Reach Academies

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

Reach Academies is described as a family of multi academy trusts consisting of Reach2, Reach4 and Reach South.

REAch2 Academy Trust is the largest primary-only multi-academy trust in England. It operates 53 primary academies. It was given permission to open a further 21 primary 'free schools' in Sept 2016.

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

REACH stands for 'Raising Educational Achievement for Children'.

Organisation

REAch2 was founded in 2012, it was one of the first to receive a share of the government's £10million Northern Sponsor fund.

REAch4 Academy Trust was established in 2015 as a sister trust to REAch2, working with primary, secondary and all-through schools. In April 2017, Reach4 rebranded as Astrea Academy Trust and appointed new members that 'cut off any remaining ties to its founders'.

The charity announced the creation of a third trust, REAch South, in May 2016, which is expected to takeover 15 schools in its first year, with similar numbers of schools joining each year thereafter.

People

Reach Academies currently employs Chris Kirk, formerly of PwC and the Department of Education, who is working alongside their leadership team.

REAch2

Leadership (2016):

• Steve Lancashire, founder and Chief Executive of REAch2; former adviser for the Department for Education; knighted in 2016.
• Dean Ashton, business and policy director; former Trustee of Aspire Academy Trust.

Trustees (2016):

• Peter Little, chair of trustees. Investor in and director of a number of software businesses in the financial technology sector. Little, for example, is a director of Twigkit, a 'search' software company.
• Clare Walsh, co-founder of Metia media, a digital marketing agency, and has 30 years’ experience in the financial technology sector.
• Jeremy King, CEO & Founder of Attest, an online market research startup backed by investors Episode 1 Ventures. Formerly 9 years with McKinsey & Company. King is on the advisory board of Founders4Schools.
• Mark Taylor, head of education for compliance professionals at HSBC Holdings.
• Michael Peters, director of Camber Consulting, a public services company with 'considerable experience of helping to move education and care organisations to improve'. His firm is described as having 'undertaken major consultancy and management contracts' with, among others, Reach2 Academy Trust. Formerly Consultant Director of Education with Tribal Group.
• Tony Gilbey, Managing Director at HSBC (Global Head of HSBC’s Capital Goods and Automotive team, serving large corporates).
• Victoria Pigott, commercial litigator and partner at Mishcon de Reya.
• Rt Revd David Rossdale, former Bishop of Grimsby.
• Colin Powell, Director of Education for the Southwark Diocese Board of Education.
• Dr Louise Askew, translator and interpreter

REAch4

Leadership (2016)

• Libby Nicholas, CEO; formerly Director of Education at Academies Enterprise Trust
• Lee Francis, Head of Projects; former Academy Sponsor Relations Manager at Department for Education
• Adam Goldstein, Executive Director of Operations at Reach4 Academy Trust. Goldstein was previously 8 years with PwC and has 'a wealth of expertise in strategic advice, policy and legislation and business planning support to not-for-profit organisations within the education and health sectors.'

Trustees (2016)

• Steve Lancashire, as above
• Prof John West-Burnham, vice chair of trustees. Described as a 'teacher, writer and consultant in leadership development', West-Burnham is a consultant to many projects including Microsoft's Innovative Schools Project.
• Jonathan Simons, Head of the Education Unit at Policy Exchange; formerly of Serco where he was Director of Strategy and Market Development in both the company’s specialist education and health practices. Prior to that, he was Head of Open Public Services in the Cabinet Office, where he co-authored the Open Public Services White Paper, and Senior Policy Adviser and then Head of Education in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit under both Gordon Brown and David Cameron.
• Matthew Robb, Managing Director at Parthenon, a business consultancy firm, which became part of Ernst & Young in 2014, specialising in the education sector, particularly the privatisation of it. Robb has worked on 'school improvement, academy development, the ‘Building Schools for the Future’ programme and on children’s services technology and management information' and is described as 'a major player in market leading work across the education industry'. Formerly of Tribal education.
• Ross Hall, Director of Education Strategy at Ashoka, a 'social entrepreneur', which it refers to as 'changemakers' network. Ashoka says it is 'bringing together the UK’s most innovative and impact-focused schools and partners... to re-imagine learning for the 21st century.' Ross previously worked for Pearson, which REAch4 says 'involved ministries, employers and educators to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of education systems, institutions and programmes around the world.' It says he 'continues to advise organisations and entrepreneurs on innovation for growth.'
• Peter Little, as above
• Valerie Dunsford, head of private school; member of the Department for Education’s Independent/State School Partnership Committee
• Professor Simon Gregory, Regional Director and Dean of Education and Quality at Health Education England
• James Muir, Head of Group National Sales Companies at Volkswagen, based in Germany.

Linked companies

• Reach2 Ltd

Contact

Website: http://www.reach2.org