Mike Pettifer has been the CEO of Woodard Academies Trust, for four years. Woodard Academies Trust is school trust with six academies across the country covering early years, primary, secondary and post 16. Prior to this, Mike spent 12 years working in the Department for Education serving as Director of the Covid Response Unit and previously the Director of Academies and Maintained Schools. He was responsible for academy funding, financial health, and governance with a budget of around £45 billion. He started as an English teacher in a further education college and became more involved in strategy, planning and funding whilst working for the Learning & Skills Council on all types of post 16 provision.