EB50 Most Influential 2024 by PSI Media

Education Business: 50 Most Influential

Now in its third year, the EB50 Most Influential list is our pick of the fifty most impactful people shaping the education landscape

Welcome to the EB50 Most Influential – our pick of the fifty individuals that are making an impact on education.

Now in its third year, the EB50 Most Influential list is our selection of inspirational people shaping the education sector. This may be on classroom practice, curriculum delivery, assessment, governance, funding, safeguarding, policy reform, training, teacher welfare or business management.

A number of education veterans are on the list, as well as teachers past and present, union representatives, MAT leaders, charities, and association bosses. They have all played their part in shaping how the education system is delivered, how schools are run, how teachers teach, and how pupils learn. These individuals work to overcome the challenges facing the sector to create an education system where all pupils thrive. Congratulations to all on the list. For consideration on next year’s list, please email angela.pisanu@psigroupltd.co.uk

50 Tom Sherrington Director, Teacherhead Consulting

Tom Sherrington has worked in schools for 30 years, both as teacher and head teacher. Through his consultancy, Teacherhead, Tom works with teachers and school leaders to explore and implement contemporary educational ideas to deliver an excellent all-round education for young people.

49 Mark Anderson head of education,

NetSupport

Mark is a former school leader with more than twenty years of experience in the classroom. He believes in the purposeful use of technology linked to pedagogy, and runs a successful blog called the ICT Evangelist, as well as working part time as head of education at Net Support. He is also governor at the King Alfred School Academy.

48 Matthew Burton Headteacher,

Thornhill Community Academy

Matthew rose to prominence as an English Teacher in 2013 after starring in Channel 4’s multi awardwinning documentary series Educating Yorkshire. Now head teacher of the school, a second series of the show will be filmed during 2024/2025 and aims to hit TV screens by the end of next year.

47 Caroline Wright director general, British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA)

BESA represents more than 400 education suppliers, requiring them to adhere to a rigorous code of conduct to ensure that schools work with trusted companies. Caroline has held a range of positions sharing insights and expertise on the UK education suppliers sector including Co-Chair of the DfE EdTech Leadership Group, the Worlddidac Council, and Education Investor Advisory Board.

46 Chris Rothwell associate consultant, EDT&Partners

Education Technology expert Chris has a wealth of experience in helping the school sector improve through technology. He was director of education at Microsoft, supporting over 30,000 customers including schools, colleges, and universities. He now works at EDT&Partners, supporting EdTech vendors and education customers on their strategies and products.

45 Ross Morrison McGill founder and CEO, Teacher Toolkit

Ross has spent over 20 years as a classroom teacher, and now works with teachers and schools worldwide, enhancing teaching and learning, reducing workload and improving teacher mental health. He was featured in The Sunday Times’ ‘500 Most Influential People in Britain’, and volunteers as a primary governor and acts as a judge for the National Teaching Awards.

44 NEW Amanda Wilson headteacher, St Alfege with St Peter’s CofE Primary School

Amanda Wilson’s inspirational journey encompasses over 25 years’ in education and leadership. She has a track record for supporting teachers in securing leadership roles, and after being appointed to her first head position in 2019, she has since gone on to publish a book aimed at encouraging the next generation of Black school leaders. She is also the founder of the First 100 Days Headteachers Conference, and won the 2024 EB Leadership Award in the Primary sector.

43 David Thomas chief executive, Axiom Math

As co-founder of Oak National Academy, David worked to support schools during the Covid-19 pandemic, and received an OBE for services to education in 2020. He is also CEO of Axiom Maths, an organisation aiming to transform students’ lives with the power of mathematics.

42 Dominic Norrish Chief executive, Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS)

Former Chief Operating Officer of United Learning is considered a sector expert and thought leader, regularly invited to contribute to government, academic and industry projects in EdTech. He is now chief executive at the IAPS and has recently written to government to raise concerns over how they are going about implementing VAT on independent school fees from January 2025.

41 Fiona Aubrey-Smith director, One

Life Learning

Named in 2024 as one of the Top 5 Visionary Women in Education, Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith is an award winning teacher, leader and academic with a passion for supporting those who work with children and young people. As Founder of PedTech and Director of One Life Learning, Fiona works closely with schools and trusts, professional learning providers and EdTech companies.

