MIST appoints Chief Executive Officer

The Methodist Independent Schools Trust is delighted to announce the appointment of Judith Fenn as the Trust’s new Chief Executive Officer.

Judith was selected from a strong field assembled by executive search firm Perrett Laver, following an open and rigorous recruitment process. Judith joins MIST from the Independent Schools Teacher Induction Panel (IStip) where she has been Executive Director since 2012. Judith was educated in the state sector in Manchester, before reading history at Cambridge University. She taught for 13 years in the independent sector, latterly at The Godolphin and Latymer School, where she was Deputy Head. Since 2005 she has overseen the statutory induction of Newly Qualified Teachers in independent schools, and as Executive Director at IStip has used her comprehensive knowledge of the education sector to provide valuable strategic leadership to the organisation. Judith also serves as Chair of Governors at St Margaret’s School, Bushey. Judith will take up her post in February 2023.

Appointing a successor to David Humphreys was inevitably going to be an enormous challenge. However, the Board of Trustees is excited to work with Judith to lead MIST in the pursuit of continued and further excellence from February 2023. Chair of Trustees, Revd Dr Calvin T Samuel, said, “Judith was the unanimous choice of our Panel – she articulated clear vision for the future of MIST, emerging from deep understanding of the Sector, commitment to values led education rooted in Christian faith, and deep resonance with our Methodist ethos. Judith is an outstanding leader and we very much look forward to what she will bring to the role and to the pupils, staff and communities served by the wider family of Methodist Schools.”

Helen Stanton-Tonner, Chair of the IStip Board said, “Judith is a highly experienced and knowledgeable CEO. She has a real passion for education and a deep understanding of the independent sector. Judith has been hugely successful at working at all levels of IStip, engaging member schools as well as staff and ensuring that they are not only informed but confident with new developments, policies and strategies. Judith is regarded extremely highly by her team, the Panel and the Board. She will be asset to your organization.”

On her appointment, Judith Fenn said, “I am delighted to have been appointed to the role of CEO within an organisation that is so strongly rooted in values and faith. I am wholeheartedly committed to education and the role it plays within society and I Iook forward very much to working with and on behalf of the schools within the Trust.”