Jo Harrison

Chief Executive Officer

Jo Harrison is the Chief Executive Officer of Create Partnership Trust and an experienced executive and system leader. A former National Leader of Education and a serving Ofsted Inspector for more than ten years, Jo has led school improvement across a wide range of settings and supported schools and trusts nationally.

Jo has significant experience of leading transformational change in schools serving communities facing high levels of disadvantage. As a Headteacher, she led a school from Special Measures to Outstanding, establishing it as one of the country’s highest-performing schools for more than eight years. The school became nationally recognised for its work in improving social mobility and demonstrating what can be achieved through high expectations, exceptional teaching and a deep commitment to the community. As an Executive Headteacher, Jo also led the rapid transformation of another school from Special Measures, securing substantial improvements while developing and retaining its existing staff.

Before joining Create, Jo was National Primary Director for a large, national, cross-sector multi-academy trust comprising primary, secondary and specialist provision. She then became Director of Education within a high-performing and rapidly growing primary multi-academy trust, supporting its development from six to 17 schools. Together, these roles gave Jo extensive experience of leading at scale, supporting trust growth and integration, developing leaders, strengthening inclusive practice and securing sustainable improvement across diverse communities.

Jo has also contributed to national work with the Department for Education, including the Reading Framework, and regularly shares her expertise through conferences and professional networks.

At the heart of Jo’s leadership is a belief that every child and adult should feel that they belong, are valued and can flourish. She combines high ambition with warmth, curiosity and a commitment to listening, believing that lasting improvement is built through trust, collaboration and empowering others.

As CEO, Jo is committed to bringing Create’s schools together through a shared purpose while celebrating the distinctive strengths of each community. Her ambition is to create exceptional opportunities and flourishing futures for every child, colleague and community.

Chris Dyson

Deputy Chief Executive Officer

Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do, because it is the key to ensuring every child becomes a scholar—whether in Reading, Writing, Maths, Sport, the Arts, or all of them. When I say every child, I truly mean every child.

Previously, I have been a Head Teacher for 9 years where I took one of the most deprived schools in the country to an Outstanding Ofsted grade. The school is in the Top 1% of the country with regard to Maths and the Top 5% in Reading and Writing. I want the same high aspirations and success for the children across Create. Arts and creativity are essential to the children and was part of the non negotiables that I like to see in every school.

Arts and creativity are non-negotiable in our schools—they are essential to a rich and balanced education. As a TES National School Award winner and former Teacher of the Year, I am proud to lead a Trust where children and community always come first.

Together, we will continue to build a future where every child thrives.

Chris Dyson DCEO

Tania Yasmin

Executive Headteacher

I have dedicated my career to creating schools where every child thrives and every teacher feels empowered to grow. Before joining Create Partnership Trust, I worked in Tower Hamlets and across Birmingham, leading schools through change and improvement. Since 2016, I have been proud to be part of Create, shaping its vision and values and helping to build a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and excellence.

My work is driven by a simple belief: strong foundations matter. For children, that means high-quality teaching, rich experiences, and a commitment to equity. For support staff, teachers and leaders, it means professional development that inspires confidence and ambition. At Create, I currently lead school improvement across our family of schools, focusing on writing, leadership development, and early years. I also champion SEND and inclusion, ensuring that children with complex needs — including AuDHD, ASD, and SLCN — have the right support to succeed.

I’ve worked with universities to develop ITT programmes, and co-created research-based strategies for curriculum design and teaching and learning . But what matters most to me is the people: building teams, nurturing talent, and creating schools that feel like communities. My leadership philosophy is rooted in collaboration and evidence-informed practice. I believe that when we invest in teachers, we transform lives — and when we work together, we achieve more than we ever could alone.

Judith Hunt

Chief Operations Officer

Judith Hunt joined Create Partnership Trust as Interim Chief Operations Officer in March 2026. She brings extensive operational leadership experience, with more than 30 years working across a diverse range of educational settings, alongside over 10 years in local government services, specialising in operational service delivery. As Interim Chief Operations Officer, Judith is responsible for all aspects of operational management across the Trust, including administration, catering, estates and premises, IT, and human resources. Her strategic focus is on embedding operational excellence and best practice, ensuring that all support services enable and enhance high-quality teaching and learning across the Trust’s schools. Judith is passionate about creating efficient, effective, and sustainable operational systems that allow school leaders and staff to focus on delivering the best possible outcomes for pupils. “It is a delight to work with the Create Partnership Trust Central Team and support its vision and values through every aspect of operational practice, while contributing to the education and success of our pupils.” — Judith Hunt

Collette O'Connell

Human Resources Manager

Collette is the Human Resources (People) Manager for the Trust, having joined us in 2018 with over 15 years’ experience across the education sector including schools, further and higher Education. Collette IS CIPD qualified and an Associate member of the CIPD.

As a member of the Create Executive Team, Collette oversees all aspects of Human Resources, supports senior leaders, trustees, and works directly with the schools and trade unions.

Janine Gardner

Strategic Operations Manager

Janine is an experienced Strategic Operations Manager with a strong commitment to improving efficiency and delivering impactful outcomes within the education sector. Since joining the Trust in 2017, she has brought extensive expertise in project and operational management.

As part of the Create Executive Team, Janine leads on strategic estates management while also overseeing compliance, governance, contract management and project delivery. In addition, she serves as Company Secretary for the Trust, ensuring robust governance and regulatory adherence.

Passionate about creating the best possible learning environments, Janine is dedicated to enabling pupils to achieve their full potential.

Lorna Ingram

Interim Finance Business Partner

Lorna is the Interim Finance Business Partner and joined Create Partnership Trust in January 2025. As a fully qualified FCCA accountant, Lorna has over 20 years financial experience across a range of businesses and sectors, specialising in education over the last 8 years. Lorna is responsible for all aspects of finance, and her key strategic aim is financial sustainability, ensuring that well informed decisions can be made at all levels. "It is an absolute pleasure to be part of the Create Partnership Trust Central Team and to help contribute to the vision and values of the trust."

Emily Hartland

PA to Trust Headteachers

Emily provides personal, tailored support to the Headteachers across the Trust. She has wide administration experience including 10 years with Birmingham LA prior to joining Create in 2017.

Farzana Mughal

Finance Administrator

Farzana joined Create in 2019 as the finance administrator, providing financial support to the schools. Farzana has over 14 years of experience within larger Academies (Secondary Schools).