A new leadership chapter at Bright Futures from 1 January 2026

Bright Futures Educational Trust will begin 2026 with an important leadership transition.

A fond farewell to John Stephens

On 31 December 2025, John Stephens will retire as Chief Executive Officer after many years of dedicated service. Under John’s leadership, Bright Futures has strengthened its reputation as a values-driven organisation, helping children and young people thrive and achieve their potential across its schools while developing strong partnerships and sharing expertise through its nationally recognised Professional Development Institute (PDI), which supports educators locally and across the sector. The Trust extends its sincere thanks to John for his outstanding contribution.

Welcome to Lisa Fathers OBE as Chief Executive Officer (Interim)

From 1 January 2026, Lisa Fathers (current Deputy CEO) will step into the role of Chief Executive Officer, ensuring strong leadership, stability and continuity.

Bright Futures remains guided by its mission and core values of Leadership, Integrity, Passion, Community, Equality, and Resilience, with a strong commitment to collaboration, system leadership, and sector-wide improvement.

As this new chapter begins, the Trust also looks forward to celebrating its 15-year anniversary in 2026.