40 Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson headteacher, Anderton Park Primary

As a Shakespeare fan from a young age, Sarah uses her love of theatre to inspire the next generation, with her school becoming a Royal Shakespeare Associate under her care. She was chosen as Tes person of the year for the way she has led her school during protests against teaching LGBT+ diversity, and has now become a leading voice in promoting equality in schools.

39 David Didau senior lead practitioner for English, Ormiston Academies Trust and director of The Learning Spy

David has worked for Ormiston Academies Trust as Senior Lead Practitioner for English since 2021. David is a former head of English at a secondary school whose work has also included advising Ofsted on how to inspect lessons. He is also the author of several books, including ‘Making Kids Cleverer’ and ‘Making Meaning in English’. E

F 38 NEW Jo Marchant advisor and school estates professional

Jo Marchant MBE, author of The School Premises Handbook, has been responsible for leading school business operations in both local authoritymaintained schools and a multi-academy trust, in special education and mainstream settings. In 2022 Jo joined the steering group of The Trust Network which meets quarterly with the DfE to discuss its guidance, such as the Estate Management Competency Framework. Jo was awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List June 2024 for services to education.

37 Professor Simon Peyton Jones chair of computing at school (CAS) and NCCE

As the founder of Computing at School (CAS), Simon’s mission is to deliver outstanding computing education in schools across the UK. Today CAS has more than 360 volunteer communities covering the whole of the UK and has 20,000 members sharing advice and guidance. Simon received an OBE in 2022 for services to education and computer science.

36 NEW Emma Balchin

Chief Executive, National Governance Association

Emma has over 25 years’ experience in education, leadership and school improvement. She has significant experience in maintained school and academy governance, as well as serving as an Interim Executive Board (IEB) member and mentoring others. From September 2023, Emma became the Chief Executive of NGA and also oversees NGA’s Professional Development services.

35 Annamarie Hassall MBE

Chief Executive, Nasen & chair of whole school SEND

Annamarie Hassall MBE is the chief executive of nasen, a charitable organisation that supports and champions those working with SEND children. Annamarie has a wealth of experience in children’s services, with a career that started in children’s residential and social care. She then worked as an early years specialist in local government before moving to an advisory role for the Department for Education (DfE), followed by the private sector, where she successfully delivered national programmes on behalf of government.

34 Sir Mufti Hamid Patel CBE chief executive, Star Academies

Sir Mufti has led the Star Academies trust since its inception. His vision guides the philosophy of the trust and informs its practice, and he plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of education by participating in several strategic forums across the UK. In recognition of his service to education, he was awarded a CBE in 2015 and a knighthood in 2021.

33 Ian McNeilly consultant and Trust Improvement Partner

Previously a senior Ofsted inspector and chief executive officer at The de Ferrers Trust, Ian now works as a trust improvement partner, supporting trusts in the East and West Midlands so they can improve the life chances of the children in their care. A published author, Ian has a particularly focus on helping children who are disadvantaged.

NEW Carolyn Roberts former head teacher, Thomas Tallis School

Having worked in education since 1983, Carolyn has recently announced her retirement, leaving an impactful career in ethical leadership. Carolyn was Headteacher of Thomas Tallis School in London, co-director of the PTI (formerly the Prince’s Teaching Institute), chair of the Ethics Committee and a founding fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching.

31 NEW Mark Lehain Executive Headteacher at Wootton Academy Trust

Formerly the special adviser to education secretary Gillian Keegan, Mark has taken up the position as executive headteacher at Wootton Academy Trust in Bedfordshire. The former maths teacher stood as the Conservative candidate for Newcastle North in the 2019 election, and has served both Keegan and Nadhim Zahawi when they were education secretary.

30 Professor Mick Waters author, educationalist

Former head teacher and Director of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, Mick Waters has worked in education, both at classroom and policy levels. He has worked to develop revised policy and practice for leadership, teacher education, governance and classroom teaching. In 2022, he published ‘About Our Schools: Improving on previous best’, with Sir Tim Brighouse.

