Ormiston appoints Gareth Harris as education director for the North
Harris began his career as an English teacher at Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form in Hackney. He went on to become subject leader of English and literacy at the City Academy Hackney, before taking senior roles at Co-op Academy Manchester and later moving into headship
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Ormiston Academies Trust has appointed Gareth Harris as education director for the North, with responsibility for academies in Liverpool, Runcorn, Stoke, Grimsby and Derby.
Harris was principal of Beamont Collegiate Academy in Warrington from 2019, leading school improvement as part of the Challenge Academy Trust. He will now work with leaders across seven Ormiston schools to strengthen leadership capacity and raise attainment.
His priorities will include improving behaviour and culture, embedding stronger approaches to reading, and ensuring disadvantaged pupils are supported to achieve their potential.
Harris began his career as an English teacher at Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form in Hackney. He went on to become subject leader of English and literacy at the City Academy Hackney, before taking senior roles at Co-op Academy Manchester and later moving into headship and school improvement across the north-west.
Before entering teaching, Harris was an apprentice footballer with Swansea City. After leaving professional football at the age of 19, he retrained as a teacher, starting what he described as a “highly successful journey in education leadership”.
Tom Rees, chief executive of Ormiston Academies Trust, said: “We are delighted to welcome Gareth to Ormiston. He brings a wealth of experience as a successful principal and system leader and his values strongly align with ours. Gareth’s appointment further strengthens our education team and will add real capacity to our work in the north.”
Harris added: “Ormiston has a strong moral purpose and a clear commitment to inclusion, equity and raising aspirations. I was drawn to the Trust’s values and its ambition to deliver transformation in the north.
“The phrase that resonated with me most is that ‘Ormiston works where the challenge is greatest’ – this aligns very much with my career in education to date. I am excited to get started and to work alongside our talented leaders and teachers to deliver the very best for our communities.”