Meet our Leaders

Steve Chalke, MBE, Founder of Oasis  

When I started Oasis back in 1985, I had no idea it would grow into the wonderful family of charities that it has become today. 

In Oasis Community Learning, we are one of the country’s largest providers of academy schools, educating over 32,000 children and young people every year. Through Oasis Community Housing, we provide housing for vulnerable young people. With Oasis Community Partnerships we run social projects – from community farms and coffee houses to churches and children’s centres – and much more besides. We do this in communities as diverse as Gateshead in the North East to Bristol in the South West. And through Oasis Restore, another part of Oasis, we aim to transform the lives of young offenders by running the country’s first ever secure school, with a key focus on holistic care and education. 

So, the question is…why? 

Not only do we believe everyone in our family should receive the very best formal education, but also that there is more to a healthy life and future than simply the knowledge they hold. Every one of us is a product of the community we live in. That is why we are passionate that every community served by one of our academies should be a happy, healthy place where every person is included and valued, and can thrive and achieve their full, God-given potential. That is why Oasis’ vision not only aims to deliver exceptional education, but also to help build great local inclusive neighbourhoods. 

We are motivated by our core Christian ethos which means that we believe every person – those of all faiths or none – are equally valuable and have a part to contribute in helping this vision become a reality. Helping a young person realise who they are meant to be is about more than simply the qualifications they get or the job they want; it’s about how they see themselves and those around them. It’s about understanding the role they have as active citizens in our shared world. That’s why Oasis’ goal is to help every young person achieve their best, respect themselves, value those around them and contribute to the good of all. 

We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you into an Oasis academy in order to experience this for yourself. 

John Barneby, FRSA, CEO of Oasis Community Learning 

John brings a wealth of experience, previously serving the trust in the IT Department, moving onto National Director of Services, then as Accounting Officer since 2008 and COO since 2014, before being appointed as CEO in December 2023. 

John fervently believes in the importance of education and social justice. In his 15th year at Oasis, John joins our group of CEOs across wider work (supported housing, justice and health initiatives, and children’s /youth/families work) as the trust continues to focus on the commitment to integrated and holistic community development with the goal of creating change educationally, economically, socially, environmentally, physically and spiritually. 

John is also an RSA fellow and is passionate about the environment and thoroughly enjoys spending time with his wife & children. John also enjoys taking part in a range of different sports and is both an avid sailor, rower and runner. 

   Dave Parr, Oasis Group CEO 

Lara Kyle, Executive Assistant to CEO 

Lara began working with OCL in 2013 as a PA in the Property & Estates team. In 2016, Lara progressed to work as Executive Assistant to Regional Directors in the National Education Team before being appointed as EA to the CEO in September 2022.  

Lara has been a volunteer driver for the Reengage charity since 2011. Lara plays and umpires in her local netball league, has completed 2 London marathons raising money for Oasis, and is a keen baker. 

 

Claudia Hardy, Company Secretary  

Currently on MAT leave.

 

 

     Kate Nepstad, Governance Professional & Company Secretary

Helen Arya, Chief Education Officer and Deputy CEO 

I joined Oasis Community Learning in 2011 as a Headteacher of an Outstanding school in Oldham, Greater Manchester, and a National Leader of Education (NLE), responding to the opportunity for academisation with a Trust steeped in community transformation. 

I continued my work as a systems leader and was part of the DfE Fellowship programme. As such, I supported Local Authority improvement for a number of years. 

In 2013, the academy became a Designated National Teaching School, supporting Initial Teacher Training, Teacher and Leadership Development. I had the privilege of being appointed as the Regional Director for the NW Primary academies in 2018 and for a time the Secondaries also. 

My passion is empowering the next generation of exceptional leaders in the sector. I achieved the National Professional Qualification in Executive Leadership and am now leading the National Director for Learning & Development, supporting the next stage of Oasis’s journey in systems leadership as a Founding member of the National Institute of Teaching. Learning & Development is a high priority area within the Trust and the scope of the role is ensuring great teacher, leadership and operational development, steeped in research & best practice. 

