Chris Heptinstall
Trustee

Chris has worked in the Schools/Academy sector as a School Business Manager, and Trust CFO for the last 10 years, across 3 different Multi Academy Trusts.

Before that, he worked for Cheshire East Local Authority in the Business Support team, supporting various business and finance functions across the Children and Families Service, before moving to the School Organisation and Capital Strategy team in 2011, where he worked with schools and colleagues in assets and capital finance on the LA’s capital programme for schools and other settings. This role gave him the opportunity to work with colleagues across the borough, on estates management and capital planning, including carrying out suitability and sufficiency surveys in schools, and contributing to the monitoring and reporting on the Childrens’ Services and Education Capital Programme.

Currently, as Director of Business (CFO) at the Youth Engagement Schools Trust, Chris has led the finance and operational set up of 4 schools (3 Free Schools and one Independent), soon to be 5 schools with the opening of a 5th school, September 2024. This will be a brand new, 64 place, SEMH Free School in Halton.

Chris has undertaken a huge amount of training and professional development over the last 10 years, including completing the CIPFA Level 7 Certificate in School Financial and Operational Leadership in 2020. His learning on this course, along with the growth and development in his own Trust, has given a detailed and broad understanding of the Academy and Free Schools sector, and the many financial and operational challenges of running successful schools and academies.