The head of a prominent free school founded by journalist Toby Young is leaving to take a new role overseeing primary schools at the Inspiration Trust.

Hywel Jones, currently headteacher of the West London Free School in Hammersmith, is the latest high-profile educationalist to announce a move to the Norfolk-based academy chain.

He follows curriculum specialist Christine Counsell, who became Inspiration’s director of education last year, and Michael Fordham, a history specialist who was assistant head at the West London Free School.

Mr Jones, who is a board member of exam regulator Ofqual, will take up the newly-created role of primary director, co-ordinating the work of Inspiration’s five primary schools, at the start of the next academic year.

His appointment is part of the trust’s efforts to develop and implement a “knowledge-rich curriculum” across its schools.

He said: “I’m looking forward to helping the trust’s fantastic teaching staff improve the outcomes for pupils across our primary schools.

“We have seen great strides in standards in primary schools in London and I want to blend that experience with the best of what is being done in Norfolk, and in particular the exceptional work on curriculum being pioneered by the Inspiration Trust.”

Inspiration Trust role

Dame Rachel de Souza, chief executive of the Inspiration Trust, said: “Hywel is an incisive and determined leader and his broad knowledge across the sector will be extremely important in ensuring that children in our primary schools get an exceptional foundation to their education.

“Schools like Stradbroke Primary Academy in Gorleston are already leading the country - named as in the top three per cent of schools earlier this year - and this new role is all about providing the support and analysis that will ensure all of our primaries are as good as the very best.”

West London Free School said it had yet to appoint Mr Jones’s successor.

The trust’s founding chairman Lord Agnew recently stepped down in order to become a new education minister in the House of Lords.

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