{"id":237996,"date":"2025-11-17T14:45:05","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T14:45:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/?p=237996"},"modified":"2025-11-17T16:25:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T16:25:07","slug":"epi-chief-executive-natalie-perera-to-leave-think-tank-for-aqa-role","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/epi-chief-executive-natalie-perera-to-leave-think-tank-for-aqa-role\/","title":{"rendered":"EPI chief executive Natalie Perera to leave think tank for AQA role"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The boss and co-founder of the Education Policy Institute<\/a> (EPI) will leave her role at the think tank for a senior job at the country\u2019s largest exam board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EPI CEO Natalie Perera has announced she will step down from her position at the end of January, having been at the helm since its creation in 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sir Chris Husbands, the EPI\u2019s chair, said Perera\u2019s \u201cvision and passion were instrumental in co-founding this organisation and building it into the respected, high-impact body it is today\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She will join AQA<\/a> as chief external affairs and communications officer, as the exam board looks to \u201cfurther strengthen…at a crucial period in the education sector\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Husbands added: \u201cOn behalf of the entire board, I want to extend our deepest gratitude to Natalie for a decade of outstanding leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe leaves EPI in a strong position, and we wish her all the very best in her new role.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The EPI said its board \u201chas begun the process of searching for a new chief executive to lead [it] into its next chapter\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘Right time to step away’<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before launching the research body with former schools minister David Laws, Perera worked as a civil servant for over a decade, starting in the Department for Education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Between 2014 and 2015, she was seconded to the Cabinet Office, where she worked in the deputy prime minister\u2019s office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said the \u201ctime feels right for me to step away, knowing that EPI will continue to flourish\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Anna Trethewey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI’m looking forward to joining AQA, a charity which I have admired and worked with closely over the years, and I am pleased that this new role gives me the opportunity to continue to work with closely with the sector.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The announcement came as AQA also confirmed United Learning Trust director of curriculum and assessment Dale Bassett will re-join the organisation as chief qualifications officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Anna Trethewey, its current chief corporate affairs and strategy officer, will move into the newly created role of chief strategy and vocational officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CEO Colin Hughes said: \u201cThese appointments further strengthen AQA\u2019s executive team at a crucial period in the education sector.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Former government adviser to take up chief external affairs and communications officer role for England’s largest exam board<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":311204,"featured_media":46151,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[149,239,309,679],"post-theme":[3304],"class_list":["post-237996","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-aqa","tag-education-policy","tag-epi","tag-movers-and-shakers","post-theme-movers-and-shakers"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t