Multi Millionaire Tory Donor considered for Ofsted Chair Role |

David Ross has been named as a favourite for the role of Chair of Ofsted. Ross was a founder of Carphone Warehouse, but had to step down in 2008 over alleged misuse of shares. see http://www.theguardian.com/business/2008/dec/09/david-ross-quit-carphone-warehouse – A profile in the Sunday Times Rich List put his net worth at £892 million in 2014.

He was also appointed by Boris Johnson to head up the ‘Olympic legacy’ team, but again stood down due to the shares story. The David Ross Education Trust runs 25 academies and is applying to open 2 free schools. The Trust is run by a ‘foundation’ known as the ‘David Ross Foundation’.

The latest Ofsted report for one of the schools in his trust is Briar Hill Primary school – it became an academy in 2012, was inadequate at the previous inspection, but last month, two years after becoming an academy with the trust was judged ‘requires improvement’. http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/138917

There are only 3 trustees of the foundation , as well as Ross the chair. One of the trustees is Mark Bolland. He is in civil partnership with Tory Lord Black and Rebekah Brooks was one of the witnesses to the ceremony. Brooks was also governors at an academy sponsored by Carphone warehouse. In 2010 a story broke about Ross being questioned by police over an assault at a party. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/6936971/Tory-donor-David-Ross-questioned-by-police-over-alleged-assault.html

Questions are being asked about how a man with such close connections to the Tories and a history of financial scandals can be a fit person to lead a key body such as Ofsted.