29 Professor Dylan Wiliam Emeritus professor, UCL Institute of Education

Dylan Wiliam is a renowned assessment expert that has had a significant effect on classroom practice over time. He co-wrote ‘Inside the Black Box’, which made waves in education by offering teachers practical, evidence-based advice on how to improve pupil learning through formative assessment. He still regularly commentates on the exams and assessment landscape.

28 Alex Quigley National Content Manager, Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)

Alex supports the content development at EEF to ensure it meets the needs of school leaders and teachers and also leads on its school engagement function, listening to the profession to understand their pressures, priorities and practices. A former teacher, Alex is also the author of books including ‘Closing the Vocabulary Gap’ and ‘The Confident Teacher’.

27 Daisy Christodoulou Director of Education, No More Marking

Daisy Christodoulou has developed evidencebased practices that have made a big impact in the classroom and made her a big name in the world of assessment. She is Director of Education at No More Marking, a provider of online comparative judgement software for schools, and before this, she was head of assessment at Ark Schools. She is also the author of three influential books about education: Teachers vs Tech, Making Good Progress, and Seven Myths about Education.

26 Stephen Morales operations director, the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL)

As the CEO of ISBL for the past ten years, Stephen is committed to driving improvements across every area of education by unlocking the potential of a unified, professional school business workforce. Throughout his time, Stephen has continued to lead ISBL in its work with the Department for Education, supporting more than 10,000 school business professionals to gain formal qualifications and flourish in the profession.

25 Sir Michael Wilshaw chair, Education Advisory Board at the Education Endowment Foundation

Sir Michael has a long and distinguished career in the education sector. He served as Ofsted’s Chief Inspector from 2012 to 2016 and was a teacher for 43 years, with 26 of these as a headteacher. Now he is chair of the Education Advisory Board at the EEF, working to help socio-economically disadvantaged young people succeed in formal education.

Amanda Allard director of the Council for Disabled Children

Amanda has worked in children’s policy for the last 30 years and has recently been selected by Ofsted to be a member of two external reference groups advising on behaviour, attendance and inclusion, as the watchdog embarks on wide-ranging reforms. As director of the Council for Disabled Children, Amanda is determined to help frontline services ensure disabled children achieve their aspirations and not feel excluded.

23 NEW Frank Norris Education adviser, Northern Powerhouse Partnership

With a teaching career, including two headships, as well as a period at Ofsted where he was instrumental in developing detailed grade descriptors to support more consistent judgement making, Frank Norris is a well-respected figure in education. He was director of the Co-op Academies Trust and oversaw the number of academies growing to 23. He is currently seconded to the Northern Powerhouse Partnership and is a trustee and chair of finance at the Great Academies and Education Trust. E

F 22 Tom Bennett independent behaviour advisor, DfE

Tom Bennett is a behaviour advisor for the Department for Education as well as founder of researchED, a grass-roots organisation that raises research literacy in education. Tom has written four books about teacher training, and in 2015 he was long listed as one of the world’s top teachers in the GEMS Global Teacher Prize. His online resources are a valued resource in the education community.

21 NEW Daniel Kebede general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU)

Daniel was elected NEU General Secretary in 2023, working previously as national president of the union, and as a NEU rep, undertaking casework and negotiation. Before this, he was a primary school teacher. Daniel works to oversee the “fundamental change” the sector needs, including an end to real terms pay cuts, an end to massive workloads, and a reform of Ofsted’s “punitive regime”.

20 Anne Longfield CBE founder, Centre for Young Lives

Anne Longfield CBE is a passionate champion for children, influencing and shaping the national debate and policy agenda for children and their families. Anne is founder and Chair of the Commission on Young Lives, an independent think tank dedicated to improving the lives of children, young people and families, and was Children’s Commissioner for England from 2015 to February 2021. She previously led a national children’s charity and has also worked on the delivery of the Sure Start programme in the Cabinet Office.

19 Dr Patrick Roach general secretary, NASUWT

Working at NASUWT since 1998, Dr Patrick Roach continues to fight for teachers right as general secretary of the union. A recent campaign, called a ‘New Deal for Teachers’, urges the government to do more for better teacher pay, workload, working hours and wellbeing. Patrick has also been working hard to end the injustice of racial inequality within the school workforce.

