A SCHOOLS academies trust in York has announced the appointment of a new CEO - after a national recruitment campaign.

The South Bank Multi Academies Trust in the city has revealed that Mark Hassack will take over the CEO role.

Mark will be joining the trust from Outwood Grange Academies Trust, where he currently leads one of their three regions as regional executive principal with responsibility for eight schools across the Tees Valley.

Speaking on his appointment, Mr Hassack said: "I am absolutely delighted to be joining South Bank MAT at an exciting time in its development. Having met some of the passionate and committed staff and wonderful children already, I am really excited to get started.

"I know that as a family of schools, we will work together to ensure that all children experience educational excellence every day to enable them to achieve the very best outcomes - academically and in their personal development. I am looking forward to meeting and getting to know you all over the coming weeks."

As well as being the chief executive officer, the CEO role is also the Chief Education Officer at the trust - meaning they are responsible for working with all of the schools to ensure they are the absolute best they can be in what they deliver for the children and young people in the classroom, in how they support all of the staff and in making sure the trust is making a real difference in the local community.

Ian Wiggins, chair of trustees at South bank, said: "Through the recruitment process I was really impressed with how Mark really understood this responsibility and with his vision for how best we can work collaboratively together as a community of schools to get the best for all our pupils."

Mark will be joining the trust after the Easter holidays - taking over from interim CEO, Adam Cooper.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to Adam who has been brilliant in the interim leadership role he has had with the trust while we have recruited for a full time CEO," Mr Wiggins added.

Mr Cooper will be handing over to Mark and then returning full time to his substantive role as headteacher at Knavesmire Primary School.

Mr Cooper took up the interim trust principal position following the retirement of Jo Edwards. Before Jo, the position was initially held by Trevor Burton.

Mr Burton joined Millthorpe as head 10 years ago and saw the school go from strength to strength, with improvements in results since 2012 and significant capital investment in the school environment. He was also instrumental in the formation of the South Bank Multi Academy Trust in 2016.