Our commitment to Apprenticeships at every level is supporting effective recruitment and retention – we support the career pathways for our employees! 

 

Rob Lamont, Deputy Chief Operating Officer 

Prior to Oasis, Rob worked as an IT consultant and technical project manager across the education sector, both in the UK and beyond, working on wide variety of projects including infrastructure and managed service design and implementation. Rob has focused on helping organisations to use technology more effectively by integrating technology with their buildings and using technology to support their activities. 

Joining OCL as the Deputy Head of IT, Rob progressed to Head of IT and then Director of IT before assuming his current role. Initially focusing on integrating new academies into the Oasis family and developing and managing the OCL managed service. Leading the realisation of the OCL technology strategy, Rob has been responsible for leading a number of key organisation wide change projects including Oasis Horizons, the implementation of OCL’s sector leading one to one iPad programme for all Oasis students.  

In his spare time, Rob is a keen Wildlife Photographer.

Chris Chamberlain, National Director Primary  

Chris joined Oasis in 2014,  and has been teaching since 1988. He has been head teacher of three primary schools. His last school was a three-form entry primary school with 630 on roll and 52 additional children in a nursery class in south devon. Whilst a head teacher Chris has also worked as a School Improvement Partner and as a Local Leader of Education supporting other primary schools to move them from ‘Requiring Improvement’ to ‘Good’. Chris has also been a Professional Partner supporting NPQH trainees. Chris worked for Ofsted as a lead inspector from 2012 to 2015. 

At OCL Chris was originally appointed as Director of Academy Improvement (Primary) for OCL then became Regional Director for the Southwest primary academies. He previously ran the Monitoring Evaluation Team before becoming National Director for Primary.  

Outside of work Chris enjoys water sports, kayaking, windsurfing, paddle boarding. He runs and swims to keep fit. 

Ian Freeland, Director of monitoring and Evaluation 

Ian joined Oasis as the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation in 2021. He was previously one of Her Majestys inspectors and led much of Ofsteds development work concerning the curriculum. Ian continues to inspect for Ofsted as a serving practitioner. Ian enjoys working with academy leaders in improving the quality of education and leads on several training programmes within Oasis focusing on school improvement. As a national director, he makes sure that the executive and trustees are aware of the successes and challenges that our academies are facing as well as ensuring colleagues are briefed well on national developments.

Ian is a geographer and loves to travel, nationally and internationally. He has a passion for social justice and is a charity trustee, a governor of a primary school close to where he lives and sits on the board of a local teacher training partnership. 

Jill Rowe, Ethos and Formation Director 

Jill Rowe qualified as a teacher and youth & community worker and spent 6 years living and working in the heart of the inner city in Derby. In 1997 she joined Oasis, a charity and movement committed to inclusion and engaged in the transformation of local communities in the UK and around the world. In the UK Oasis works in more than 36 locations, developing integrated community services including healthcare, housing, education, youth work, churches and community development initiatives. Oasis is one of the largest providers of Academy schools in England serving over 30,000 students and 5000 staff. Jill is part of the Oasis UK Leadership Team serving as the Director of Ethos & Formation. Her role is to help ensure that Oasis remains true to its organisational identity and ethos, and to resource and equip all Oasis leaders, staff, students, volunteers and wider community members to have opportunity to engage in their own personal development and character formation. As a part of this work, Jill has been instrumental in the development of the organisation-wide Oasis 9 Habits formation programme.

Alongside Steve Chalke, the founder of Oasis, Jill hosts the podcast ‘Different with Steve Chalke and Jill Rowe’. She is also a speaker and writer and can sometimes be heard doing Pause for Thought on BBC Radio 2. Jill volunteers as part of the leadership team of Oasis Church Waterloo, enjoys watching football and, given the chance playing as well. She likes to mess about in the garden, do a small amount of running, and has a strong appreciation of curry and loves to work out all that life has to offer.  

