Trust Leadership Team

Michael Cater is CEO of The Character Trust, leading values-driven school improvement across a multi-academy trust. With over 20 years in education, including nine as Headteacher of Wrotham School, he specialises in raising standards and system-wide leadership. Michael holds the NPQEL and is passionate about equity, innovation, and opportunity—especially for working-class children—believing every child deserves the chance to succeed, regardless of background.

Sheila brings a wealth of valuable experience in education, both in school leadership and governance. Sheila is an ex Headteacher, has worked as an adviser to primary schools and until recently was inspecting international schools. Sheila understands the leadership and governance challenges facing schools in all age phases, and brings her support and challenge into our schools, alongside her commitment to doing what is best for young people.

Nigel leads the finance function across our schools. Before joining our team in 2020, Nigel was working as an Accountant in the commercial sector. Nigel is committed to ensuring our students benefit from great facilities and the best staff. He has helped us to achieve that whilst maintaining healthy reserves year on year. Our Trust is in a strong financial position. Nigel has great experience in contract management and achieving savings. He also overseas our internal payroll services, which save us money and time. Nigel is not removed from the life of our schools. Nigel brings a hands on approach to problem solving and is the Chair of his Local Parish Council.

Ben brings great HR experience from the private sector to our Trust and holds the CIPD Level 5 qualification. He leads recruitment for our schools and can give the time required to give us the best selection of candidates for our vacancies. He is passionate about our staff feeing they have great working conditions and takes real care to ensure new staff feel welcome and have the information they need to make a good start. He also leads our work on staff wellbeing as we strive to be the best employer we can be.

Laura Abbott is Headteacher of Wrotham School and brings over 20 years of experience in education. Prior to this role, Laura served as Deputy Headteacher at Wrotham for three years, playing a key role in shaping the school’s ethos and driving standards. A passionate advocate for character education, Laura leads Wrotham School with a clear vision for excellence, combining academic ambition with a strong values-based approach. Under her leadership, the school continues to grow in strength and reputation, with a focus on developing well-rounded, resilient learners prepared for life beyond the classroom. Laura brings a wealth of leadership experience and a deep understanding of how to embed lasting school improvement and foster a thriving school culture.

Tanya has been the Headteacher of Aylesford School since 2017, following her role as Deputy Headteacher at Wrotham. She is deeply committed to school improvement and has led Aylesford through a remarkable seven-year journey of transformation. When support for the school first began, it faced significant challenges across all areas. Under Tanya’s leadership, the school has made sustained progress and is now oversubscribed, reflecting the community’s growing confidence in its direction. Tanya brings a wealth of experience in raising standards rapidly and fostering strong partnerships with families and the wider community to support long-term success.