Matthew Adshead trained to teach at Homerton College, Cambridge with the intention of becoming a school proprietor. He qualified as a Secondary specialist in 1997, teaching Humanities and coaching a lot of Rugby. He then moved into the Preparatory School Sector as a senior leader before achieving his dream of school ownership in 2007. With his wife Jenny and two young children, the Adshead Family became the fifth proprietors of The Old Vicarage School, Darley Abbey, Derbyshire.
Matthew and Jenny continue to be proprietors of OVS but now have a Head Teacher running the school day to day. Matthew founded The School Proprietors’ Association in 2010 and later served as an Area Co-ordinator for the Midlands Region for the Independent Schools Association, on the ISA National Executive Committee. He was an ISA Honorary Officer for three years from 2017-2020, with a year as ISA Chair, 2018-2019. During this time, he spent three years on the Independent Schools Council (ISC) Strategic Board, including a year as a full ISC Board Director. Matthew has been the Director of Education on the Collegiate Board of Queen Ethelburga’s College, York since December 2015. Matthew is also the ISA Regional Ambassador for London South, offering pastoral and strategic advice. He is also a former Governor at Reigate Grammar School. Matthew and his family now share their time between Derbyshire and Reigate, Surrey.
Matthew recently created The Future Foundation, an education think tank with impressive links within the business community. The group have a shared desire to bring about much needed positive change to the current education system, believing a paradigm shift in our National Curriculum offering is now critical. They believe that education is the perfect starting place to bring about a happier and more harmonious world.
Matthew is very happy to support colleagues, through Anderson Quigley, in developing their careers in education and finding the next fulfilling challenge!