Our Staff

Martin serves as a senior Executive Headteacher of Ardleigh, St Mary's, Finchingfield, St John the Baptist and St Andrew's, Marks Tey primary academies. He is a former accounting officer for Stisted Primary Academy Trust before overseeing its incorporation into Canonium Learning Trust in 2021.  His tenure as the substantive headteacher at Stisted Primary Academy between 2006 and 2025 resulted in multiple outstanding judgments from Ofsted and the Statutory Inspection for Anglican and Methodist schools as well as transformational change in a school with significant challenges.  Martin has a number of Trust wide responsibilities and is a qualified Special Educational Needs Coordinator and brings with him particular expertise in curricular development, small church schools and pedagogy.

Mr Benson is the Head of School and Designated Safeguarding Lead. He brings to Ardleigh St Mary’s a wealth of experience and expertise from both the UK and international schools having been the Head of Primary at the prestigious International School of Monaco for 9 years and playing a key role in guiding the school to become one of the Top 10 schools in Europe.

Throughout his career in school leadership, Mr Benson has always maintained a weekly teaching commitment to ensure that he knows all his pupils and is able to lead by example to ensure that every child receives an excellent and well-rounded education that best prepares them for an ever-changing world.