A multi-academy trust chief executive who called herself a “huge fan” of Labour’s Angela Rayner has been appointed as policy adviser to education secretary Gavin Williamson.

Turner Schools, a MAT based in Kent, says on its website that its chief executive Dr Jo Saxton has been invited to take up an “important position” advising both the education secretary and the minister for the school system, Baroness Berridge, on policy matters.

Dr Saxton previously told Tes that she was a big fan of shadow education secretary Ms Rayner. 

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At the time, Dr Saxton described herself as “a huge Angela fan”, saying: “I think she’s so cool”.

She added: “I just think her drive and her determination, her recognition of how powerful education is, I just love it. I think it’s really exciting in politics at the moment that we’ve got some really driven, eloquent women leading.

“It’s been quite exciting with [Labour MP] Rosie Duffield winning in Canterbury, having been Conservative for ever. I just love these forthright women.

“I think [Rayner] really believes in communities, and that’s what we are trying to do here in Turner Schools, be a community.”

However, Dr Saxton also discussed where her views departed from Labour’s policies. 

She told Tes at the time: “Where I disagree is that Kent is the largest authority in the country, I think. The local authority couldn’t operate in the community sense here.

“As a little academy trust with tight geography, that’s what we’re trying to do. We are trying to be a family of schools; we are trying to be a community.”

Dr Saxton set up Turner Schools in 2016 and the trust now runs five schools in the Folkestone area.

The trust was named after Dr Saxton’s paternal grandmother Juliette Turner, who Dr Saxton said was an English teacher and one of the first women in England to get a degree.

Dr Saxton’s move to the Department for Education has been announced today in a statement on the Turner Schools’ website.

In the statement, Dr Saxton says: “It’s a huge wrench to be leaving Turner Schools - I have lived and breathed Team Turner for the last four years and it’s been such a privilege to serve Folkestone.

“It has been an honour and privilege to set up an education trust that can and will continue to help young people gain the knowledge and skills they need to succeed and have choices in their futures. 

“I am proud of what we have achieved so far, and have absolutely every confidence that Turner Schools is going to go from strength to strength in the coming years under the guidance of Mike, the board and Seamus’ expert leadership.”

Seamus Murphy has been appointed as acting chief executive while continuing in the role of executive principal at Folkestone Academy.

Michael Buchanan, the chair of Turner Schools, said: “We are very sad to be losing Jo - she has put her heart and soul into Turner Schools and has achieved a huge amount since setting the trust up in 2016, leaving all our schools in a much better place than she inherited them.

“Her vision to create schools that offer a powerful education to all children regardless of background and to effect a sea change in Folkestone is fast becoming a reality.

“Our loss is the secretary of state’s gain, and we are incredibly proud of what she has achieved.

“The directors of Turner Schools are pleased to be able to provide immediate continuity of leadership for the schools in the form of Seamus Murphy and we are looking forward to working closely with him to ensure the momentum of improvement in the education provided to children and young people in Folkestone is maintained.”

A DfE spokesperson said: “Jo Saxton will join the department as a policy adviser, to help drive forward the government’s agenda to raise school standards.

“Jo brings a wealth of experience, ranging from the early years through secondary, in maintained and academy schools, to tertiary education; most recently serving as the CEO of Turner Schools and as a director of Ofqual.”