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The Charter School

East Dulwich

New CEO for The Charter Schools Educational Trust

The Trustees of The Charter Schools Educational Trust (the Trust) are delighted to announce the appointment of Cassie Buchanan to the post of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Charter Schools Educational Trust, following an open recruitment process. Cassie will join the Trust from April 2020, when she will take over from Kieran Osborne, who has been CEO of the Trust on a part-time basis since April 2018. The Trust is immensely grateful to Kieran for the excellent job he has done to oversee the Trust and prepare it for its next chapter.

A former Ofsted Inspector, Cassie Buchanan has since 2012 been the Headteacher at Charles Dickens Primary School. As an inspirational systems leader, Cassie has been pivotal in overseeing Charles Dickens’ role as the lead school for the London South Teaching Schools Alliance and has recently led the establishment of the Charles Dickens Research School – a rare national accolade. Charles Dickens Primary has also been recognised as outstanding by Ofsted in 2008 and 2019.  Cassie is a National Leader of Education, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and brings with her a wealth of experience in leading collaboratively. Her focus, as the new CEO, will be on extending the sustainable delivery of the Trust’s mission of outstanding, inclusive education through effective collaboration with schools within the primary and secondary sectors, whilst supporting the continued excellent performance of our schools.

Cassie will work closely with the Trust’s excellent Headteachers at both The Charter Schools and will from April 2020 combine her position as CEO of the Trust with that of Executive Headteacher at Charles Dickens Primary School. The Trust and Charles Dickens have agreed a memorandum of understanding to work together to share, develop and provide outstanding educational practice for all of our pupils and students from 5-18, with the aim of Charles Dickens Primary School formally joining the Trust in due course.

Cassie Buchanan said “I am so proud of what my exceptional team has achieved for the children and families of Charles Dickens Primary School. I'm looking forward to leading the Charter Schools Educational Trust into its exciting next phase, and working more closely alongside other schools to get even better at what we can achieve, together, for our communities.”

Outgoing CEO, Kieran Osborne said “As an outstanding Headteacher and National Leader of Education with extensive experience across a wide range schools, primary and secondary, locally and nationally, Cassie Buchanan is ideally placed to take on the role of CEO of The Charter Schools Educational Trust. Trustees are confident she will both secure the Trust’s ongoing excellent performance as well as leading its future development, in service of delivering the Trust’s vision of ‘transforming lives through the power of inclusive education’”

John Godfrey, Chair of TCSET, commented: “I am delighted to welcome Cassie as our Trust CEO. She couples extensive system leadership and school improvement with a passion for transforming the lives of young people that aligns completely with our Trust’s vision.”

Claire Maugham and Rebecca Kaloo, Co-Chairs of Governors at Charles Dickens Primary School added “This is an exciting new chapter for both Charles Dickens Primary School and the Charter Trust. Both our organisations believe strongly in outstanding and inclusive education, transforming lives via an exceptional curriculum, strong focus on the creative arts, and commitment to pastoral care and emotional intelligence. And we believe in schools working together to get better at what they do – including primary schools and secondary schools working alongside each other, responsive to their local communities. We are excited about the next steps we will take together.”