Sarah Graham Director of Compliance, Policy and Legal 

 

 

 

 

 

Paul Tarry, Director of Organisational Development, Regional Director for 
Oasis Academy Wattville & Oasis Academy Benson (Midlands) 

Paul joined Oasis as the Principal of Oasis Academy Hobmoor when it joined the Oasis family in 2013. Paul had prior headship experience outside of Oasis and had worked in a number of different local authorities. He became Executive Principal of Oasis Academy Boulton and was later a Lead Principal.  

Paul took up post as Oasis’ Regional Director for the Midlands and worked with leaders across our schools in the region, as well as taking on responsibility for national briefs, including Safeguarding. He moved into the National Director role in 2021 and is enjoying applying his school leadership knowledge in the context of Oasis’ service teams.  

Paul is a keen cyclist and loves to ride out into the countryside when not spending time with his family.  

Aaron Hussey, Director of Communications 

 

 

 

 

Jon Needham, Director of Safeguarding

As the Director of Safeguarding & Mental Health, Jon is responsible for the strategic leadership of safeguarding and wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults accessing services provided by challenging The Oasis Trust to ensure there is a culture that puts exemplary safeguarding of children and adults at the heart of all the Trust does. 

Jon originally trained as a nurse specialising in adolescents with life limiting illnesses before moving to become an advisor to a large strategic health authority and a commissioner in a primary care trust. He worked briefly as a specialist advisor on two World Health Organization projects before becoming the education safeguarding advisor in a large local authority. 

 

Chris Hodgins, Director of Property
and Estates

With over 18 years’ experience within the construction industry, 14 years as a Chartered Building Surveyor, Chris has significant experience within a wide range of sectors (housing, education, commercial). In addition to this, he is a qualified Project Manager. Chris joined Oasis in 2014. 

Having been instrumental in the creation and running of the Property & Estates services within Oasis, Chris has been responsible for the vision and strategic direction of the service. He has first-hand experience of leading and managing construction projects, delivering facilities management services nationally, being responsible for health & safety within the organization, and delivering a high-quality catering service across the country. He leads a team of over 120 dedicated professionals in managing the Oasis estates to provide children and staff with an exceptional learning environment. 

Notable projects have included being involved in the design, development and construction of new schools, significant refurbishment, and expansion projects, along with space planning and education environment improvements. 

Outside of Oasis, Chris is a keen (but self-declared ‘not very good’) golfer, has an interest in various martial arts, and is an avid sports enthusiast, which he squeezes in between spending quality time with his wife, three daughters, and two dogs.

Amanda Craxton, National Head of Data

 

 

 

 

 

Mark Thornton, Director of IT

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah Otto, Data Protection Officer 

Sarah joined Oasis in 2018 and is our chief Data Protection Officer in charge of ensuring we are complying with data regulations and GDPR. She has previously worked for the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, and the Department of Health in a data protection role.  

 

 

 

Dr. Herminder Channa, Regional Director
(Midlands)

Herminder is the Regional Director for Oasis Community Learning in the Midlands and has been appointed by the Department for Education (DfE) as part of the RISE (Raising Improvements for Standards and Excellence) strategy. 
A recognised leader in Character Education, Herminder’s work with the University of Birmingham’s Jubilee Centre has been formally acknowledged, earning her the title of "Ambassador for Character" in July 2022. She was also elected by her peers in November 2024 to the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) Advisory Panel, where she actively contributes to shaping national education policy. 
Her thought leadership extends to published research, including her chapter, “Authentic Leadership,” in The Birmingham Book: Lessons in Urban Education Leadership and Policy from the Trojan Horse Affair, which has garnered significant attention across the education sector. In recognition of her contributions, she was conferred as an Honorary Fellow at the University of Birmingham’s Faculty of Education in September 2022, where she continues to engage in research on school improvement through Character Education. 
With over 20 years of experience, Herminder is a champion of values-driven leadership, school transformation, and raising the status of the teaching profession. She has led systemic improvements by fostering high expectations, strengthening community partnerships, and embedding Character Education at the core of school culture.

