ODST appoints next CEO

Oxford Diosecan Schools Trust (ODST) has appointed Sharon Mullins as its new chief executive, with effect from 1 September 2025. Mullins will take on the role from Anne Dellar, who founded the trust in 2012 and will retire this summer. Mullins is an experienced leader who is known to many ODST staff, having led the school improvement team as principal schools adviser from 2017-2021. She will be returning to ODST as CEO following four years leading the Embrace Multi-Academy Trust in Leicestershire. She has also taught in and led a range of school settings in Derbyshire, south London and Oxfordshire, from improving city schools to small rural schools, to a large London primary of over 500 pupils. In 2017, she became principal schools advisor at ODST where she led school improvement across the trust as a member of the senior leadership team. During this time, she also worked closely alongside the Diocese of Oxford and has continued to develop a good knowledge of leading a Church of England Trust. As chief executive of Embrace Multi Academy Trust in Leicestershire, she has developed and grown the central team and support for schools through a fully collaborative approach. Dellar, ODST’s current chief executive, has led the trust for 13 years and established it as a successful and stable provider of education across Oxfordshire and Berkshire. She founded the trust in 2012 with one school – John Henry Newman Academy, Oxford. Today it serves over 8000 children and 1500 staff across 43 schools, making it the largest multi-academy trust in Oxfordshire and one of the largest in the country. She said: “I am delighted to be returning to ODST as the new CEO from September. Leading schools is a real privilege and being able to take up the leadership of schools I already have a good understanding and knowledge of will enable me to further strengthen ODST on the next stage of its journey.” Kathy Winrow, ODST chair of Trustees, added: “Trustees are delighted to have appointed Sharon Mullins as ODST’s next chief executive, following a rigorous selection process. Sharon is totally committed to our vision and values, and brings a breadth of experience to lead the trust into the next phase of development. “As we welcome Sharon, we also thank Anne Dellar, our founding CEO. Her vision, values, commitment and dedication over the last 13 years have been inspirational and our family of 43 schools are richer for her leadership.” Dellar said: “I’m extremely proud of what ODST has achieved, working together as a family of schools over the last 13 years. Sharon is a very dedicated leader, who we already know makes a big impact in helping schools to become the best they can be for children and their communities, and we can now spend the next few months ensuring continuity and planning this next phase of ODST’s journey as a strong, values-led trust.”