Mr Oliver Knight has been Head at Pangbourne since September 2024 and he has two passions: education and the outdoors. Pangbourne will be his fourth headship: his first was in 2014 in Greenwich and then in 2017 he became Executive Head of Phoenix Academy, moving in 2019 to be Principal of Ark Acton Academy.
Mr Oliver Knight said: “I am honoured to work with such a committed community of staff, students, parents, and Old Pangbournians. At Pangbourne, it is noticeable how happy and relaxed the students are and the strength of the relationships between staff and students. My aim is to ensure every pupil flourishes and benefits from the uniqueness of a Pangbournian education.”
Mr Knight transformed all three of his previous schools as an accomplished educationalist with a strong mission to drive up standards. Phoenix Academy was in Special Measures when he arrived and was the lowest performing school in London. Two years after he took over Phoenix Academy, it was the most improved school in London and in the top five nationally, rated as Good in all areas by Ofsted.
In the four years he was Principal at Ark Acton Academy, he drove up standards in all areas and improved results year on year; such that in his last year there, the school achieved the best exam results in its history. Ark Acton’s inspection report stated that ‘School leaders are determined to make sure that all pupils succeed academically’. The number of students moving to Russell Group universities from Ark Acton was three times the national average for similar schools during Mr Knight’s tenure.
Mr Knight is also a published author on education and teacher development, and one of his publications on curriculum planning and lesson design is currently included on PGCE courses. Alongside his published work on education, he is on the board of a successful Multi-Academy Trust and is a Governor for a London Prep School and Senior School.
The second pillar of his ethos is outdoor education and the co-curriculum. The co-curriculum is compulsory for his students. He has recently set up a Sports Scholarship Programme in conjunction with the Human Performance Scientists who work for Red Bull and Aston Martin FI teams; and his adventure programme has taken the first state school children to the top of Ben Nevis in Winter, as documented by The Sunday Times. The Duke of Edinburgh’s award, at all three levels, forms a major component of his outdoor educational philosophy.
