Jane O'Brien joined The Dean Trust as the CEO after previously leading a mixed multi-academy trust in the Midlands. She has twenty years of experience in school leadership, mostly in mainstream schools but also in special schools. For the last decade, she has worked in system leadership: firstly, as a National Leader of Education while serving as a headteacher; then as the Regional Director (North) for Oasis Community Learning; and then as a CEO offering school-to-school support through the TSI offer.

Jane believes every child should have access to an excellent education which gives them the skills and knowledge they need to progress and allows them to develop the personal attributes which will make them successful in their chosen careers. Her philosophy around school improvement is rooted in the development of day-to-day classroom practice to ensure that every lesson is taught well, every student is equipped with the skills and motivation to learn to the best of their ability, and every teacher feels enthused, competent and valued in their work.