Three students towards the science building
About us

Governance of the Trust

The Trust

Governance of Hills Education Trust is overseen by the Members. They are responsible for the appointment of Trustees to the Board, for overseeing the Trust's objectives and holding the Board of Trustees to account for good governance. They do not have involvement in daily management of the college. 

Current Members include two former Chairs of the Hills Road Sixth Form College Corporation, a former Hills Road Sixth Form College Principal, a former Head of the Hills Road Sixth Form College Student Council and the current Chair of the Hills Education Trust Board of Trustees. 

The Board of Trustees has overall responsibility for the mission, direction, solvency and future development of the College. 

Chair's welcome

Whether you are joining the Hills Road community or thinking about it for the future – Welcome! Hills Road Sixth Form College is a great place to work and to study: it has been graded as Outstanding by Ofsted across all categories and has results and student outcomes amongst the very best in the country.

Hills Road offers an entirely A-Level focussed education for 16-19 year olds in our region. A choice of 36 A levels provides opportunities for all interests and in addition there is a wide experience on offer in enrichment and via the Extended Project Qualification.

Hills Road created and joined its own Academy Trust – Hills Education Trust - on Monday 1st September 2025 at which point Hills Road Sixth Form College moved from the Further Education sector of state education to the Schools and Academies sector of state education. This modifies the way we interact with the Department for Education but should have no direct effect on student life or the educational experience.

The student experience at Hills Road is well supported by committed and high calibre teachers, tutors and well-being services. Cambridge itself, as a leading academic centre, offers fruitful links between the College and the two Universities as well as local employers. The main aim at Hills Road Sixth Form College is to allow you to be the best person you can be, as well as achieving the best qualifications for the future.

The Board of Trustees for Hills Education Trust provides the governance for the College in the same way that the Hills Road Corporation has done in the past 50 years. We come from a range of personal and professional backgrounds and experiences and act to oversee and monitor the performance and operations of the College: our role is to hold the Principal and College Strategy Team to account and to ensure that – with them – we deliver appropriately on our vision and mission.

We welcome any questions and enquiries regarding governance issues. Please send them to the Governance Professional via email.

Jane Sterling

Chair of Trustees

Meet the Trustees

Jane Sterling

Jane Sterling, Chair of Trustees

Safeguarding Trustee

Retired Dermatologist with a PhD in Virology, Jane has lived in Cambridge since 1973, firstly as a student and then throughout life as a doctor. She worked for the NHS at Addenbrooke’s and also in an academic medical post spanning research and clinical work, with deep involvement in medical education. Formerly Dermatology Training Programme Director for East of England, Academic Vice President for the British Association of Dermatologists and President of the Dermatology Section of the Royal Society of Medicine. Married to Barry, a neuroscientist and past Master of Downing College, and with two close relatives who were students at Hills.

Paula Heaney

Paula Heaney

Runs her own consultancy supporting FE colleges, training providers and universities in their endeavours to improve quality for their learners and apprentices. A qualified Ofsted inspector – former Senior HMI for the eastern region - and teacher, including a spell as Vice-Principal of Peterborough Regional College. Passionate about the post-16 sector and its impact on improving lives and prospects. Has served as a governor at Long Road Sixth Form College on its standards committee.

Anthony Omo

Anthony Omo

Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales: degrees in Law, English and Literature, and a Masters in Business Administration. Currently, Director of Fitness to Practise and General Counsel for the General Medical Council. Worked previously for the Department of Health and Social Security and Crown Prosecution Service. Born in Dublin, he spent his early years between Ireland and Nigeria. Former primary school Chair of Governors.

Kevin Taylor, Chair of the Corporation

Kevin Taylor

Director of Cambridge University Press and Assessment: various publishing, governance, legal and strategy roles there since 1984. First-class degree in English from Caius College. School governing, both primary and secondary, since 1992 (including as Chair and Chair of Finance). Fellow of Royal Society of Arts and author of a guidebook to Cambridge. Literary agent to the estate of writer John Cowper Powys and editor of The Powys Journal.

Adrian Clark

Adrian Clark

Group Finance Director at Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Did A levels at Hills Road before studying Economics and Accounting at Loughborough University. While at Hills Road, Adrian was a keen athlete and county champion in cross-country. After graduating, he became a Chartered Accountant with KPMG on Hills Road in Cambridge before moving on to a number of senior finance positions in international companies, including overseas. In his spare time, he enjoys restoring classic cars.

Jonathan Russell

Jonathan Russell

Principal of Sawston Village College (2018-present), where he has taught since 2005, serving as Deputy Headteacher from 2010-18. Formerly Head of English at Impington Village College, and seconded as Interim Principal to Bottisham Village College. First-class degree in Film and Media from the University of Stirling; Masters in Media from the University of London Institute of Education; and PGCE (English) from the University of Nottingham. National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH, 2008).

Carrie Anne Philbin

Carrie Anne Philbin MBE

PhD student at the University of Cambridge, researching the impact of generative artificial intelligence large language models on computing education. Passionate about computing and computer science, supporting educators in that field across the globe. Formerly Director of Educator Support for Raspberry Pi Foundation where she led the development of a complete curriculum programme to teach Computing to 5-16 year-olds, as well as creating and facilitating over 30 online training courses to support teachers with their subject knowledge and pedagogy.

Richard Westcott

Richard Westcott

Head of Communications at Cambridge University Health Partners and Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Formerly a reporter and newsreader at Radio One, spending several months in the Middle East covering the Iraq War; also a business presenter on breakfast television; the BBC’s Transport Correspondent; and Cambridge-based science reporter for the BBC. Previously a Parent Governor of Hills Road. Enjoys sport and has volunteered for Age UK’s Friendship phone call service.

Bruno Cotta

Bruno Cotta

Consultant in leadership, strategy, innovation and enterprise. Formerly Executive Director of the Entrepreneurship Centre at the University of Cambridge’s Judge Business School, Director of Enterprise Strategy at Imperial College London, and Founding Director of the Imperial Enterprise Lab. 30+ years’ experience working with public-, private- and third-sector organisations, from entry-level students to board-level executives, local start-ups to global corporates, and others in research, education, healthcare, philanthropy, industry and government. Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College.

Jo Trump

Jo Trump, Principal

Ex officio Trustee as Principal of Hills Road.

Robert Smith, Governance Professional

Robert Smith

Robert Smith, Governance Professional