Episode 18: The story of Tutor Trust

Steff joined Tutor Trust in 2018 as the first full-time member of staff for Merseyside. She had graduated from the University of Leeds the previous year with an MA in Race and Resistance and a BA in International History and Politics. During her studies, Steff was a part-time Secondary English and Primary tutor in Leeds. Seeing the impact small group intervention had on the pupils is why she joined Tutor Trust full-time.

Steff has worked in a variety of roles with us, including Liverpool Schools Coordinator, Merseyside Schools Manager, Merseyside Schools Partnership Manager and now Merseyside and West Yorkshire Strategic Operations Manager, where she is responsible for operations across Merseyside and West Yorkshire.  Steff is a member of Tutor Trust's digital working group as she is keen to be involved in driving the organisation forward into a digital future. Steff also sits on Tutor Trust's Equity, Diversity & Inclusion committee and participates in the Wellbeing group (alongside being a Mental Health First Responder trained to help with staff wellbeing). She is also a & Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead. Outside of Tutor Trust, Steff is on the governing board of a large Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) school in Knowsley, the borough where she attended school.

Steff says: “I grew up in a community similar to those we work in, and my experience of school when I was growing up in Merseyside is a key reason why I became committed to working in the education sector and improving educational equality in the North West. Tutor Trust allows me to do that, and I am privileged to work with such a committed team and amazing school partners, who share a common purpose in making education fairer.”

Ed joined the Tutor Trust in 2023 after a decade working as a CEO in the education, charity, and youth sectors and most recently as an award-winning CEO of Middlesex University Students’ Union.

Ed was Vice President of the National Union of Students and has also worked in parliament for Jon Cruddas MP. He has a background in community organising and founded the Barnet Refugee Welcome Board which supports refugees resettled in North London by providing support, education, and welfare provision.

He has led national research into the student experience within Higher Education, working for the Office for Students as well as a number of universities. He is a college governor and has also been a trustee of several social justice charities.

Ed is completing a doctorate in education which is focussed on diversity in education and the role of the third sector in the education system. He is a Trustee of the Darwin Multi Academy Trust and is a graduate of the University of Hull. He has an MBA from the Open University and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Ed says: “I absolutely love working for the Tutor Trust, it is a real privilege to lead an organisation that makes such an important contribution to both education and to wider society. Now more than ever we need to support our young people to reach their full potential and to be able to achieve whatever they have the talent and the ambition to do. To be a part of a team who tirelessly works to make the world a better place is a real joy.”

Abigail has been involved with youth work and charities for many years. Her numerous roles in public affairs and media relations include extensive experience in the education sector, through spending time working at both the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (now the National Education Union) and the Pre-School Learning Alliance (now Early Years Alliance). Abigail's previous role as a freelance communications consultant has included work for GMPTE (now Transport for Greater Manchester) and Manchester City Council.

An alumna of The University of Leeds, Abigail is a graduate of the prestigious Politics and Parliamentary Studies course and has worked in Westminster and Washington DC. Abigail is also a lay member of the General Assembly of the University of Manchester and a Governor at King David Primary School. In February 2024 Abigail was awarded the prestigious University of Manchester's Medal of Honour, which recognises individuals who have made an outstanding and sustained contribution to the University, the city and the wider region.

Abigail says: “I co-founded this charity in 2011, because I believed then, and still do, that there are a proportion of young people in our schools who, through no fault of their own, are being left behind. It was this injustice that prompted myself and my colleague Nick Bent to create Tutor Trust to transform lives through tutoring. Since then, the team at Tutor Trust has focused on supporting young people at school in underserved communities, who might otherwise not realise their potential. I’m so proud of what we have achieved over the years, and the amazing community we have built amongst our staff and school partners. Long may it continue.”