Anthem Schools Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of David Hatchett as its new chief executive officer. David joins the trust at a pivotal time, as it refines its strategic direction and continues to focus on securing high-quality educational outcomes for all pupils.

David will join Anthem Schools Trust from Lift Schools and brings significant experience and expertise from across the education sector. He has held executive leadership roles in two large academy trusts over the past 13 years – Lift Schools and E-ACT – including director of education, national director of secondary schools, and director of standards and inclusion.

Earlier in his career, David served in senior roles at Pearson PLC, where he led large-scale national and international assessment contracts. He started his career as a teacher and school leader in the East End of London.

David is an experienced Ofsted inspector and co-author of a number of educational textbooks. He is also a trustee of Parentkind, a charity that champions parents, and the English-Speaking Union, where he chairs the education committee.

Jay Bhutani, chair of trustees at Anthem Schools Trust, said:

“We are delighted to welcome David to Anthem. His leadership experience, deep understanding of school improvement, and his unwavering commitment to inclusive and values-led education made him the ideal choice.

“David joins us at an important moment, both for us as a trust and the education sector more widely. With a renewed strategic focus across our family of schools, he will be dedicated to improving outcomes for our 8,500+ students and ensuring the wellbeing of our incredible staff.

“On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank our staff and leaders for their continued hard work and commitment and to say how much we are looking forward to working with David as we embark on this new chapter for Anthem.”