Matt Hood to leave Oak national academy

Matt Hood is set to leave his role as CEO of Oak National Academy, less than a year after taking the job on a permanent basis.

One of the online school’s co-founders during Covid, Hood had acted as interim chief executive since it controversially became an arm’s-length public body in 2022. 

Following a year-long recruitment process, it was confirmed he had been appointed to the £120,000-per-year permanent position by the Department for Education last May.  

But now, it is understood Hood is set to step down in the spring.

Schools Week revealed in November that a judicial review of the decision to turn the Oak National Academy into a government quango has been put on hold.

The British Education Suppliers Association, the Publishers Association and the Society of Authors say the online lesson provider would pose an “existential risk” to their sector, and that it amounted to an “unlawful state subsidy”.

But the academy is well-used by schools.

Oak’s last impact report, published in October, found more than one in three teachers had used Oak resources between February and July last year.

Almost 75 per cent said its resources had saved them time, typically giving them four extra hours a week. And Oak also sees a surge in use during times of disruption – such as storms or snow days.