The Birmingham-based schools trust boss, Richard Gill, has stepped down from his role as chief executive – but has not resigned the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership has said
17:50, 28 Jan 2026Updated 19:08, 28 Jan 2026
Richard Gill the CEO (chief execuitve officer) of the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership
The boss of a Birmingham-based schools trust in millions of pounds worth of debt and seeking redundancies which has prompted widespread strike action has stepped down from his role.
Richard Gill, the chief executive of the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership, based in Sutton Coldfield at the school of the same name, has taken a ‘leave of absence’, the Trust has confirmed.
Speculation has been rife for more than 24 hours that Richard Gill ‘had resigned’.
Read more: Hundreds back striking school staff as dad says ‘don’t blame teachers’
But The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership has confirmed that is not the case and instead Mr Gill is stepping away from his role for a period of time.
Lee Miller will take over ‘interim responsibility’ for running the trust, and he is currently ATLP’s chief finance and operating officer, a role he has had since the start of the year.
He has been working at The Thinking Schools Academy Trust based in Chatham, Kent for 12 years as its finance and HR director and then deputy CEO.
Lee is said to be ‘focused on working productively and transparently with our trades union partners to resolve the current industrial action as swiftly as possible so that all pupils can attend their school as normal’.
The Trust has also called for a stop to online abuse received by its workers on social media and in messages.
Drama teacher Sam Baggott said his own job is at risk from ATLP cuts(Image: BirminghamLive )
ATLP has some 24 schools in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, North Warwickshire, Lichfield, Tamworth and Coventry, and 20 of those have seen closures or partial closures for several weeks now as National Education Union members have taken strike action.
This week staff are taking part in four days of strike action, today Wednesday (January 28) being the third of those four days. This week’s list of closures can be seen here.
It is the third of the first three weeks of strikes, which has seen thousands of pupils off school for eight days, with a ninth planned tomorrow (Thursday, January 29).
And nine more days of strike action have been earmarked.
There are four more days of strike action next week – Monday to Thursday. With teachers and staff set to then walk out for all five days in the final week before half term.
Read more: Nine more days of strike action announced at 20 schools
The trust is known to be in millions of pounds worth of debt and has been handed millions in repayable loans by the Department for Education.
It is looking to exercise a ‘sustainable financial recovery plan’ to get ATLP on a firm financial footing.
But parents have expressed anger after children have been absent from school for significant periods.
The Arthur Terry School – stock image
A spokesperson for ATLP said: “The Chief Executive Officer has decided to take a leave of absence for a period of time.
“During this time, Lee Miller will assume the interim responsibility of Accounting Officer and CEO of the Trust while also acting as interim Chief Financial Officer, the post he was appointed to on 1st January.
“Lee has many years of experience successfully supporting other academy trusts through times of significant challenge and financial recovery.
“Alongside the Board, led by our new Chair of Trustees, Lee is focused on working productively and transparently with our trades union partners to resolve the current industrial action as swiftly as possible so that all pupils can attend their school as normal.
“At the same time, he is working with Trust leaders to support the delivery of a sustainable financial recovery plan so that the Trust returns to financial health as soon as possible.”
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The statement continued: “While strike action is ongoing, arrangements remain in place to ensure pupils can continue their learning and we are working as hard as possible to reach agreement and bring the dispute to an end.
“We would also like to take this opportunity to again recognise the frustration many in our school communities feel at this time.
“We welcome support and challenge, but challenge must be constructive, and we would ask that there are no further instances of colleagues receiving abuse on social media or in messages. “
“Everyone is working as hard as possible to resolve these issues and we would urge all engagement to be respectful going forward.”
Parent Mark Lewis and his daughters supported teachers on strike this morning (Image: BirminghamLive )
The full list of schools at ATLP is The Arthur Terry School and recently renamed The Royal Sutton School in Sutton Coldfield, Stockland Green School in Erdington, The Coleshill School in Coleshill, Nether Stowe School in Lichfield and West Coventry Academy on the outskirts of Coventry – all secondaries.
It is also responsible for the following primary schools- Brookvale, Osborne, Paget and Slade in Erdington, Deykin Avenue Junior and Infant School in Witton and Hill West and Mere Green primaries in Sutton Coldfield.
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There is also Coton Green, Dunstall Park, Two Gates and William MacGregor primaries in Tamworth and Curdworth Primary School in Warwickshire.
And Anna Seward, Scotch Orchard, St Chads CE and St Michael’s CE in Lichfield and Greysbrooke Primary in Shenstone. Plus The Bridge Academy, a special school in Lichfield.
Four schools have not been affected by the strike action at all so far. These were The Bridge Academy in Lichfield, Greysbrooke Primary School in Shenstone, Brookvale Primary School in Erdington and Dunstall Park Primary in Tamworth.