John worked at Cheadle Hulme High School for 15 years, spending 10 of those years as a Senior Leader. He became a Specialist Leader of Education in 2014 for Pupil Premium, and in 2016 was recognised as ‘local winner’ in the National Pupil Premium Awards.

In 2002, John graduated from Lancaster University with a BA Honours in History. He started his teaching career through the ‘Fast Track graduate scheme’, first teaching at a school in Harrogate, before moving over to Cheadle Hulme High School. In 2007, he went on to complete his Masters in Education at Durham University.

John was Head of Faculty at Cheadle Hulme High School during the school’s first Outstanding Ofsted inspection in 2011 and was then a member of the Senior Leadership Team for the second one in 2015. John formed and led the Humanities Faculty at Cheadle Hulme High School, along with the school’s approach to Gifted and Talented, and has since gone on to take responsibility for Pupil Premium and Careers Education across Laurus Trust schools. In 2017, John was awarded the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH).

John lives locally and is married with two primary aged, sport-obsessed sons. He loves to watch Sale Sharks and in his spare time likes to coach, umpire, and play hockey at his local club.

Laurus Cheadle Hulme is an 11-16 secondary school serving the local community and part of the Laurus Trust family. Since opening in 2018, we have established a culture of high expectations where students are encouraged to excel, regardless of background or circumstance. This commitment was recognised in 2023, when we were rated ‘Outstanding’ in all areas in our first ever Ofsted report.

We are proud to be Unashamedly Academic and Unapologetically Aspirational. Learning sits at the heart of school life, and our students are encouraged to think deeply, ask questions and develop a genuine thirst for knowledge.

Our vision is for every young person to acquire the knowledge and develop the qualities that will open the door to the future of their choice. That vision shapes every aspect of school life, from the curriculum students study to the opportunities available beyond the classroom.

Alongside academic success, we place great importance on personal development. Through our Cornerstones programme, students are encouraged to broaden their horizons, discover new interests and contribute to their community. The result is a rich educational experience that prepares young people not only for the next stage of their education, but for life beyond school.

In 2025 Laurus Cheadle Hulme achieved an outstanding set of GCSE results with 77% of students secured a grade 4 in English and Maths, with an impressive 60% achieving the gold-standard grade 5 in both subjects. Additionally, 17% of all students grades were at 9-7 in Maths and English, the top grades possible. Our Year 9 students also achieved excellent results in their Spanish GCSEs. 38% earned a grade 7-9, while 89% achieved a grade 4 and 78% a grade 5. These results show what is possible with ambition and determination, the fantastic GCSE results reflect the effort and commitment from both students and our staff.

Laurus Cheadle Hulme achieved outstanding GCSE results in 2026. Seventy per cent of students secured grades 9-5 in English and Maths, with an Attainment 8 score of 57.5. The school also recorded the highest proportion of top grades across the Trust, with 44% of all grades awarded at 9-7 and 82% at grades 9-5.

The school is run by the Laurus Trust and replicates the outstanding education offered by the Trust’s founder school, Cheadle Hulme High School (CHHS), based in Stockport. CHHS is a hugely oversubscribed school and has been named as one of the UK’s top-performing schools in The Sunday Times, ranking as the 15th non-denominational comprehensive school in Manchester and the North West in the annual Parent Power Survey for 2022 and was awarded ‘Northwest Comprehensive School of the Year 2024’.