David Ross Education Trust

This article is part of the Spinwatch privatisation of Schools Portal project.

David Ross Education Trust (DRET) is a multi-academy trust in England.

It operates 33 state-funded, but independently-run academy schools across the East Midlands, East of England and Yorkshire & Humberside, over 20 of which are primary schools. The schools are grouped into regional hubs, or clusters.

In 2016 it was described as one of 11 ‘system leader’ academy chains in England.

The Trust is sponsored by the David Ross Foundation, the philanthropic fund set up by Carphone Warehouse founder and Conservative Party donor, David Ross.

Virtual learning at DRET

The Trust launched a new ICT package across its 33 schools in October 2016, which it says could be used to deliver virtual lessons in the future. The packagae includes professional development for teachers to help them to make the most of new technology in the classroom, as well as online resources for students with a virtual library and lesson planner. DRET's head of ICT, Guy Shearer, told Schools Week that over time the “end game” could be “full-on virtual teaching” but that would have to be developed “over several years".

Google and DRET

DRET has adopted Google Apps for Education in its schools. By 2015 it had 3,000 Apps accounts and 500 Chromebooks at 13 schools, with plans to double this by the end of the year.

In March 2014 DRET schools received a 'special visit' from Adam Stewart, Regional Manager for Google Education.

Guy Shearer, Head of IT at DRET, says that the Trust is 'really embracing the digital age... the internet is becoming a big influence on our academy’s approach to learning'.

Sheerer presented during Google's 2015 'Education on Air' online conference (8-9 May 2015), on 'Creating impact by rolling out Chromebooks across a network of schools' during a section called 'Shaping the classroom today'.

Dixons Carphone and online learning

Dixons Carphone, part of which was co-founded by David Ross, is lead sponsor of a campaign to get more technology in schools. Techknowledge for Schools, formerly Tablets for Schools, is an educational charity that promotes the use of mobile technology in teaching and learning. As well as the electical retailer, other sponsors include Google, Samsung, HP, TalkTalk and others. The campaign's original aim was for all eleven-year-olds to have access to individual tablet computers in schools, a goal supported by then Education Secretary Michael Gove

Funders

As well as state funding, academy schools can accept charitable donations, which normally goes towards funding initiatives and activities for pupils.

David Ross Education Trust recieved a donation of £4.2 million between 2014-16 from its sponsor, the David Ross Foundation.

People

As of 2016

• Wendy Marshall, CEO
• Mark Ibbertson, finance director
• David Yates, director of education
• Guy Shearer, head of IT

Trustees

As of 2016

• David Ross, sponsor
• David Blunkett, chair of trustees. Blunkett was Education Secretary under Tony Blair (1997-2001). He is currently an advisor to many companies including: Oracle Capital Group; Kandahar Asset Management; and provides 'advisory services for overseas trade, and cyber and internet security advice' through his firm HADAW Productions and Investments.
• James Dunseath, civil partner of Alan Duncan
• Mike Lovett, a 'semi-retired education professional' and adviser to the Department for Education. Described as having 'extensive experience with school improvement, inspection, establishment of Academies and Free Schools'
• David Stone, Social Enterprise Adviser.
• Jamie Gordon, financial advisor; director of Lynas Vokes Investments
• Tom Hindmarch, partner at accountancy firm Duncan and Toplis, which provides the Trust's internal audit.
• Louise Wilson, CEO of Signature Sponsorship, ' a strategic sponsorship consultancy'.
• Professor Katharine Reid, University of Nottingham; Member of an advisory group for EdExcel (chemistry sub-committee), advising on the A Level Chemistry Syllabus.
• Professor Adrian Dixon, Professor of Radiology at the University of Cambridge
• Andrew Foster, Strategic Consultant to Royal Bank of Canada; Director Vitality Health and Life Insurance; former CEO of the Audit Commission.
• Andrea Medlicott-Revell, career in advertising
• Alan Hancock, retired schoolmaster
• Rt Revd John Holbrook, Bishop of Brixworth
• David Overton
• Kirsty Whitehead
• Nigel Woodcock, accountancy

Former Trustees

• Nick Gibb, resigned in August 2014. Current Schools Minister, he was Schools Minister from 2010-2012, School Reform Minister from 2014-15, before becoming Schools Minister again in 2015.
• Mark Bolland, resigned from the Trust in March 2016, according to Companies House, but still a Trustee of the David Ross Foundation. Bolland is a PR professional and a former media adviser to the Prince of Wales. He established a public relations and communications firm, Mark Bolland & Associates. He is also a director of Waypoint Corporate Services (a financial services company); board member of the Helen Hamlyn Trust; the Middlesbrough & Teesside Philanthropic Foundation; and the educational charity, The Open Futures Trust.

Selected governors

As of 2016:

• Stephen Dorrell, chair of governors of Charnwood College, a DRET school. Dorrell is former MP for Charnwood. He also Chairman of Uniform Brands, whose beneficial owner is David Ross. Dorrell is also an advisor to KPMG.
• Ben Brown, governor of Eastfield Academy, a DRET school. Brown was until June 2016 CEO of Edde, a company that supports digital learning in schools through systems that let parents and schools fund devises, insurance and tracking for devices.

Linked companies

• David Ross Education Services

Contact

Website

• David Ross Education Trust: http://www.dret.co.uk
• David Ross Foundation: http://www.davidrossfoundation.co.uk

Address
David Ross Education Trust, 2 Hill Court, Turnpike Close, Swingbridge Road, Grantham, NG31 7XY.