Ormiston Academies Trust leaders to retire after a combined 18 years at the top

They have a combined 18 years of experience at the head of the academic trust, with Dr Hann having been a trustee since 2011 and Mr Hudson joining in 2016. Together they helped educate the more than 30,000 children and young people for which the trust is responsible across 43 schools all over the UK – including Ormiston Six Villages Academy in Westergate.

Dr Hann stood down as chair just before Christmas and plans to continue as a trustee until March. His successor as chair is Julius Weinberg, who has previously served as the vice-chancellor of Kingston University, the deputy chair of Ofqual and the chair of Ofsted.

Mr Hudson, meanwhile, joined as national director of education, and became chief executive officer in 2016, he will retire at the end of the academic year and the OAT has launched a national recruitment campaign to find a replacement.

Dr Hann said: “Serving Ormiston Academies Trust for the last 11 years has been a pleasure and a privilege. When Peter Murray established the Trust, he promised it would always stay true to a clear principle – that we would be rooted in the communities in which we work. I am proud that we have honoured that.

“There was an extremely strong field of candidates to take over as Chair but Julius was trustees’ unanimous choice. He has a distinguished background, he knows education and he knows Whitehall. He will do an outstanding job.”

Nick Hudson added: “While I look forward to what retirement will bring, there is no doubt that I am also very sad to be leaving such a wonderful organisation. It has been an honour both to lead an academy trust which so values its pupils and students, their families and communities, and to work with such an outstanding group of colleagues.

“I believe we have together achieved a great deal during my time here, and throughout Paul’s time as Chair and as a trustee, and I am clear that Ormiston Academies Trust will continue to thrive because of the firm foundations in place.”

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