Dean Ashton, CEO of Reach South Academies Trust, Recognised with OBE in New Year Honours
Dean Ashton, CEO of Reach South Academies Trust, has received a prestigious Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year Honours List. This accolade celebrates Dean’s remarkable 41-year career in education, marked by transformative leadership and an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of young people through high-quality learning.
Starting his career as a science teacher, Dean has held roles as a school leader, Local Education Authority (LEA) leader, and now as the CEO of Reach South Academies Trust. Under his leadership, Reach South has grown to include primary, secondary, and special schools across Plymouth, Exeter, Bournemouth, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire, with all schools showing significant improvements in student outcomes and community engagement.
Dean Ashton OBE said:
“I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have led such a rich and varied professional life, starting out as a science teacher 41 years ago. My career has seen me be a teacher, a school leader, an LEA leader, and now a MAT leader. In every single one of those roles, any success I have enjoyed has been because I’ve been surrounded by brilliant teams of people.
“This is especially true of Reach South – where we have primary, secondary, and special schools across the South West. Every single one of our schools has improved both in terms of outcomes and parental choice – a notable example being UTC Plymouth, which has moved from Ofsted special measures to good since joining the trust, with pupil numbers increasing from 80 to over 600 in the same time.
“I am so very proud to work alongside such talented and committed individuals, and am genuinely humbled by this honour.”
The whole Reach South community celebrates this incredible achievement, which reflects the values of dedication, collaboration, and aspiration that underpin the trust’s mission to improve life chances for children and young people.
Read more about the New Year’s Honours here, Schools Week and Tes.
