Our People
TANIA LEWYCKYJ
CEO
Tania started teaching in 1984 and has had a long career in education. Tania has worked in Darwen, Blackburn, Leeds, Salford, Tokyo and Hong Kong and for the past 16 years she has been based in Bolton. Tania is a National Leader of Education and regularly supports other Headteachers with school improvement. For ten years, and up until 2019, Tania was the Headteacher at St James’s CE High School and from 2017 carried out the dual role of CEO and Headteacher. From 2019 Tania became CEO with no other responsibilities and is very much focused on the next stage of the Trust’s development. Tania remains engaged with several organisations, including the Greater Manchester Learning Partnership, The Confederation of School Trusts, Bolton Learning Partnership, and ensures that the Trustees and Headteachers are clear about the strategic direction of the Department for Education and Regional Schools’ Commissioners.
Having come from humble beginnings, Tania believes that every child has the right to a great education and that this can change lives for the better. The Trust is also clear that success doesn’t just come in the form of a qualification, but also through the development of character, spirituality and social development - this leads to ‘life in all its fullness’ and well rounded, kind and resilient citizens of the future.
ANDREA BAILEY
Chief Financial Officer
Andrea is a qualified chartered accountant (ACCA) and a fellow of ICAEW, undertaking her professional training in an audit and accountancy practice in Preston. During a varied career in practice acting for many clients from different sectors, to working commercially as a group accountant, through to public service in the local authority finance team predominantly for the Adult and Community Services Directorate, she has gained years of valuable experience.
Education and the explosion of academisation allowed an opening for a exciting mix of Senior Leadership, operational and financial skills. Andrea was able to combine a school Business Manager role and Chief Finance Officer (CFO) role in a single school academy trust for a couple of years before being appointed at The Bishop Fraser Trust in September 2018. Again, the role started as a combination of school Business Manager at St James’s High School at the same time as undertaking the CFO role for the whole Trust.
Through centralisation of the Finance and HR functions in September 2020, the independent role of CFO can now focus more on the embedding of efficient and effective support services whilst progressing financial strategy combined with trust wide procurement, risk management and ensuring funds are used in the most advantageous way to allow children to experience “life in all its fullness”. The next stage will also centre around growth of the Trust and enabling other schools to benefit from the high performing infrastructure being created, allowing Headteachers the ability to concentrate on educational improvements.
NICOLA MCGONAGLE
HR Director
Nicola joined the Bishop Fraser Trust in January 2022 and has worked within the HR Education Sector for over 15 years, working for Local Authorities and a Multi Academy Trust. Nicola has significant experience of complex employee relations matters, working closely with trade unions whilst supporting schools and academies to achieve their strategic improvement priorities. Nicola brings a ‘solution focused’ attitude committed to adding value through delivering a professional HR function with the aim of supporting the Trust and its schools to improve educational and welfare outcomes for all students.
RACHAEL LUCAS
Headteacher of Bolton St Catherine’s Academy
My name is Rachael Lucas and I am proud and often very humbled to be the Headteacher of Bolton St Catherine’s Academy. I am married, I live in east Manchester and I have two children at primary school.
Our vision for our academy is very clear-
At BSCA we believe learning is the key which opens the door to a whole life of opportunities.
As a family, at the heart of our local community, we care for each other.
Together, we continually strive for excellent teaching which inspires engaged and motivated learning.
Our vision is underlined by a clear set of four values which underpin every policy, every interaction and everything we strive for as an academy. These values are lived, respected and empower our staff and students to do the very best for our whole community. They are:
BELIEVE in ourselves;
STRIVE to reach our goals;
CARE for each other and the world;
ACHIEVE all of which we are truly capable.
From these values we build a future of hope.
#strongertogether
Gareth Watson is our Primary Lead at BSCA.
CATHERINE ANDERSON
Headteacher of St James’s Church of England High School
Catherine became Headteacher of St James’s Church of England High School in September 2019 having previously been Deputy Headteacher at the school since September 2017. Prior to joining The Bishop Fraser Trust she was Deputy Headteacher at Blue Coat School in Oldham.