Peter Knight, Regional Director
(South West Secondaries)

Peter’s teaching career spans 27 years in primary, secondary and advisory roles;both in the UK and New Zeland. He started working for Oasis in 2010. 

Prior to becoming Regional Director Peter had the privilege of leading Oasis Academy Brislington since may 2015, joining just after it became part of Oasis. In his role as Regional Director for the south west he currently supports three academies in providing high quality education for North and South Bristol children from 11 to 16 years of age. 

Outside of work Peters personal interests range from open water swimming trying to get at least one question right whilst watching University Challenge! 

Heidi Stennett, Regional Director
(North East Secondaries)

Heidi qualified as a PE teachet from Leeds Metropolitan University, Carnegie sports college in 2001, she has a proven track record of success at both Middle and Senior leadership and has taught Primary and Secondary Physical Education and lectired at Stirling University. She has been a Head of Department, Lead teacher for PE in North East Linconshire and a Youth sport Trust Ambassador. Heidi has a real passion for sport and Health and went on to become a member of the National Heath Strategy, further promoting and developing the role of PE in schools in her region. 

Heidi joined Oasis in 2008 as Learing Coordinator for Sport and Health at Oasis Academy Wintringham.In 2011 she gained her masters in Education and secured a place onto the Future Leaders Programme and took up a position on  the Senior Leadership Team at the Academy. In 2015 she became the Interim Principal for Oasis Academy Wintringham, duing this time she took the school from Serious Weaknessess to Ofsted Good in 2018 and secured their best ever results in 2019, placing the academy in the top 25 schools nationally for similar schools with a progress 8 score of +0.14. 

Thomas Raymond, Regional Director
(London
Secondary Central/N)

Tom originally trained as a Maths teacher and worked in schools all over London. Tom joined Oasis in January 2018 as Principal of Oasis Academy Arena in Croydon. Tom led that school up to his appointment as Regional Director in September 2023. During this time, Tom supported two other Oasis secondary academies. Tom is passionate about school improvement and providing the best possible life chances for young people. Tom is a keen triathlete and when not at work can often be found swimming, cycling, and running."Anthony Williams, Regional Director, London Secondary South East. 

 

Anthony Williams, Regional Director
(London Secondary S/SE)

Anthony originally worked for Oasis in 2008 as Assistant Principal at Oasis Academy Coulsdon and then moved to Oasis Academy Shirley Park. He left Oasis in 2012 and joined another large Trust as Deputy Principal and then Principal after being selected for the national Talented Leaders Programme by Ambition School Leadership and the Department for Education. 

Anthony re-joined the Trust as Principal of Oasis Academy Enfield in 2020 at the start of the pandemic. He has recently been appointed to the position of Regional Director for South London/Kent. Anthony is keen to work with school leaders to improve education provision and outcomes for young people, particularly for those in disadvantaged areas. 

Anthony enjoys swimming, spending time with his family, and voluntary outreach work in his local community. 

 

 

    Adam Browne, Regional Director (London & SE Primaries)                   

 

 

Emma Johnson, Regional Director (North West Primaries)

During her career, Emma has worked in schools in challenging circumstances from rural, post-industrial to outer estates and inner city taking on a number of roles including SENDCo and working with Birmingham Local Authority as an Inclusion Associate and a Primary Strategy Practitioner Consultant. Emma has a Master’s degree in Special Needs and Inclusive Education and strives to ensure that all are included and thrive. In 2014, she joined Oasis and took on a school in special measures in a very marginalised and stigmatised area of Birmingham which has been transformed. They were the proud recipients of the National Centre of Diversity School of the Year in 2017 and 2018. Emma also received the award for Principal of the Year 2018. Emma has undertaken a range of roles including Principal, Lead Principal, Executive Principal and worked as an NLP (National Lead Practitioner) for Oasis. In 2023 Emma was awarded an honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University for exceptional service to the City of Birmingham. As the Regional Director for the North West Primary Academies, Emma is passionate about ensuring that all children receive the best education possible whilst empowering the communities in which she serves. 

