Anne Dellar, Chief Executive, was admitted to the Order of St Frideswide, and Kathy Winrow, Chair received the Lambeth Palace Lanfranc Award for Education and Scholarship.

Anne and Kathy founded ODST in 2012 with one school – John Henry Newman Academy in Littlemore. Today the trust serves over 8000 children and 1500 staff across 43 schools, making it the largest multi-academy trust in Oxfordshire and one of the largest in the country.

The Order of St Frideswide was founded in 2001 and is named after the patron saint of Oxford. One of ODST’s schools also shares the name - St Frideswide CE Primary School, which opened in Cricket Road, Oxford in 2020.

Leading ODST: a collaborative 'family' of schools

Anne and Kathy work to ensure ODST is a collaborative ‘family’ of schools, each with their own unique identity and place in their local community, but all led by values of service, community, abundant living, empowerment and inclusivity.

Anne believes schools should ensure everyone flourishes, including families and staff. She strives for ODST schools to provide children with the best start in life, with a rich variety of opportunities and a high standard of education. Prior to founding ODST she was Director of Education for the Diocese of Oxford, and is an experienced school leader and teacher. After 13 years leading ODST, Anne plans to retire from her CEO role this Summer, having established the trust as a highly successful and stable provider of education across Oxfordshire and Berkshire.

‘I am delighted to join the Order of St Frideswide. Our Chair, Kathy Winrow, was admitted a number of years ago and I am really proud to be joining her and a lot of other astounding people who are in there. I really appreciate the fact that the Diocese of Oxford has recognised that work in education is such a vocation. This is really for all our school staff and leaders, to acknowledge the value that goes into the work that we do.'

Anne Dellar, ODST Chief executive

Kathy has worked alongside Anne since 2012 to support the trust’s growth and its values-led approach to running schools. She is a hugely committed chair who knows the Trust’s schools well. Kathy was described in the citation for her Lanfranc award as 'utterly dedicated to the provision of excellent, inclusive, distinctively Church of England education, and to supporting education professionals and others to put ministry at the heart of their work and be themselves inspired to serve'.

Kathy has spent a lifetime in service to young people. A highly skilled teacher and leader, she is a former headteacher of an Ofsted Outstanding school and a National Leader for Education, and works tirelessly to ensure that all pupils make progress and become the best they can be. 

Tony Wilson, Director of Education at the Oxford Diocesan Board of Education, said: “It is wonderful news that Kathy’s incredible service to church schools in the Diocese of Oxford and beyond has been recognised. She has brought incredible educational expertise and experience to her various roles. Above all else, this award is testimony to Kathy’s unstinting commitment to improving the lives and life chances of children and young people.”