At St James’s our mission is to ensure every young person, no matter what their starting point, can experience ‘life in all its fullness.’ To this end we ensure every young person fulfills their full academic potential whilst also developing into happy, confident, compassionate and accomplished young adults. We are ambitious for every student and we support and encourage them to be ambitious for themselves.
We are a Church of England school that welcomes members of other Christian denominations and of other faiths. Our Anglican beliefs, values and worship are central to everything we do. Every child is valued at St James’s and through the highest quality pastoral care they are nurtured and loved. Our moto of ‘Caring for others † Achieving Excellence’ sums up our view that care must and should come first in order to support and enable achievement.
All staff at St James’s are absolutely committed to giving every young person the very best. We work to ensure all students go on from us as committed, caring, serving leaders that work to make their communities and our society a better place.
KAREN SUDWORTH
Headteacher of Canon Slade School
Karen has been involved in the education of young people in Salford, St Helens and Cheshire East for over thirty years before taking up the position of Headship of Canon Slade School in October 2019. She is a member of the local community, is married with two sons both of whom have been previous students of Canon Slade School and is an active member of a local church. She is also a foundation governor of an outstanding CE primary school.
Canon Slade School has a long and distinguished history, originally founded in 1855 by the then Vicar of Bolton, Canon James Slade. Over that time, the school has served families throughout Bolton and much farther afield in providing an outstanding education set firmly within a strong Christian ethos.
Our mission as a Church of England Academy is to provide an excellent education within a Christian environment to fulfil individual potential and to prepare pupils for life and service in a rapidly changing world. Our motto “Ora et labora” (Pray and Work) is our guiding principle. It is this commitment to work and Christian life that drives the success of the school. Our ethos and values of compassion and love for one another allows each individual to grow in a safe, caring community which has high expectations for all. We believe that every one of our students should have unlimited ambition to go on and become outstanding members of society.
Our school is a friendly, vibrant and exciting place in which every member of our school community is recognised and valued for the individual they are, made in the image of God and where each is given every opportunity to fulfil their potential. All staff at Canon Slade are here to support, guide, encourage and care for our students so they are able to enjoy life in all of its fullness and we are proud to be part of the Bishop Fraser Trust linked by our values of community, wisdom, hope and dignity.
SIMON BRAITHWAITE
Headteacher of Bury Church of England High School
Simon became Headteacher in 2020, having been Deputy Headteacher at Blackburn Central High school for 5 years. Prior to this Simon spent 15 years working in Bolton, firstly at Turton School where he worked from an NQT to being Head of Upper school and secondly, at Sharples School as an Assistant Headteacher. Simon has also been a primary school Governor and provided support to other secondary schools across the North West through the future leaders’ network. Simon has felt privileged to work in different communities and schools serving children as an educator, being exposed to a range of roles and experiences to help grow as a leader and educationalist.
Simon is a child of the manse; both his mother and father were Methodist ministers who served a number of circuits. In fact, both his parents were also teachers. He moved regularly around circuits, growing up in Bristol, the Durham Dales, the Wirral, Prescot and finally settling in Bolton. Simon also coaches’ rugby for Bolton Rugby Club and this extends his passion for developing the character of young people.
He has three children and his wife is also teacher.
At Bury Church our mission is to let all staff and students ‘let their light shine’ and we do this through our core values of ‘Believe, Achieve and Inspire’. Through our school we want to inspire others, both academically and through faith where every member of our school family can flourish and experience ‘life in all its fullness’.
KAREN GRAHAM
Headteacher of St Catherine's Primary School, Horwich
Karen has been Headteacher at St Catherine's Church of England Primary School since 2008 and is passionate about the privilege in working in such an incredible school with a truly dynamic staff team. Karen is committed to ensuring that the school provides the very best opportunities for all children.
In addition to her work as a Headteacher Karen is also a member of the Horwich & Blackrod Learning Collaborative, a highly effective and active group and Chairs at Bolton Multi-Academy Trust's SCITT Board. Karen has also gained the National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership.
THE TRUST CENTRAL TEAM
In September 2020, the Trust’s Finance and HR teams were centralised and are based at the Central Office, c/o Bolton St Catherine's Academy.
In October 2022 we welcomed Dean Hamer as our new IT Trust Manager.