Central Team

The EPT’s range of support services are tailored to the needs of each school. Services are managed and delivered by our highly qualified and approachable central team, who are dedicated to securing the long term success of your school by providing access to information and guidance on all aspects of school support, including school improvement, Ofsted compliance and preparation, health & safety, HR, finance, IT and governance.

Chief Executive

Sharon Roscoe
Chief Executive

Sharon has a wealth of experience in education with extensive governance knowledge and expertise having served as a trustee, governor and chair of governors for primary, secondary, alternative provision and special school governing bodies. Sharon has worked as a MAT CEO for 12 years and mentored aspiring and newly appointed MAT CEOs on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE).  She led the Education Improvement Partnership in Blackburn with Darwen before she established the Education Partnership Trust in 2012. She is a member of the DfE Alternative Provision Stakeholder group which advises government and shapes policy. She graduated as MBA in 2011 from Lancaster University. Sharon is committed to pupils being at the centre of all decision making and is an advocate of partnership working and collaboration to improve outcomes.

Executive Team

Caroline Howarth
Director of HR & Governance

Caroline has worked in the education sector for over 8 years, having previously held a senior management role within the travel industry for over 13 years. Her expertise is in both operational and strategic HR practices. Caroline is CIPD qualified and is also a MBTI practitioner and works strategically with the CEO and FD to ensure legal compliance and implementation of the Trust’s vision and values. Overseeing all aspects of human resources management, she has established and developed the Human Resource team to effectively support the schools within the Trust.

Jonathan Georgy
Chief Operating Officer

Jonathan is a Chartered Accountant and a Fellow member of ICAEW which he has held membership for over 10 years. Prior to joining the Education Partnership Trust, Jonathan worked for 3 years as the Financial Accountant for a large, national Multi Academy Trust where he worked closely with the Trust’s CFO. Before transferring into Education, Jonathan completed 10 years within the audit sector, working across various sectors before starting to specialise in academy audits.

In addition to leading finance, Jonathan has been driving IT strategy and implementation across the Trust for over 3 years. More recently Jonathan has taken on leading Estates across the Trust.

Mark Cocker
Deputy Chief Executive Officer
Director of Education

Mark is a qualified teacher and holds the National Professional Qualification for Headship. Mark was Headteacher for seven years at a Trust secondary school, successfully leading the school from Requires Improvement to Outstanding in all areas. Prior to working as the Director of Education, Mark gained extensive senior management experience as an Assistant Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher and Headteacher in a range of comprehensive schools across four local authorities in the North West. He has experience of Ofsted inspections, leading on quality assurance, learning and assessment, curriculum design, safeguarding, behaviour and attendance and leadership.

HR & Governance

Helen Appleby
HR Operations Manager

Helen joined the Central Team in January 2022 as HR Operations Manager and is responsible for all HR matters including employee relations, recruitment and learning and development.  Helen brings 9 years’ experience in HR and is qualified to Post Graduate Level with Level 7 CIPD.  Helen has previously managed HR within the sectors of Engineering, Construction and Manufacturing.

Wendy Bridson
Governance Manager

Wendy joined the Central Team in May 2022 having previously worked in Local Government. She brings 19 years’ experience of working in governance to her role and is responsible for overseeing governance effectiveness and compliance within the Trust, ensuring it meets statutory and regulatory requirements. Wendy’s role focuses on the functioning of the school’s Local Governing Bodies by providing administrative and organisational support, along with guidance on procedural matters.

Nicola Platt
Health, Safety & Wellbeing Manager

Nicola is responsible for health, safety and wellbeing.  Her role focuses on promoting and delivering wellbeing initiatives and, training opportunities for our workforce whilst ensuring that the Trust is compliant in all health & safety matters.  Nicola holds the National General Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety and brings 8 years of experience of working in an educational setting to her role from previously working as School Business Manager in a school in Salford and has worked in the travel industry beforehand in a managerial capacity for over 15 years.

Aaliyah Esmail
Business Support Apprentice

Aaliyah joined the central team in March 2025 as a Business Support Apprentice providing administration support to the Finance, HR, Governance and Health, Safety and Wellbeing teams. Having successfully completing A Levels in Business, Mathematics and Accounting at Cardinal Newman College, she worked as a Supervisor Care Navigator providing support and advice to service users and care workers. Aaliyah developed a passion for business during college and within her previous role where she gained experience in administration, customer service and leadership.