18 Paul Whiteman general secretary, National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT)

Having taken the position of NAHT general secretary in September 2017, Paul has spent years campaigning and speaking out for the rights of head teachers. Paul has worked to make school funding a priority in government, campaigned for changes to school inspections, argued the case for salary increases, and supported SEND improvement. The NAHT has recently started a pilot of regional equality representatives to advance equality, diversity and inclusion in the education sector.

17 Hilary Spencer chief executive, Ambition Institute

Hilary has held a range of senior positions in the Civil Service, including more than a decade at the Department for Education. She is a school governor, and helped set up a secondary school in Lambeth. She leads the work of the Ambition Institute, which helps educators to keep getting better so that the education system can ensure that every child thrives, whatever their background.

16 Emma McCrea head of curriculum, Oak National Academy

Emma leads on curriculum design at Oak National Academy – an independent public body to support teaching. She is an experienced teacher and school leader and has worked in ITT, specialising in the design and delivery of evidence-informed teacher training for both trainee and experienced teachers. She is a Fellow in Teacher Education, an EdTech start-up founder and author of ‘Making Every Maths Lesson Count’.

15 Samantha Twiselton Professor Emeritus & former director of the Sheffield Institute of Education

Samantha has played a leading role as an adviser on policy around initial teacher training (ITT) and development. She has sat on the advisory group for the Carter review of initial teaching training, worked on both the Core Content and Early Career Framework (ECF) and, was a member of the government’s expert group advising on the ITT review. Sam is trustee for Teach First, several multi academy trusts, teaching school hubs and educational charities.

14 NEW Peter Hyman co-founder, School 21

Peter Hyman has a number of education improvement achievements under his belt. He is co-director of Big Education, a new organisation set up to change the story of what matters in education. He is the co-founder and the first headteacher of School 21, a pioneering 4 to 18 years school that opened in Stratford, East London in 2012, and also co-founder of Voice 21, a social enterprise developing speaking skills in young people. Previously he was a strategist and speechwriter for the Tony Blair when he was Prime Minister, and is author of ‘1 out of 10, from Downing Street Vision to Classroom Reality’.

13 Professor Dame Alison Peacock chief executive officer, Chartered College of Teaching

Professor Dame Alison Peacock works to keep and attract excellent teachers into the profession. She is CEO of the Chartered College of Teaching, a professional body supporting teachers to provide world-class education and raising the status of the teaching profession. Prior to becoming CEO, Professor Dame Alison Peacock was Executive Headteacher of The Wroxham School in Hertfordshire. Her career to date has spanned primary, secondary and advisory roles.

12 Geoff Barton chair, Commission on the Future of Oracy Education in England

Geoff Barton, who recently stepped down as general secretary of the Association of Schools and College Leaders union, has been appointed to lead the oracy commission for Voice 21, a charity co-founded by Peter Hyman. The Commission on the Future of Oracy Education in England will examine the vital skills of speaking and listening at a time of technological and social change. His time as ASCL boss saw him represent 25,000 senior leaders in education, acting as their voice to get change to happen at the highest level.

11 Matt Hood principal, Oak National Academy

Matt co-founded Oak National Academy during the pandemic to equip teachers with resources during home-learning. He has overseen its development from start-up to the country’s publicly-funded bank of curriculum and teaching resources. Matt is also Chair at Bay Leadership Academy in Morecambe and a Governor at Lancaster and Morecambe College. He was a co-founder at Ambition Institute, the UK’s largest provider of teacher and school leader professional development, and a founding Trustee at The Brilliant Club which supports less advantaged students to access the most competitive universities. He has recently been selected as one of Ofsted’s external reference group members.

10 NEW Jonny Uttley chief executive, The Education Alliance

John Uttley has a focus on promoting ethical leadership and inclusivity in the education system. As an experienced Headteacher he’s been tasked by the Centre for Young Lives think tank to put together an “aspirational vision for inclusive schools”. He’s also an elected member of the DfE Advisory Board for Yorkshire and the Humber and a trustee at SHINE, an educational charity committed to reducing disadvantage in northern schools, as well as the co-author of Putting Staff First: A Blueprint For Revitalising Our Schools.

