PDET Members
Members are similar to a company’s shareholders – they sit above the Board of Directors and have a largely hands-off role.
Their key responsibilities include appointing the Directors and holding them to account for the successful governance of the Trust.
PDET Members
Peterborough Diocese Church Schools Trust (PDCST) - vacancy
Chair of the Board of Directors of PDET, currently Maxine Clewlow
Maxine Clewlow was a Director of Schools for the LEAD Academy Trust in the West Midlands, a role supporting Headteachers and being responsible for the outcomes in their academies. Her work with Pupil Premium across the Trust has been noted in the Trust's Ofsted Summary Review. She has been a successful Headteacher of Faith schools in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, both accredited as outstanding by Ofsted. As a Designated Support School and NLE, Maxine supported a number of other schools who found themselves in challenging circumstances. Maxine was seconded to HMI and subsequently was retained as an Additional Inspector. Maxine has been a Director of the Board since September 2023, and subsequently taken on the role of Chair from 1st September 2026.
Margaret Holman
Margaret was Headteacher of Bishop Stopford School, a Church of England converter academy for 16 years. During this time, she was a National Leader of Education (and Bishop Stopford was designated a National Support School). She was a member of the first Fellowship Commission of NLEs reporting to the Secretary of State, and she sat on the Secondary Heads Reference Group at the DfE for over 10 years. Margaret is a trustee of the Woodard Corporation and currently chairs its Education committee. She is also a director of the Woodard Academies Trust, chairing the WAT’s Education committee.
Reverend Doug Spenceley, Appointee of PDCST
Reverend Doug Spenceley has been ordained since 2009. He was Bishop’s Vicar for Church Schools in Peterborough Diocese until August 2021. He served in a range of roles in schools during his employment, and was for 10 years Assistant Education Officer for Special Educational Needs with Northamptonshire LEA. Doug was a SIAMS inspector until 2018. He has been involved in governance in various schools and MATS, including 10 years as Chair of a CofE Primary School. He is currently a Director of iMAT and governor at Flore CE Primary School.
Dr. Ron Whittaker
Dr Ron Whittaker is a Director of two not for profit companies specialising in technology and providing facilities for small businesses. He is a member of the DBE and sits on its Executive Committee. Ron was a former Chair and sat on the Board of Bishop Stopford School for 25 years. He is currently a Director of the Nene Education Trust based in East Northants.