Chair
Steve was Director of education for the Welsh Government from 2015 to 2021. Prior to this, Steve worked within education in the public and private sectors within the UK and internationally.
Steve was appointed Managing Director of the Education Achievement Service for South East Wales in March 2012. Prior to this, he was Managing Director of Gleeds-Cocentra Ltd, an education company that worked with more than 5000 schools in the UK and internationally and 147 local authorities in England and Wales. Having taught in Secondary schools in Kent and Bristol, Steve held Senior Leadership roles in four Local Authorities, including senior school improvement roles in Cumbria and West Sussex. He already had a solid reputation to deliver through his experience as Chief Inspector of Schools and Director of Education in two London Boroughs.
As Director of Education in Welsh Government Schools, Steve was the most senior civil servant for education in Wales, working directly with the Minister for Education to develop and deliver the most significant reform programme since devolution. During this period, he worked closely with the key representatives within the middle tier of education in Wales. He also led significant education programmes with the OECD and the Atlantic Rim Collaboratory, a global education movement that advances equity, broad excellence, inclusion, wellbeing, democracy, sustainability, and human rights in high quality, professionally run systems.
In August 2021, Steve Joined GroupED Ltd to support the company’s work with Schools and Local Authorities. In November 2021 was appointed as a Professor of Practice at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. The title of ‘Professor of Practice’ is bestowed upon an individual to honour and recognise that person for having attained academic and/or professional distinction in those disciplines aligned with the university’s strategic intentions.