A senior West Devon educationalist is leaving his post after providing ‘inspirational’ leadership during the turbulence of covid and recovery.

Dan Morrow, chief executive of the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust (DMAT) which has two colleges in Tavistock and Okehampton and several primary schools, has been praised for guiding the schools to not only come through the pandemic but to also improve and strengthen to deliver ‘excellent’ standards of education and care to students.

He is leaving to take up a new position as CEO of Cornwall Education Learning Trust (CELT) from the beginning ofJanuary 2025, according to a letter from the trust to parents.

A DMAT spokesman said: “After four years leading the trust, Dan Morrow, CEO and trust leader, will be taking up a new opportunity from the beginning of January 2025. Since joining the trust, Dan has provided strong and inspirational leadership, guiding us through the aftermath of the pandemic and to new strengths that we have continued to develop over recent years.

“Under his leadership, our schools have been on impressive improvement journeys, striving to deliver excellent standards of education and care to our students. We have also proudly implemented a range of new and exciting opportunities to our students across the trust.”

The spokesman said Dan also acted in DMAT’s mission to act as a ‘civic leader’ - working with and for local communities. This enabled everyone to ’thrive and succeed’: “The board of trustees offers our personal thanks for the dedication and passion he has brought to the role and wish him all the best in his next position.”

DMAT will continue to work closely with Dan throughout the autumn term to ensure a smooth transition and undertaking a full recruitment process to appoint a new CEO who will continue to build on the ‘success’ of the trust to date and ‘looks forward to sharing updates on the appointment in due course’.

The statement ended: “We would like to thank our parents, carers and colleagues for their continuing support and commitment to their local school and the wider Trust community and we look forward to another exciting year ahead.”