Early life
Patel is of British Muslim heritage. [2] He was born in March 1979, in Darwen, Lancashire. His father Yousef was an administrator in the local council, while his mother, Mumtaz, was a housewife. Both parents immigrated from Bharuch in Gujarat, India, in the 1970s. He has three sisters and one brother. [1]
Patel left school at sixteen, studied to become a mufti, and got a master's degree in education from the Open University. He started his career in the local council in adult education. [1] He is a Liverpool F.C. supporter. [1]
Career
Early career in education
Patel's educational leadership career began with his role as the headteacher of Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School in Blackpool. Under his leadership, this school achieved outstanding Ofsted ratings, establishing his reputation [3] as an effective educational leader capable of driving institutional improvement. [4]
Star Academies
In 2010, Patel founded Tauheedul Education Trust, later renamed as Star Academies, marking the beginning of what would become one of the UK's most successful multi-academy trusts. Starting from modest beginnings, he oversaw its expansion to its current network of 36 schools serving thousands of students. The trust has been recognized for its academic achievements and community engagement, particularly in areas facing socioeconomic challenges. [5] Patel has served as the chief executive of Star Academies since the trust's establishment in 2010. Under his leadership, the trust has grown to operate 36 primary and secondary schools across various regions of the UK, including Lancashire, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, the Midlands, and London. These institutions have established a particularly strong track record of achievement, [6] [7] with many serving pupils from disadvantaged communities.
His approach to leadership at Star Academies emphasizes high aspirations for all students, regardless of their background. Through strategic vision and operational excellence, he has transformed the multi-academy trust into one of the highest-performing educational organizations in the country, [8] with several of its schools achieving outstanding Ofsted ratings and top positions in national rankings. [7] [9]
Educational leadership positions
Patel is deputy chair of the National Institute of Teaching, [10] and is the chair for both the Education Honours Committee [11] and the Confederation of School Trusts. [12] The Youth Endowment Fund has Hamid Patel CBE as Chair of its Grants and Evaluation Committee [13] [14] and he also holds the position of honorary professor of education at the University of Birmingham. [15] [16]
Interim chair of Ofsted
In March 2025, Patel was appointed as the interim chair of the Ofsted Board, succeeding Dame Christine Ryan who had announced in November 2024 that she would be stepping down. [17] Sir Hamid has been serving as a board member since 2019, and this interim chairmanship is expected to last for a period of up to five months, during which time a search for a permanent successor will be conducted. [18]
His Majesty's Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, acknowledged the significance of Sir Hamid's appointment, noting that he would be supporting Ofsted "through a time of significant challenge and change, culminating in [their] current consultation on the future approach to education inspections". [19]
Educational philosophy
Commitment to disadvantaged communities
At the core of Sir Hamid's educational philosophy is a commitment to supporting children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. [20] [5] [21] He believes in setting high aspirations for all students and creating environments where they can thrive academically and personally. This vision has guided both his personal work and the broader philosophy of Star Academies, which has demonstrated particular success in improving outcomes for students in challenging circumstances. [9]
Excellence and Innovation
Sir Hamid's approach emphasizes the pursuit of educational excellence across all institutions he influences. Under his leadership, Star Academies has focused on maintaining high academic standards while innovating in teaching and learning practices. [22] He has urged school leaders to avoid being “too bureaucratic, too officious” and look to take pressure off their staff rather than pile it on. [23]
In 2023, under Sir Hamid's leadership, Star Academies began a partnership with Eton College, Britain's most prestigious private school, [24] to establish six selective sixth form colleges. This initiative was praised as an innovative approach to bridging educational divides and expanding opportunities for talented students from diverse backgrounds. [25] [26]
Community integration and cohesion
Another notable aspect of Sir Hamid's educational approach is his emphasis on community integration and cohesion. His schools promote understanding and dialogue across different backgrounds and traditions, reflecting his broader commitment to education as a vehicle for social cohesion and integration. [21] [9] [22]
Controversy and criticism
Sir Hamid criticised the official narrative around the now debunked 2014 Birmingham Trojan Horse scandal, suggesting that the episode left some Muslims concerned that expressing their faith would bring about "establishment suspicion". He has refuted claims of an Islamist takeover plot in Birmingham schools, taking a position that notably differs from some senior political figures at that time. [25]
In 2010, when Sir Hamid was headteacher of Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School, he was attacked for hosting Sheikh Abdul Rahman al-Sudais, a Saudi cleric who allegedly previously made anti-Semitic comments. [29] [30]
In 2018, the trust under Sir Hamid suffered a sophisticated cyber attack, with fraudulent emails purporting to represent the supplier and trust employees, resulting in a fraudulent payment of £77,370. [31]
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