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Exceptional Education at the Heart of the Community

Exceptional Education at the Heart of the Community

Regional Leadership

The Oasis Community Learning (OCL) family of academies are split into five regions of England – London and the South East, the South Coast, the Midlands, the South West and the North.

Each Academy ensures local governance through a Hub Council, whilst national governance is delivered through the OCL National Office, and Regional Directors (RDs).

Each region is supported by at least one RD who is accountable to the CEO of OCL, and accountable for the Principals of Academies in their region.

The job of a Regional Director is to:

  • Oversee regional delivery of education, including standards and leadership as well as performance outcomes
  • Ensure professional governance across all Academies in their region
  • Monitor Academy budgets and escalations
  • Monitor and escalate high risk HR cases, IT services issues, property and estates, new business and capital project issues
  • Monitor, audit and intervene on safeguarding issues and health and safety issues

The Regional Director for academies within the North West region is Emma Johnson. 

During her career, Emma has worked in schools in challenging circumstances from rural, post-industrial to outer estates and inner city taking on a number of roles including SENDCo and working with Birmingham Local Authority as an Inclusion Associate and a Primary Strategy Practitioner Consultant. Emma has a Master’s degree in Special Needs and Inclusive Education and strives to ensure that all are included and thrive. In 2014, she joined Oasis and took on a school in special measures in a very marginalised and stigmatised area of Birmingham which has been transformed. They were the proud recipients of the National Centre of Diversity School of the Year in 2017 and 2018. Emma also received the award for Principal of the Year 2018. Emma has undertaken a range of roles including Principal, Lead Principal, Executive Principal and worked as an NLP (National Lead Practitioner) for Oasis. In 2023 Emma was awarded an honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University for exceptional service to the City of Birmingham. As the Regional Director for the North West Primary Academies, Emma is passionate about ensuring that all children receive the best education possible whilst empowering the communities in which she serves.

To read more about the governance structure, please click here.