Meet the Harbour Support Services (ID 1003)

• Gary Chown
  Chief Executive Officer
  Gary Chown

  Gary is one of the most experienced Trust leaders in the southwest, having been a Trust CEO for the last 14 years. Gary is committed to partnership working and system leadership; he has worked across the South-West of England as an Education Advisor for the Department for Education and also as an OFSTED inspector. Gary works in a range of partnerships beyond the Trust, locally regionally and nationally. He has extensive school leadership experience and a strong, proven track record of leading school improvement.

• Tash Brown
  Chief Finance Officer
  Tash Brown

• Mo Cann
  Chief Operations Officer
  Mo Cann

• Andrew Finney
  Director of School Improvement & Deputy Chief Executive Officer
  Andrew Finney

  Andrew Finney is Deputy CEO of the Harbour Schools Partnership and a nationally respected education leader. He has held several headships and senior leadership roles across both the UK and Australia, bringing a wealth of international experience to his work. Andrew supports school improvement across primary and secondary phases, driving excellence and innovation. He is co-author of Codified Leadership, a practical guide that distils effective leadership behaviours into actionable habits. Passionate about system leadership and professional development, Andrew plays a pivotal role in shaping strategic direction and fostering collaborative growth across the Trust and beyond.

• Jonathan Gower
  Director of School Improvement & Deputy Chief Executive Officer
  Jonathan Gower

  Jonathan is an experienced Headteacher, having led large urban and small rural primary schools to secure strong outcomes and sustainable improvement. He is an Ofsted Inspector and has led inspections in the South West region. Jonathan's work across the Trust focuses on leadership development, curriculum coherence, and intelligent school improvement. He is committed to practitioner-led collaboration and to ensuring every child's right to flourish. He has contributed nationally as a curriculum writer, mentor, and as an education advisor for a range of professional networks.

• Ashley Leeson
  Senior Primary Advisor
  Ashley Leeson

• Francesca Brinicombe
  SEND Lead
  Francesca Brinicombe

  Francesca is the Trust's SEND & Inclusion Lead, responsible for developing and implementing inclusive strategies that improve outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. She brings over 15 years of experience as a Headteacher, with a proven track record of leading inclusive practice and driving school improvement. Francesca leads on the development of consistent approaches, specialist pathways, and inclusive curriculum design, ensuring alignment with the Devon OAIP Framework. She works closely with school leaders to build capacity, embed high-quality provision, and foster inclusive cultures that meet the needs of all learners

• Jo Down
  People Service Lead
  Jo Down

• Andrew Manning
  IT Service Lead
  Andrew Manning

  Andrew Manning is an experienced IT Service Lead with over two decades of service in the education sector across the South West of England. He is passionate about using cloud technologies to improve operational efficiency and ensure strong security for users and systems. Andrew is an active member of several professional bodies and regularly collaborates with schools, trusts, and individuals to share knowledge and practical experience. His focus on partnership and continuous improvement supports the delivery of reliable and forward-thinking IT services in educational settings.

• Erick Muzard
  Estates Service Lead
  Erick Muzard

• Della Oliver
  Governance & Information Service Lead (on maternity leave)
  Della Oliver

• Claire Silverlock
  Senior Clerk (Maternity cover)
  Claire Silverlock

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• Christine Guard
  Catering Lead
  Christine Guard

  Christine Guard is a well-established Catering Lead with a background in educational catering, starting from the ground up. Christine's passion for feeding young minds started whilst working in the school kitchen where her children attended, she began as a catering assistant, then kitchen manager, gaining a wealth of experience as a mobile kitchen manager, catering in over 64 school kitchens across Devon, often knowing very little about the kitchens until she arrived on site. Christine was then an Account Manager and remained with the same company for 16 years. Christine then transferred to Ventrus/Harbour 4 years ago to lead the catering teams, sharing knowledge and experience of producing Government Guided School Lunches with a strong grounding for Health & Safety/ Food Hygiene in the workplace.