Trisha Jaffe started her educational career as a middle school trained teacher in Manchester. Her particular interest was in students with learning difficulties and those with additional educational needs. Her career took her to Birmingham, back to Manchester, Hackney, Camden and then to Greenwich. The post in 1996 was as Headteacher of a large mixed 11-19 comprehensive school, the first purpose built one in the country. The area was one of high deprivation and low aspiration, low outcomes and high needs.

The school was approached by Jamie Oliver to consider allowing him to work with the catering staff to improve the diet of students. In 2004, a menu was unveiled that was nutritious and affordable and which improved attention span and attitudes of students. This programme was rolled out to all the schools in the London Borough of Greenwich.

In 2011, the school became a Co-operative Converter Academy, the first in London. Trisha was at that time a Visiting Fellow of the University of London, Institute of Education London Leadership Centre. She became a board member of the Schools Co-operative Society. She also retrained as an Ofsted Inspector and was fully accredited.

Since retiring in August 2014 after 40 years teaching, Trisha has taken on a number of other roles. She was Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Co-operative College. She was also Chair of Trust at a co-operative foundation trust in London and was on the board of governors. In Dec 2015 she joined the board at St Clere’s MAT as a co-opted director. This later converted to Osborne Cooperative Academy Trust, a 12 school MAT in Thurrock and Essex.

Before being appointed as Chair of Trust, Trisha also worked as an educational consultant, undertaking both Ofsted inspections and working directly for schools to support school improvement. She was involved in the development of a co-operative school improvement package to create a robust, outcomes driven, ethical approach to school improvement.