The AET Board has appointed Rebecca Boomer-Clark as the organisation’s new CEO. Currently, the National Director of Secondary Education at leading academy trust Ark Schools.
Rebecca will take over the leadership of the 58-school strong trust from Julian Drinkall who is leaving to lead Aga Khan Schools, an international group of over 200 schools in 15 countries and part of the Aga Khan Development Network.
Prior to Ark, Rebecca was the Regional Schools Commissioner for the South West. An educationalist through and through, she became the youngest secondary headteacher in the country at 31, with her first headship at Oasis John Williams in Bristol.
Becks joins AET after a period of radical change and rapid improvement. One of the country’s most diverse and inclusive trusts, AET has seen year-on-year improvement in academic outcomes, historic multi-million-pound deficits reversed and governance overhauled.
AET has already embarked upon a new 5-year strategy to realise its vision of an education that helps every child go on to lead a remarkable life. Becks will now lead the organisation to realise the ambition of that strategy.
David Hall, Chairman of AET said:
“We are delighted to have appointed Becks as our new Chief Executive – she has an extremely strong and impressive pedigree, having worked both in Government and in senior roles in some of the best academy trusts in the country. In an extraordinary field of candidates, Becks was an exceptional candidate.
“An educationalist through and through, Becks has a deep understanding and appreciation of our 5-year strategy and vision for remarkable lives. She will lead AET through this exciting next phase of our journey, building on and accelerating the excellent progress already made.
“AET has achieved so much over the last four years under Julian’s inspirational leadership, and with Rebecca at the helm the organisation is on track for even greater things to come, where every child can thrive and go on to lead truly remarkable lives.”
Rebecca Boomer-Clark said:
“I am extremely excited to be joining AET – as one of the largest trusts in the country that is truly inclusive, this is a wonderful opportunity to have a system-wide impact. The 5-year strategy prescribes an approach to education that recognises a richer and more expansive ambition for children on a national scale.
“AET has come a very long way over the last four years, and I’m clearly inheriting a strong platform from Julian Drinkall. I am passionately committed to driving the Remarkable Lives strategy forward; its intent resonates with me hugely and mirrors my own beliefs about what sort of education all children deserve – especially those from our most disadvantaged communities. For me, this is about educational excellence at scale. It is the most important work that we can do as educators, and I feel honoured to have this opportunity and can’t wait to join the AET team.”
Rebecca is also the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Ambition Institute and a trustee of Jamie’s Farm. She will join the organisation after the half-term break in the summer term.