CEO of multi academy trust founded in Nottinghamshire amongst 36 education leaders chosen to ‘shape the landscape’ of education

Chris Wheatley OBE, the chief executive officer of The Flying High Partnership, a multi-academy trust founded in Cotgrave in Nottinghamshire in 2012, has been appointed as one of 36 trust leaders elected to a policy advisory group convened by the Confederation of School Trusts (CST).

Chosen from a potential 125 leaders across England, Chris will now join the collective whose aims are to improve education, representing the views of front-line education staff, to external policy makers, including ministers.

Chris said, “It is an honour to be part of this group who will advocate on behalf of multi-academy trusts, and the huge numbers of dedicated staff who work with our children in education every day. Whilst we cannot decide on policy, we can be a powerful voice on behalf of our professional community, who have the skills and insight to have a positive effect on the efficacy of our education system.

“Alongside my colleagues in the Confederation of School Trusts, providing the best possible education for all of our children is a priority. By advocating for the first hand and hard-won insights of staff in education, we hope to inform policy makers and to collaborate on delivering the best education we can for our young people.”

Writing for Schools Week, deputy CST CEO Steve Rollett said the new group would provide ‘a diversity of voices’ and represent the ‘critical, front-line perspectives that will help to shape the policy landscape for school trusts across England’.

To find out more about the Confederation of School Trusts, please follow the link: https://cstuk.org.uk/

The organisation has named the 36 successful leaders as follows:

1. Ash Ali, CEO, Every Child, Every Day Academy Trust
2. Dave Baker, CEO, The Olympus Academy Trust
3. Dave Barber, Director of Education, Ebor Academy Trust
4. Sarah Bennett, CEO, Inspiring Futures Through Learning
5. Dr Jen Blunden OBE, CEO, Truro and Penwith Academy Trust
6. David Boyle CBE, CEO, The Dunraven Educational Trust
7. Mike Butler, CEO, The Education Village Academy Trust
8. Sharon Carlyon, COO, Inclusive MAT
9. Zoe Carr OBE, CEO, WISE Academies
10. Warren Carratt, CEO, Nexus MAT
11. Dr Herminder Channa OBE, Regional Diretor, Oasis Community Learning
12. Dr Tim Coulson, CEO, Unity Schools Partnership
13. Dr Nicola Crossley, CEO, Liberty Academy Trust Ltd.
14. Mary Curnock Cook CBE, Trustee, River Learning Trust
15. Nicole Dempsey, Director of SEND and Safeguarding, Dixons Academies Trust
16. Caroline Doherty, Head of Public Affairs, Ark Schools
17. Rowena Hackwood, CEO, Astrea Academy Trust
18. Paul Kennedy, CEO, The Good Shepherd Trust
19. Simon Knight, Joint Headteacher, Frank Wise School
20. Nimish Lad, Head of Curriculum Development, Creative Education Trust
21. Stuart Lock, CEO, Advantage Schools
22. Tom Martell, Director of Strategic School Improvement, Cumbria Education Trust
23. Stuart McGhee, CEO, Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust
24. Matthew Meckin, CEO, The Rivers CofE Multi Academy Trust
25. Rebecca Meredith, CEO, Transform Trust
26. Siobhan Meredith, Executive Director of Education, The Ted Wragg MAT
27. Annette Montague, chief education officer, Greenwood Academies Trust
28. Simon Oxenham, CEO, Woodard Academies Trust
29. Melanie Saunders, Head of School Performance, Inspiring Futures Through Learning
30. Matt Snelson, CEO, The Sir John Brunner Foundation
31. Dr Paul Van Walwyk, Director of Education, Ambitious about Autism Schools Trust
32. Rama Venchard MBE, Chair of Trustees, London South East Academies Trust
33. Emily Verow, CEO, Three Spires Trust
34. Chris Wheatley, CEO, Flying High Partnership
35. Shareen Wilkinson, Executive Director of Education, LEO Academy Trust
36. Professor Andrew Wren, CEO, South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust