Chris Stokes

Chris Stokes graduated from the University of Leeds in 2007 with a degree in Business Management. Alongside his studies, Chris gained valuable leadership and management experience in the retail sector, working as a Retail Manager for WHSmith. Following graduation, he completed a PGCE in Business Studies at the University of Leeds before beginning his teaching career in 2009, teaching Business Studies and Mathematics at Abbey Grange Academy.

Chris quickly demonstrated a passion for school improvement, innovation and leadership. Within his first year of teaching, he assumed responsibility for e-learning, leading significant developments in the school’s digital infrastructure and the integration of technology into teaching and learning. His work contributed to the introduction of a pioneering one-to-one iPad programme, providing every student with access to their own device and establishing the school as a recognised leader in the use of educational technology. Alongside his teaching responsibilities, Chris continued his professional development, completing a Master’s degree in ICT and Education with Distinction at the University of Leeds in 2011, as well as an Advanced Certificate in Mathematics Education at York St John University.

In 2013, Chris joined the White Rose Academies Trust as Assistant Principal for Mathematics, where he established a strong track record of rapidly improving educational outcomes. During his first year at Leeds West Academy, GCSE Mathematics A*–C outcomes increased from 50% to 66%, while at Leeds City Academy, results improved from 23% to 51% in 2015.

Following a series of leadership promotions, Chris was appointed Principal of Leeds East Academy in 2016. Under his leadership, the academy underwent a remarkable transformation, moving from the bottom 5% of secondary schools nationally to becoming the third most improved secondary school in England, with outcomes placing it within the top 15% nationally in 2017. The scale and pace of this improvement attracted national recognition from the Department for Education.

In 2018, Chris was appointed Principal of The Farnley Academy, where he continued to demonstrate his commitment to securing outstanding educational opportunities for young people. Over the following six years, he led the academy through a sustained period of improvement, moving its academic performance from the top 45% of schools nationally to a consistently maintained position within the top 8%.

This transformation culminated in September 2023, when The Farnley Academy was judged Outstanding by Ofsted, having previously been rated Requires Improvement. Inspectors described a school where pupils proudly attended an “aspirational and visionary” environment, recognising the exceptional culture, high expectations and quality of education established by Chris and his team.

Having spent more than a decade in senior leadership and achieved significant success in Leeds, Chris made the decision to return to his home county of North Yorkshire with his family following the birth of his first child. In September 2024, he was appointed Headteacher of Bedale High School, bringing with him an ambitious vision for the school’s future and a determination to ensure that young people in the local community receive an exceptional education.

Since joining Bedale High School, Chris has led a period of rapid and significant school improvement, strengthening the school’s culture, raising expectations and securing substantial improvements in academic performance, attendance and the wider educational experience of students.

In July 2026, less than two years after Chris’s appointment, Bedale High School achieved the Strong Standard in every evaluated area of its Ofsted inspection, reflecting the strength of the school’s leadership, educational provision, culture and outcomes. This placed Bedale amongst a small group of secondary schools nationally to secure such consistently strong evaluations under Ofsted’s new inspection framework, and made it the only secondary school in North Yorkshire to have achieved the Strong Standard across every evaluated area at that point.

The school’s academic outcomes have also improved significantly. In 2026, Bedale achieved an Attainment 8 score of 47.8, exceeding the national average of 46.1. The proportion of students achieving grade 5 or above in both English and Mathematics reached 52.4%, compared with 45.4% nationally, while 75.2% achieved grade 4 or above in both subjects, substantially exceeding the national figure of 64.8%. Mathematics outcomes were particularly impressive, with 82.9% of students achieving grade 4 or above, compared with 65% nationally.

Alongside these academic achievements, Chris has overseen a significant expansion of the school’s ambitions and reach. A renewed focus on the quality of education, inclusion, enrichment, student experience and relationships with families has strengthened Bedale High School’s reputation within North Yorkshire. This has been complemented by the development of new transport routes, stronger partnerships with primary schools and an increasingly ambitious programme of opportunities designed to ensure that students benefit from experiences extending well beyond the classroom.

Throughout his career, Chris has maintained a consistent belief that a school’s success should be measured not only by examination results, but also by the opportunities it creates, the culture it establishes and the difference it makes to the lives of young people. His leadership is characterised by high expectations, a commitment to inclusion, a relentless focus on improvement and a conviction that a student’s background or starting point should never determine their future.

Having now led three secondary schools through significant and nationally recognised improvement, Chris remains firmly committed to ensuring that Bedale High School continues to develop as a school of exceptional quality, providing an education of which its students, staff and wider community can be genuinely proud.