{"id":245937,"date":"2026-05-05T12:00:52","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T11:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/?p=245937"},"modified":"2026-05-05T11:46:20","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T10:46:20","slug":"ark-boss-lucy-heller-to-step-down-after-22-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/ark-boss-lucy-heller-to-step-down-after-22-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Ark boss Lucy Heller to step down after 22 years"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the most influential academy trust bosses is set to step down after more than two decades in the job.<\/p>\n

Ark chief executive Lucy Heller \u2013 who oversees 39 schools<\/a> across the country \u2013 will leave the role at the end of this academic year.<\/p>\n

Trust chair Tina Alexandrou said Heller \u201chas dedicated more than two decades to making sure that children get the education they deserve\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot only has she grown a network of successful schools where young people can truly flourish, but her influence on the wider sector \u2013 as a credible voice and tireless champion of educational equity \u2013 is substantial.\u201d<\/p>\n

22 years at Ark<\/h3>\n

Heller, who leads the trust as well as the wider Ark charity, joined as the founding director of the organisation\u2019s academy trust, Ark Schools<\/a>, in 2004.<\/p>\n

She became CEO of the wider charity eight years later.<\/p>\n

Ark said she arrived in the organisation\u2019s \u201cearly days\u201d when it had a small portfolio of local and international partnerships in social care, health, including HIV treatment, and education programmes.<\/p>\n

Under her stewardship it has \u201cincubated 21 ventures\u201d, including Ark Curriculum Plus and Ark Teacher Training, that have \u201cimpacted over 5.5 million children in the UK\u201d and reach millions more around the world each year.<\/p>\n

The charity added that its academy trust educates \u201cnearly double the national average of children eligible for free school meals\u201d.<\/p>\n

It has \u201cconsistently ranked among the top MATs for key stage 2 outcomes\u201d, with 85 per cent of year 13 pupils progressing to university.<\/p>\n

‘Legacy’<\/h3>\n

Ark chair Ian Wace said: \u201cLucy\u2019s willingness to collaborate, innovate and push for systemic change will leave an enduring mark on education \u2013 in the UK and around the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all started the journey of Ark Schools together and she has shaped what it is today. Ark will stand proudly as a legacy of her endeavour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ark has confirmed it will appoint two new CEOs to replace Heller. One will run the wider charity, while the other will lead the academy trust.<\/p>\n

It believes this will \u201cgive each entity the focus it requires, while maintaining the close collaboration between schools and ventures\u201d.<\/p>\n

The boards are working with executive recruitment agency Saxton Bampfylde to fill the positions.<\/p>\n

Schools Week<\/em> has asked Ark what Heller intends to do after she leaves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Two CEOs will be appointed to replace the influential academy trust chief executive<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":311204,"featured_media":245936,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[32,679],"post-theme":[3304],"class_list":["post-245937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-academies","tag-movers-and-shakers","post-theme-movers-and-shakers"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t