Palladian Academy Trust has announced the appointment of Lakmini Harkus as its new Chief Executive Officer, with her role beginning on 13 April.
Lakmini joins the trust with extensive experience across the education sector, including her most recent position as one of His Majesty’s Inspectors with Ofsted. She has inspected more than 100 providers, including several schools within the Palladian Academy Trust.
She said, “Palladian is such a vibrant and dedicated family of schools, with strong foundations shaped under the excellent leadership of the outgoing CEO, Donna Tandy, and the interim CEO, Nathan Jenkins.”
Lakmini already has strong links to the area, having lived in both local authorities served by the trust. She added that her personal connection to the communities would help her in the role, alongside her belief in the trust’s values of respect, trust, courage and curiosity.
Her career in education began with a passion for teaching from an early age, going on to train as a secondary science teacher before progressing through roles including head of science, lead practitioner and headteacher.
She said, “I am keen to use all the skills and knowledge I have gained throughout my time in education and put these to good use in a role that will make a difference to the children and families we serve.”
As CEO, Lakmini says her focus will be on high-quality teaching, inclusive practice and collaboration across the trust, ensuring each school thrives while benefiting from shared expertise.
She said, “Clear communication, developing others and acting with integrity are all very important to me.”
Looking ahead to her first term, Lakmini says listening will be her top priority as she gets to know pupils, staff and families across the trust.
She said, “I want to hear from our Palladian community about how things are working for pupils, staff and families, including what is going well and what we could do to enhance experiences further.”
She added that her vision is to help create a culture where every pupil feels known, valued and inspired to achieve their best.
Lakmini said she is particularly excited about working with pupils and staff across the trust, highlighting their ambition and collaborative spirit.
She said, “It will be a privilege to lead our shared efforts to ensure every child feels supported, inspired and empowered to flourish.”
Outside of work, Lakmini enjoys spending time with her family, returning to ballet, and exploring favourite walking spots in Wiltshire with her two cats, Dizzy and Blossom.
