Written by John Taylor MAT is delighted to announce the recognition of Trust Member Gareth Moss in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025 with an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for services to education.
Gareth is delighted to be recognised in this way and commented,
“One of the guiding principles of the Trust has been our focus on the best teaching and learning, to provide students with the foundations to make a difference with their lives. To have that recognised in this way is indeed an honour and I am delighted. Serving the Trust has been both hard work but a pleasure, and it makes me proud to see the success continue.”
Gareth’s involvement in governance at John Taylor has been significant, over almost two decades. Initially part of the Local Governing Body at John Taylor High School and chairing the school’s Finance Committee. In 2010, now as Chair, he worked alongside the then Headteacher and now John Taylor MAT CEO, Mike Donoghue OBE to prepare the school conversion to an academy (the first in Staffordshire).
Gareth became the founding Chair of the Trust Board, seeing the Trust become a Multi-Academy Trust in 2014, and he continued in this role, supporting the growth of the Trust from one school to twenty, until 2023, when he stepped back to allow more focus on his corporate responsibilities. He continues to be engaged in the Trust as the Chair of the Trust’s Members and has had much input and support for the Trust’s Free School programme, particularly John Taylor Free School, the first of its kind for the Trust, which opened to students in September 2018.
Gareth brings a wealth of experience to his role in the Trust; he currently works at Nottinghamshire County Council, having previously been the Finance Director at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and is also a Trustee at the O’Connor Gateway Trust, having previously served as a Non-Executive Director at Worcestershire Children First. Gareth has also been a director with an international services company and led their Employment, Skills & Enterprise business, having previously worked for Local Government. Gareth is Vice Chair of Alrewas Cricket Club.
Chair of the Trust Board, Colin Hopkins MBE said,
“Gareth is a real pioneer in education, whose visionary leadership of the governance of John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust from its early days has been the catalyst of its successful development into one of the strongest Trusts in the Midlands. His entire focus has been to ensure that our schools are happy, inclusive places where all pupils are celebrated, and no-one is left behind. Gareth has given his time selflessly over many years to supporting young people, and his MBE is very richly deserved.”
John Taylor MAT is one of the region’s largest Multi Academy Trusts and is currently working to deliver Staffordshire’s first “all-through” free school for pupils from 3 years – 18 years on the site of the former Rugeley Power Station. The secondary phase of Rugeley John Taylor School will open to Year 7 students in September 2025, with the primary phase opening to Nursery and Reception pupils in September 2026.
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