Ormiston Academies Trust

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

Ormiston Academies Trust has been a sponor of state-funded academy schools in England since 2008. As of September 2016 it ran 31 schools, predominantly secondary schools with a focus on the Midlands and East Anglia.

It is part of Ormiston Trust, a charity set up in 1969 to improve the life-chances of children and young people. Its founder is Peter Murray.

Ormiston and Google

Peter Marshall, headteacher of Ormiston Denes Academy in Lowestoft, Suffolk says they have 'benefitted from a close partnership with Google for some time'. The school says it is 'using Google Apps for Education as the backbone for a new way of learning'.

People

Leadership

As of 2016: Professor Toby Salt, CEO (receiving a £30,000 pay rise in 2015). Salt was previously Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director at the National College for School Leadership. In this role, as well as leading the College’s programme of activities in leadership development and school improvement, he also led its lobbying of ministers and senior officials to inform national policy. He was also 'a member of various government groups including the Cabinet Office Innovator’s Council.' He was before that a Director at the Department for Education's Innovation Unit.

• James Miller, National Director of Estates and Technology:
• Paul Nye, Chief Operating Officer.
• Sarah Vout, head of finance.

Trustees / directors

As of 2016:

• Peter Murray, founding chair
• Dr Paul Hann, chair: formerly a senior civil servant in the Academies Division of the Department for Education; according to his biography, he 'has wide experience of successful school improvement and innovation in a variety of settings'.
• Bal Samra, Commercial Director of the BBC (and Managing Director, BBC TV). Samra is also chair of Freesat, the subscription-free satellite TV and radio platform. He is also a director of the Digital Production Partnership.
• Robin Bosher, dubbed a 'super-head', Bosher became director of primary education for the Harris Federation. He was then made Ofsted’s lead inspector for infant schools.
• Ian Brookman; director of Pakenham Accounting & Consultancy, a firm that provides 'services to academies, the not for profit sector and SME businesses'.. Brookman is also a director of Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. He also played 'a key role in the divestment of Suffolk Libraries from Suffolk County Council' He spent his career at accountancy firm, Ensors and EY.
• Frances Hall, runs Corbar Consulting, a 'strategic HR and training consultancy'.
• Wendy Barnes, former Vice Principal Student Support at South Essex College of Further and Higher Education.
• Nicole McCartney, National Director of Performance and Partnerships and Managing Director (East) at Ormiston Academies Trust. She is also Executive Principal of Ormiston Venture Academy.
• Ken Shooter, ex-schools inspector and adviser for specialist schools at the Department for Education.
• Mark Stanyer, headteacher.

Linked organisations

• Ignite: is a teaching school comprised of academies from the Ormiston Academies Trust in the East of England. It is based at Ormiston Venture Academy in Norfolk. A 'National Teaching School', which are schools that work with others to provide training and development to new and experienced school staff, it is part of the government’s plan to 'give schools a central role in raising standards by developing a self-improving and sustainable school-led system'.

Ignite has a number of 'strategic partners'. These include: Education Foundation, Teach First and Teaching Leaders.

Contact

• Website: http://www.ormistonacademiestrust.co.uk
• Address:
  Birmingham office: Ormiston House, 144 Newhall Street, Birmingham B3 1RY