Andrew Reay

I started my early career as a PE teacher after completing my degree and PGCE from the universities of Loughborough & Durham. I then joined the Royal Air Force as a commissioned officer undertaking three tours as a strategic officer. I returned to education in 2009 by joining the Future Leaders Programme, working in a number of schools across the North West as a senior leader.

I co-founded King’s Leadership Academy Warrington in 2012, then later the Trust in 2015, underpinned by an education model first seen in the Charter Schools of the USA. I am a fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and hold a PhD in Behavioural Psychology.

As Chief Strategic Officer from 2018, I led the expansion of the Trust into new geographical regions whilst growing and diversifying the central team to support the pace and scale of the Trust’s expansion aspirations. As Chief Operating & Strategic Officer (COSO) since 2021, I led on the strategic development of the organisation by developing coherence between vision, strategy and operations encapsulated as a strong ‘MAT dividend’ for every academy.

I am a firm believer in a ‘free independent school in the state sector’ where human flourishing for every child is optimised by a well-rounded education. At the heart of this education lies a strong focus on beliefs, values and habits encapsulated in the Trust’s specialism of ‘character’ through the vehicle of leadership.

In my role as COSO, I believe that trusts must enable the headteacher to be the ‘head’ teacher.  Central services of the trust have one job - to leave principals with just one thing on their to-do list: ensure the highest quality of teaching in every classroom day in day out. Forget about finance, HR, ICT, marketing or buildings - the Trust will do that - just focus 100% of your energies on great teaching and learning!