Teach First founder Brett Wigdortz will step down as chief executive of the teacher training charity at the end of October.
Wigdortz founded Teach First 15 years ago and was recently named in Debrett’s list of the most influential people in education this year.
He masterminded the business plan for the elite teacher training programme while still working as a management consultant for McKinsey, originally planning six months’ leave to grow the idea.
Six months turned into 15 years after the charity was launched in July 2002.
Teach First is now the largest graduate recruiter in the country, training about 10,000 teachers over two years in schools with a high proportion of pupils from poorer socio-economic backgrounds.
Wigdortz has not said where he intends to go, but will remain in a newly created role at Teach First as honorary president. He said the work achieved by the charity “had only just begun”.
“For the past 15 years I have had the greatest privilege to lead Teach First, working with inspiring colleagues and partners to challenge what was once thought impossible.
“Together we’ve made huge strides, supporting over a million pupils, and I have been delighted to see so many schools improve and ensure their pupils are receiving a fairer education.”
Will he go into teaching?