Hamid Patel, CBE, British educational leader and thought leader in the UK education system. Star Academies’ Chief Executive, he has been instrumental in shaping the vision and driving its schools forward to great success.
Under the leadership of Hamid, Star Academies is now recognised as a high-performing multi-academy trust with 36 primary and secondary schools located across northern England, the West Midlands and London. The trust's schools have a track record of achievement, especially at the level of serving pupils from disadvantaged communities.
Hamid Patel has been a member of the Ofsted Board since 2019 and is also Chief Executive of Star Academies. He has been involved in education at different levels for many years and in March 2025, was appointed to be an interim Chair of the Ofsted Board following the exit of Dame Christine Ryan. He will hold this position until a new substantive Chair is appointed, which will take no longer than five months.
Beyond his executive roles, Sir Hamid remains committed to education. Patel also served as Vice Chair of the National Institute of Teaching, which promotes standards, innovation, and quality in education. He is also chair of the Education Honours Committee and the Confederation of School Trusts driving excellence and collaboration across the sector. In addition, as an Honorary Professor of Education at Birmingham University, he connects academic research with implementation in schools.
Sir Hamid was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.) in 2015 for education services, and he was knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2021.
Sir Hamid Patel is now one of the most recognisable names in the education sector- having spent his career fighting for the best education and opportunities for some of our most disadvantaged young people. He remains a prominent figure in educational policy, and his ideas and theories have been instrumental in shaping how education is delivered throughout the UK; he has been a leading proponent of the idea that education has the power to change lives.
