The boss of England鈥檚 third largest MAT is set to leave the trust after nine years in charge. said CEO Sir Paul Tarn, who was knighted last week, will retire – but continue working voluntarily for the Education Exchange project, a network of schools which share best practice. The trust said it had known of Tarn’s intention to retire 鈥渇or some time鈥�, having worked with him on a 鈥渃omprehensive succession plan鈥�. Steve Hodsman, the trust鈥檚 chair, said the chain owes 鈥渁 huge debt of gratitude鈥� to its departing chief executive. 鈥淲hen Paul became CEO in 2016, Delta was not the strong, successful academy trust it is today. 鈥淚t has been his drive, hard work and ambition that has transformed Delta into an organisation which is both academically strong and financially secure, trusted to lead more than 50 schools.鈥� Tarn took over the trust, then called the School Partnership Trust Academies, in 2016. A month later then Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw published a scathing letter naming and shaming trusts for 鈥渟erious weaknesses that were contributing to poor progress and outcomes for too many pupils鈥�. Trust working on succession plan Tarn previously recalled how the MAT 鈥渉ad schools in special measures, lots of RI schools and the finance was absolutely broken鈥� when he stepped in, calling it a 鈥渃omplete and utter mess鈥�. It also had a 鈥減rojected 拢8.6 million in-year deficit in 2016鈥�17鈥�. 鈥淭ens of thousands of children and young people, many of them in disadvantaged communities across the North of England, have received a world-class education and the chance to take successful next steps in their education, training or employment thanks to his work,” Hodsman added A further announcement on who will take over 鈥渨ill be made in due course鈥�. Tarn’s departure comes as Delta is set to expand further with a merger that will make it the country’s secondary largest trust. It was revealed last week that Tarn is set to be knighted, having been named in the King鈥檚 birthday honours list. Delta now runs 57 schools, with only Reach2Academy and United Learning Trust running more. Delta has established a reputation as one of the country’s most successful ‘turnaround’ academy trusts. Last week, Schools Week revealed how the trust had turned around one of the country’s “most broken schools” – that three other trusts had walked away from – to ‘good’. But it has also previously faced criticism. Ex-staff at the trust alleged in 2019 that children were shouted and screamed at during ‘flattening the grass’ assemblies. The trust denied it had such a policy but emails showed senior leaders arranging support for the controversial practice.