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School Improvement Assurance Board
The work of the School Improvement Assurance Board (SIAB) is rooted in the Catholic mission of the Archdiocese of Birmingham: to form Christ-centred pilgrims of hope with kind hearts, questioning minds, a thirst for knowledge and a hunger for justice. In responding to the findings of the Ofsted inspection, the SIAB will pursue rapid and sustained improvement in a way that is fully consistent with this mission, ensuring that high expectations, inclusion, strong relationships and a culture of belonging underpin all aspects of the school’s work. Particular attention will be given to those who are most vulnerable, so that all pupils, without exception, receive the high-quality Catholic education to which they are entitled.
The SIAB is appointed by the Director of Education on behalf of the trustees of the Archdiocese of Birmingham. It will operate as an advisory and assurance committee of the Board of Directors, working alongside the Local Governing Body within the MAC’s Scheme of Delegation. It is established to provide intensive oversight, support, and challenge to the school following the Ofsted inspection, which identified areas for urgent improvement including on leadership and governance.
Full terms of reference can be found below.
School Improvement Assurance Board Membership
Dr Liz Duffy, Diocesan Governor Appointee – Chair of the School Improvement Assurance Board
Liz has significant experience and expertise in education, strategic leadership and governance and is currently a Foundation Director of Emmaus Catholic MAC and a member of the Board of Directors preparing for the St Michael the Archangel CMAT. Her teaching career spans a wide variety of schools and she has been Head Teacher of two secondary schools. She then went on to join the Archdiocese of Westminster as Assistant Director of the Schools Department where she supported and advised Heads and governors on the conduct and leadership of Catholic schools; advised on HR matters such as senior appointments and compliance with CES policies; established diocesan procedures; contributed to CPD for aspiring leaders for the dioceses of Westminster, Northampton and Brentwood; co-created and delivered CPD for middle managers in Catholic schools; provided Governor Training.
Liz went on to be Chair of a Catholic MAT in Slough and was part of the planning and creation and development of a new Catholic Trust within the Northampton Diocese.
Liz holds a degree in English, an MA in Language and Literature in Education, an MBA in Business Administration (Education), an MA in Christian Spirituality and a PhD focussing on “The Ink of the Heart”: Language as Relationship with God.”
Nicole Anderton, Diocesan Governor Appointee – Vice Chair of the School Improvement Assurance Board
“Nicole began teaching as a secondary school teacher, before switching to primary education. She was a primary Headteacher for the last twenty years of her career, firstly in Staffordshire and then in Dudley where she was Headteacher of a large primary school until 2016.
Nicole also taught in Wolverhampton and Walsall, across the age range from Reception to A level. She has been a school governor continuously from 1991 across five different schools as teacher governor, parent governor and Headteacher governor, and more recently Foundation Governor at Saint Peter and Paul’s RC Primary Academy in Wolverhampton until 2019.
During her headships Nicole also worked as a Threshold Assessor and External Adviser, which involved challenging, supporting and giving advice to headteachers on performance management and teaching standards.
In 2019 Nicole was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Saint Francis and St Clare MAC, and became Chair of the Education Standards Committee. When the SFSC MAC was absorbed into the new St Gabriel the Archangel CMAT in September 2025, Nicole joined the new Regional Governance Group and was elected Vice Chair. She is currently the Vice Chair of the Assurance Board for Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School.”
Geraldine McCauley, Diocesan Governor Appointee
Mark O’Connell, Diocesan Representative
Janet Tibbits. Foundation Director, STOCMAC Trust Board
Klaire Louise Butler, Archbishop Ilsley LGB Representative
Professor Paul Ryan, CEO, STOCMAC Executive Leadership Team
In Attendance
Dan Hearnden, Interim Principal, Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School
Dr James Coughlan, Interim Executive Principal, Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School
Christpher Martin, Interim Executive Principal, Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School
To contact the chair of the board please email: l.duffy@ilsley.bham.sch.uk