Andy Brown OBE

I am CEO of Ad Astra Academy Trust based in the North-East. I am a passionate leader with strong moral principles, devoting my entire 40-year career in education to driving the improvement of life chances of children in this region. I would bring a wealth of experience, knowledge, credibility and passion to the role, ensuring our communities have access to the highest quality educational settings.
From my comprehensive state education in Darlington to decades of working in schools across the Tees Valley, I am proud to have lived and worked in the North all my life and have personally appreciated and benefited from the power of education to improve future prospects.
As a successful headteacher I was designated National Leader of Education supporting school leaders across the region. I was proud to be elected Chair of the DfE Primary Headteachers’ Reference Group for four years, working alongside a number of secretaries of state and senior ministers.
I have had a number of secondments to the National College of School Leadership, lately the DfE, working alongside headteachers, local authorities and system leaders on a variety of projects relating to the self-improving system, succession planning and teaching schools.