Name: Cath Kitchen
Professional Title: CEO
Background: Cath has a first class honours degree in Biology and Chemistry, followed by a PGCE at Exeter University, and a Masters in Child and Adolescent Mental Health from University of Northampton. She began teaching in secondary mainstream schools in Devon in 1983. She has subsequently taught in the North East, Manchester, Suffolk, and Northamptonshire across secondary, primary and early years.
Cath was appointed as a hospital teacher at Northampton General Hospital which was part of the newly formed Pupil Referral Unit, Hospital and Outreach Education (HOE), in September 2000, and worked her way up to become the Headteacher. She is now the CEO of The Skylark Partnership Trust, a multi academy trust for pupils with medical needs.
Cath is a National Leader of Education for hospital education, and represents the sector on the Alternative Provision Reference Group at the DfE .
Name of Organisation: The Skylark Partnership Trust
Status of organisation: Multi Academy Trust
Area of the country: East and West Midlands
Description of your organisation: The Skylark Partnership is made up of 2 medical AP academies, Hospital and Outreach Education in Northamptonshire, and Cherry Tree Learning Centre in Dudley.
Both have outreach centres for pupils who cannot attend school full time, offer inpatient teaching at local hospitals, home tuition and online learning offer, and in Northamptonshire there are also 3 tier 4 CAMHS units in which we teach.