9 Nick Gibb consultant and former Schools’ Minister

Nick has been heavily involved in education policy for a long time, serving as schools minister on three separate occasions over a period of 13 years. During this time, he has had significant influence on education policy, particularly around phonics and children’s reading. Nick now works at the Education Development Trust as an ambassador of education improvement for clients in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. E

F 8 Sir Peter Lampl founder, The Sutton Trust

Sir Peter Lampl has announced his decision to retire as Executive Chairman of the Sutton Trust, but leaves a legacy of tireless campaigning and work to help low and moderate income young people to access outstanding educational opportunities. Sir Peter is also the founder of the Education Endowment Foundation, which has seen success in its mission is to break the link between educational opportunity and family income. During Sir Peter’s time at the Sutton Trust, it has commissioned more than 250 research studies, setting the national agenda on issues around social mobility, and has impacted government policy on more than 30 occasions.

7 Sir Kevan Collins vice chairman of the board, Committee Chair, Learning by Questions

Sir Kevan has a wealth of experience in education, having previously served in government, most recently as Education Recovery Commissioner at the DfE, and as former Chief Executive of the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). He has now been appointed a new Non-Executive Board Member at the DfE. As part of this role, Sir Kevan will advise on driving high and rising standards - focusing on finding solutions to the biggest barriers to opportunity for children, including teacher shortages and high absence rates.

6 Sir Ian Bauckham CBE chief regulator at Ofqual

Sir Ian has spent his entire career devoted to advancing education and was knighted for services to education in January 2023. He has been announced as the government’s preferred candidate for the position of Chief Regulator for Ofqual where his responsibilities will be to ensure that Ofqual meets its statutory objectives and duties, including upholding standards and fostering confidence in qualifications and assessments. Sir Ian has previously served as Chair of the Board of Ofqual and has been a Board member. He was Chief Executive Officer of the Tenax Schools Academy Trust since 2015 and is also Chair of Oak National Academy.

5 Leora Cruddas chief executive officer, Confederation of School Trusts (CST)

Leora Cruddas is the founding Chief Executive of the Confederation of School Trusts – the national organisation and sector body for school trusts in England. Recent CST research has found that the current complex system of school funding falls short of what is needed to support pupils, saying it is too unpredictable and not calculated against the actual costs facing schools. Leora has advised governments and sits on several DfE advisory bodies. She was the vice chair of the Head Teacher Standards Review Group, a member of the external advisory group for the Schools White Paper, SEND National Implementation Board and the Regulatory and Commissioning Review.

4 Dame Rachel de Souza

The Children’s Commissioner for

England

In 2021, Dame Rachel de Souza conducted what was reported to be the biggest ever consultation with children in England, called the Big Ask, to find out what their priorities are post-Covid. Now she has launched The Big Ambition consultation, which focuses on what needs to change in England to make childhood the best it can be. Dame Rachel is making it her mission to address poor school attendance, children’s mental health, SEND system reform and child poverty. Dame Rachel was previously a teacher, headteacher and school trust leader, and was made a Dame in 2014 for services to education.

3 NEW Dame Christine Gilbert executive chair, Education Endowment Foundation

Former Ofsted Chief Inspector Dame Christine Gilbert was chosen to lead an independent review into Ofsted’s response to the Ruth Perry tragedy, chosen for her “valuable experience and expertise”.

The damning review, which said that Ofsted’s response appeared “defensive and complacent”, makes several recommendations to improve the watchdog. Dame Christine spent 18 years in schools as a teacher and secondary headteacher, and has worked in London boroughs as both director of education and chief executive. She served as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector from 2006 until 2011.

2 Professor Becky Francis lead, government’s curriculum and assessment review

Professor Becky Francis CBE is currently on secondment from her role as CEO of the Education Endowment Foundation to lead the new government’s review of curriculum and assessment. This was one of Labour’s pledges to raise school standards and support young people of all backgrounds to thrive. Throughout her career, Becky has worked closely with teachers and policy-makers to maximise the impact of academic research and has spearheaded high-profile research programmes assessing the impact of major reforms in the English school system on educational inequalities

EB50 Most Influential 2024

50 EB MOST