Beyond school, Emma and her husband work together in community projects and enjoy spending time with their daughters. 

 

 

Emma Merva, Regional Director (North East Primaries)

 

 

 

 

  Louisa Morris, Regional Director (North West Secondaries)

 

 

 

Clare Robinson, Interim Regional Director
(South West Primaries)

Clare started her teaching career in London where she spent most of her days teaching year 6 and leading English in a two form entry primary school. During this time she was a leading maths teacher and leading English teacher for the london Borough of Redbridge. Clare joined the oasis family in 2012 and she has progressed through Oasis into the Regional Director role. Initially working at Oasis Academy Connaught- first as a class teachetr and UKS2 leader, before becoming a Deputy Principal at the academy. In 2015 Clare moved down the road Oasis Academy Marksbury Road to support the leadership of the newly built acadey and became the principal there in 2017. The academy was graded as Oustanding in all areas in July 2018 under Clares leadship. Since this time has also supported other academies in the region in a lead Principal Role.  

In addition to her academy leadership Clare is a member of our National Strategy and Innovation Team and works as one of our senior national curriculum leads for our Primary academies with oversight of English and maths- her two favourite subjects. She loves this aspect of her work- thinking about talking about and helping shape curriculum direction and implementation for our academies across the trust. Clare has a real passion for academy improvement and her favourite place to be is in academies supporting our leaders, teachers and children to be the best they can be. In her spare time, Clare loves to spend as much time as possible with her two children, ( who also attend Oasis academies). She really enjoys going to the theatre and reading. She also loves going on holiday as much as possible.

Sarah Howells, Chief Financial Officer 

Began her professional journey in the field of accountancy, where she gained valuable skills and experience in financial management and auditing. In 2013, she transitioned into the education sector, bringing her expertise directly to Oasis Academy Hobmoor as their Finance Business Manager. In this role, Sarah was responsible for overseeing the academy's financial operations, ensuring efficient budget management, and supporting the school's strategic financial planning. 

This role quickly led to her appointment as Oasis's first Regional Finance Manager. In this capacity, Sarah managed the financial affairs of multiple academies within the region, providing guidance and support to ensure financial stability and compliance with regulatory requirements. 

Sarah's leadership and strategic vision paved the way for her to join the National Finance Leadership Team. As a key member of this team, she played a crucial role in shaping the financial strategy for the entire Oasis network, driving initiatives to enhance financial performance and sustainability across all academies. 

Outside of her professional life, Sarah is a devoted mother who enjoys spending quality time with her two children. She values the balance between her career and family life, finding joy in the moments shared with loved ones. 

Emily Hobson, Primary National Lead for Strategy
and Innovation

Emily Joined Oasis in 2014 and has had a number of leadership roles within the trust. As Primary National Lead for Strategy and Innovation in OCL she works for the Director of Primary and leads a team of National Lead Practitioners released each week for whole trust improvement and individual academy support. The role focuses on shaping the direction of curriculum design and implementation including Horizons strategy, professional development and training, behaviour and character development and assessment across the primary academies. 

Emily’s background is in teaching and learning, including Masters in this area, working most extensively in curriculum development, CPD and assessment. She will tell you that working as a Principal at Oasis Academy Wardon for 6 years was an absolute privilege and she’s very proud of the foundations the team built for their ongoing success. 

Outside of education Emily is a keen Netball player, playing for local teams at a regional level. She also enjoys reading, travelling, running, tennis, skiing and scuba diving.  

 

Angela Hurd, Secondary National Lead for 
Strategy and Innovation

 

 

 

 

 

Ebru Karatufek National Lead for
Student Inclusion, Primary

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth Rhodes, National Lead for
Student Inclusion