Finance

Linda Clarke
Finance Manager

Linda became a qualified accountant in 2001 after choosing to study whilst also working full time in the profit sector and practice. After this Linda moved to work in the Not for Profit sector for several years as Head of Finance for a charity supporting adults with Learning Disabilities before taking a two year break to be a full time Foster Carer. Linda then moved back into the profit sector doing the accounts for an e-commerce and hospitality business. In June 2020, during lockdown, Linda moved to work for EPT as Finance Manager.

Kyle Robinson
Finance Officer

Kyle is a certified AAT accountant, lending his financial expertise to support all our schools while concurrently overseeing centralised financial administration. His proficiency extends to specialised assistance with Sage, the Trust’s designated accounting software. Kyle also supports on IMP, guiding the implementation and management of the Trust’s new budgeting and forecasting system. In addition, he holds responsibility for administering the staff wellbeing policy, the Teachers Pensions Scheme and is responsible for the upkeep of the Trust intranet and social media pages.

IT

Talha Mulla
Head of IT

With over 11 years of dedicated experience in the IT industry, Talha brings a wealth of expertise to our organization. Before joining the central team, he served as the IT Manager at one of our trust schools. Talha holds certifications in IT software and hardware, with a focus on networking and firewall technologies. His comprehensive understanding of the education sector is evident in his support for both staff and students, leveraging IT to enhance teaching and learning experiences. Talha’s proficiency and hands-on experience make him a valuable asset in driving technological excellence within our Trust.

Josh Andrews
Lead IT Technician

Josh has accumulated 8 years of valuable experience working in the education sector, offering a deep understanding of IT within both primary and high school settings. With a passion for enhancing educational experiences through technology, he is dedicated to advancing cloud solutions in the academic field. His expertise is supported by certifications as a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) and in Fortinet, reflecting his strong foundation in networking and cybersecurity. Josh’s commitment to leveraging his skills to drive technological innovation in education makes him a key asset to the team.

Asghar Hussain
Field IT Technician

Asghar studied at the University of Central Lancashire and achieved an upper-class degree in Computer Network Technology BSc (Hons). He has previously worked with the Department for Work and Pensions and is now a Field Technician developing the IT infrastructure for all schools within the trust.

Zubair Mulla
Field IT Technician

Zubair is an experienced IT Technician with robust technical expertise, adept at troubleshooting and maintaining systems. He has a proven track record in managing IT infrastructure and ensuring seamless operations. Zubair is committed to staying abreast of emerging technologies to drive innovation and efficiency. He also possesses a strong passion and interest in networking and migration projects. Zubair has prior experience at another Trust, where he supported various schools and contributed to IT projects.

Data & Analytics

Jilani Bux
Data & Analytics Manager

Jilani, an accomplished Data and Analytics Manager, seamlessly transitioned to Data Management and Analysis following the completion of an IT Apprenticeship at one of our Trust schools. He has played a key role in ensuring the reliability and quality of education-related data. Proficient in data warehousing, SQL, and dashboarding, Jilani not only unifies data practices and fosters coherence among schools but also empowers them to make strategic, data-driven choices. His expertise lies in implementing tailored data solutions, transforming raw data into actionable intelligence that optimises processes and efficiency. Passionate about staying at the forefront of data advancements, Jilani is dedicated to creating an informed, responsive, and successful learning environment.

School Improvement

Zoe Enser
School Improvement Lead

Zoe has worked in education for nearing three decades. She started her career as a learning support assistant, then moved into teaching English, film, media and drama and leading teams in these areas. She has also been a senior leader, leading on CPD and working across schools to develop teaching practices. She was a school improvement advisor working across Kent local authority and more recently been one of His Majesty’s Inspectors and Ofsted’s National Subject Lead for English. In addition to this, Zoe has written a number of books, contributed regularly for The TES and other education publications, as well as writing course materials and delivering them for the NPQ programmes. She has worked with the EEF (Education Endowment Foundation) and her passion for improving the education and opportunities for young people continues to be her key focus.