Paul Jackson

Paul was born in east London and educated at St Bonaventure’s Comprehensive School in West Ham, before going on to study Natural Sciences at Pembroke College, Cambridge. Paul then took a PGCE at the North East London Polytechnic leading to a 37 year teaching career in five different Catholic comprehensive schools with a wide range of contexts in east London, Hertfordshire and North Yorkshire. He was a headteacher for over twenty years in his last two schools, ending his career as head at St John Fisher Catholic High School, Harrogate from 2001 until his retirement in 2014.

Paul has been a member of St Mary's parish since moving to Knaresborough from London in 2001 and has been a Eucharistic Minister since 2003. He was appointed to the Academy Council of St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in September 2015 and elected to the role of chair in September 2016. He was appointed as Trust Director in September 2022 and is also a member of the Trust Audit and Risk Committee.

Paul is married to Marie with two grown up children and three grandchildren, all of whom are or will be attending their local Catholic schools. He has a lifelong commitment to Catholic education, which he is happy to sustain in his role as Director.