Tim Coulson, regional schools commisioner for the East of England and north-east London, is stepping down to take a new post at an academy trust.

He is set to become the chief executive of the West Suffolk-based Samuel Ward Academy Trust in the summer, taking over from Howard Lay.

Dr Coulson said: “I am delighted to be taking up the position as new chief executive of the Samuel Ward Academy Trust.

“I feel the trust is a model of what a multi-academy trust should be and will be in the future.

Trust ‘has community at its heart’

“I was attracted to the fact that the trust is based around four towns in close geographical proximity and has those communities at its heart.

“It is also very important for individual primary, secondary and special schools to retain their identity, and this is something I want to foster and enhance.”

Mr Lay is due to remain at the trust in a part-time role as director of quality assurance.

The Samuel Ward Academy Trust has 15 schools in the Haverhill, Newmarket, Sudbury and Bury St Edmunds areas, and is responsible for teaching around 8,000 young people.

Jon Ward, acting chair of the trust, said: “We are incredibly excited to have been able to appoint Dr Tim Coulson to the role of CEO for the Samuel Ward Academy Trust. 

“We look forward to working with Dr Coulson to support him in providing visionary leadership for the trust, our schools and our communities, and to ensure we continue to seek improved academic performance for all as well as strengthened leadership and financial sustainability in these challenging times.”

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