New Schools Network appoints Mark Lehain as interim director

The Trustees of New Schools Network today announced Mark Lehain as the interim director of the free schools charity.

Having worked in education for 15 years, Mark was the founder of the Bedford Free School, one of the first free schools in the country.

Bedford Free School thrived under Mark’s leadership and together with Elstow School, is now part of the newly created Advantage Schools multi-academy trust. Mark left Bedford Free School in 2017 to take up post as the director of campaign group, Parents and Teachers for Excellence.

To date, 696 free schools have opened, or been approved to open. NSN has worked with over two-thirds of these schools demonstrating an unparalleled track record of expertise in providing support, advice and advocacy to groups of parents, teachers and charities wanting to set up new free schools.

David Ross, chair of Trustees said: “We are delighted to have appointed someone of Mark’s calibre as our interim director. Mark is an exceptional educationalist and having been the founding principal of a successful free school, knows first-hand just what it takes to set up and run a brand new school. He is ideally placed to lead NSN through this next phase of the organisation’s development.”