwich Technology SchoolNASue SamsonUniversity of Chichester Multi-Academy TrustNAEmma BradshawAlternative Learning TrustNADavid HarrisEngage Enrich Excel AcademiesNADavid BoyleDunraven Educational TrustNARebecca PlaskittTandridge Learning TrustNASu WhelanHISPNAJane FletcherAldridge EducationNABrett FreemanWoking CollegeNAClaire LoweInspire Learning PartnershipNA South West England Craig JonesCabot Learning FederationHaywood Village AcademyStewart BiddlesRiviera Education TrustNASteve SavoryGloucestershire Learning AllianceNADean AshtonReach South Academy TrustNADan MorrowDartmoor Multi Academy trustNASimon HagueCrofty Multi Academy TrustNALes HallLeading Edge Academies PartnershipMounts Bay AcademyNeil BlundellCathedral Schools TrustNAKate LangleyGotherington Primary SchoolGotherington Primary SchoolMark DaviesTrust in Learning (academies)NAJackie SmithBrunel SEN Multi Academy TrustNAEmma KerrLaunceston College Multi Academy TrustLaunceston College TrustRobert GassonWave Multi academy TrustNAAndrea ArlidgeFutura Learning PartnershipNAJennifer Blunden OBETruro and Penwith Academy TrustNARobert FarmerHamwic Education TrustNAJohn AbbottRichard Huish TrustNARachel HowieDiocese of Gloucester Academies TrustNA West Midlands Sinead SmithHoly Spirit Multi Academy CompanyNADaniel Adam ThomasThe Learning for Life PartnershipNAJayne BartlettE-ACTShenley Academy EACTSarah FinchMarches Academy TrustNAMark KentPotteries Educational TrustNAAnnette WilliamsWeaver TrustNANicola Jane RaggettKings Norton Girls’ SchoolKings Norton Girls’ SchoolMargaret YatesAll Saints Catholic Collegiate Multi-Academy CompanyNAMichael Thomas DonoghueJohn Taylor Multi-Academy TrustNACharlene GethinThe Staffordshire Schools Multi Academy Trust.NAKate TagueWMG Academy for Young Engineers TrustNAMichael CowlandThe Diocese of Coventry Multi Academy TrustNANeil WallaceStratford upon Avon SchoolNAJared EcclesThe Moorlands Primary FederationSt. Werburgh’s C E Primary SchoolMartin MurphyArden Multi-Academy TrustNARubina DarrCromwell Learning Community Multi Academy TrustCromwell Junior and Infant SchoolMatthew SnelsonThe Sir John Brunner FoundationThe County High School LetfwichSharron PhilpotVictoria Academies TrustNAIan NurserEmpower TrustNADafydd LawdayMercian Educational TrustNADavid CoachéBengeworth Multi Academy TrustNASusan WedgwoodSt Chad’s Academies TrustNASarah Findlay-CobbLandau Forte Charitable TrustNADame Mo BrennanMatrix Academy TrustNAJulie GreenwoodLeigh TrustNAIan BeardmoreNewman Catholic CollegiateOur Lady of Grace Catholic AcademyGuy ShearsCentral Region Schools TrustNAJennifer CleggE-ACTHeartlands AcademyNic BrindleYouth Engagement Schools TrustNA