Central Team
The Central Team running the Hurst Education Trust are:
Tim Manly – Chief Executive (CEO) and Accounting Officer
Darren Carpenter – Deputy Chief Executive (Strategy & Growth) and Interim CFO
Karen Underwood – Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Michelle Zeidler – Director of Education
Janneke Blokland – Chaplain
Sue Atkinson – Director of HR
Steve Miles – Senior Business Manager
Hannah Harvey – Projects Officer
Jen Dring - Administrator
Wendy Loft – Governance Professional
Tim Manly
Chief Executive and
Accounting Officer
Until recently, Tim Manly was the Headmaster of Hurstpierpoint College where after 19 years, he pivoted to the Trust in January 2024.
Tim has previously been Housemaster and Head of Department at Sevenoaks School and Deputy Head at Oakham School. He graduated from Oriel College, Oxford, completed an MSc at LSE and gained his PGCE from Cambridge University.
He worked in a number of management consultancy roles before moving into education.
Tim is a current Board member of the Diocese of Chichester Academy Trust (DCAT) as well as being a Governor of various Prep Schools. He was also a non-executive Director of the Harris Federation for several years.
During his tenure, the College doubled in size, became financially one of the strongest Independent Schools in Country and implemented a widescale Campus Development Programme with a value in excess of £40m but without resort to significant debt requirement.
Darren Carpenter
Deputy Chief Executive
and Interim CFO
Darren is both the Deputy Chief Executive (Strategy and Growth) for the Trust and the Chief Financial Officer for Hurstpierpoint College.
Prior to joining the College in 2021, Darren worked predominantly within the maintained school sector in a variety of school leadership positions including Business Manager and Director of Resources roles in both primary, secondary and special education environments, principally specialising in overseeing significant financial turnaround.
Most recently he has worked in a number of positions including, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and latterly Deputy Chief Executive for a large academy trust in the south east.
Darren has a degree in Business Management with Law. As the Deputy Chief Executive, Darren is responsible for all non-educational areas of the Trust and leads the non-educational teams, reporting directly to the Chief Executive.
Michelle Zeidler
Director of Education
Michelle Zeidler joined Hurstpierpoint College in 2015 as the Head of Teaching and Learning and a member of the Senior Management Team.
During her time there she has developed an academic teaching programme for the staff through a Performance Review System and the innovative Teach Hurst teacher training scheme.
She is currently working with the Deputy Head at Sir Robert Woodard Academy to build links between schools and offer support and expertise to staff and pupils across both institutions.
Michelle has a B.Ed. Hons from Homerton College, Cambridge and a Masters in Education from the O.U. She has worked in a variety of maintained schools including Hatch End High School, Islington Green (Head of Year), as Head of Teaching and Learning at Hazelwick School in Crawley from 2009 - 2014 and recently was Interim Headteacher at Ditchling (St Margaret’s) C of E Primary School. Michelle is responsible for the educational performance of the schools within the Trust, reporting to the Chief Executive.
Janneke Blokland
Chaplain
Janneke Blokland joined Hurstpierpoint College in 2020 as Chaplain and Teacher of Physics, as well as coordinating the various Service options for College pupils.
She has responsibility for Staff Wellbeing, together with Sue Atkinson and other members of the HR and Senior Management team. She is also a Trustee of the HET, and plays an active role within the Diocese of Chichester.
Janneke studied Physics at the Radboud University Nijmegen, where she obtained both her MSc. and PhD. She also studied Theology at the Universities of Utrecht, Cambridge and Nottingham and trained for ordained ministry at Westcott House. She was ordained in Salisbury Diocese, where she served her curacy in Marlborough before becoming a school chaplain.
Sue Atkinson
Director of HR
Sue Atkinson is the Human Resources Director for the Trust and has also been HR Director at Hurstpierpoint College since joining in 2021.
Sue has a Business Management degree and is an FCIPD Level 7 qualified Senior HR professional with experience across a range of commercial organisations.
She is an experienced HR strategic and operational lead in colleges and multi academy trusts, most recently at London South East Colleges and Warrington and Vale Royal College.
Sue is responsible for working collaboratively with leaders, staff and governors, to achieve organisational goals and create positive working environments where individuals can thrive.
Steve Miles
Senior Business Manager
Steve Miles started at Barclays Bank, where he worked at branch, regional and head office levels for over a decade, latterly working in Corporate Planning and Electronic Banking. Whilst there, he obtained three chartered qualifications (Banking, Accountancy and Corporate Treasury).
He then moved to East Sussex County Council, undertaking financial modelling for a £1bn Waste Management PFI contract, and subsequently provided financial consultancy to a number of local authorities in this area, including the City of Edinburgh and Kent County Council.
Latterly, Steve has worked more locally, as the School Business Manager for St Wilfrid’s CE Primary school, whilst also onboarding schools joining the Trust, with a focus on HR and Payroll data migration, and training schools on the new finance and budget systems. Steve moves to a full-time role with Trust from January 2025.
Jen Dring
Administrator
More information coming soon.
Wendy Loft
Governance Professional
Wendy Loft is an Accredited Clerk who started work as a clerk in 2009, providing clerking services to a number of schools through the West Sussex Clerking Agency, including three permanent schools, an Interim Executive Board and emergency cover.
She currently works as the permanent Clerk to St Wilfrid’s CofE Primary school and Jolesfield CE Primary school.
Wendy has a Diploma in Management from the Open University and previously worked for the Halifax Bank for 15 years as an Assistant Branch Manager and Support Services Manager.
Wendy joined the Hurst Education Trust in February 2023 to develop the policies for the Trust; in addition, she now provides governance support to the Chairs and Clerks of the Local Governing Bodies. She has been the Governance Professional for the Trust Board since July 2024.