S French
Start of Service: September 2019
Simon is the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Principal of the Alpha Academies Trust. He is a Trustee of the Board, member of the Standards Committee, the Audit, Finance and Risk Committee and Trust Inclusion and Community Engagement Committee. Since taking on the role in 2019 Simon has implemented a new school improvement model across the Trust, which in 2021 supported Maple Court Academy to evidence good leadership during an Ofsted inspection and removal from serious weaknesses.
He was previously the Principal at the Discovery Academy from December 2015 – August 2019. During this time Simon led a transformational change in the academy that saw standards improve and the academy, judged inadequate by Ofsted in 2015, move to an overall good judgement in 2019.
Simon also has a track record of improvement at the Excel Academy formerly known as Holden Lane High school. Holden Lane High was again judged poorly by Ofsted in 2011, but in his roles as deputy and acting head teacher, Simon supported the academy being judged good by Ofsted in 2013, a position the academy has since retained.
A science graduate, Simon is an ardent advocate of developing children’s passion for learning and takes an active interest in new research and development that is improving pedagogy. Simon feels passionately that it is everyone’s responsibility to continue their development that improves the quality of education.