Meet the Team

Mark Moorhouse is the founder of D6 and Chief Executive Officer of Watergrove Trust, a multi-academy trust based in Rochdale committed to “Providing More” for children, young people and the communities it serves.

Before becoming CEO, Mark led Matthew Moss High School, where he developed D6 in 2014 as an innovative response to a simple challenge: how could schools improve outcomes without continually asking teachers to do more? His answer was to harness one of education’s most underused resources—the knowledge, energy and potential of young people themselves.

The result was D6: a Saturday learning model in which sixth-form students are employed as trained Academic Coaches, working alongside younger learners in an elective, high-trust environment. Built on the principles of peer learning, belonging and learner agency, D6 has demonstrated significant improvements in pupil outcomes while creating meaningful paid employment and leadership opportunities for young people.

Alongside D6, Mark has championed a distinctive approach to school improvement across Watergrove Trust, combining systems thinking, psychology and collaborative leadership. His work places equal emphasis on culture, relationships and high expectations, and has influenced professional development across the Trust, including its work on Transactional Analysis and Early Career Teacher development.

Today, Mark champions the national development of D6, working with schools, trusts and system leaders to establish learner-powered opportunity hubs that improve outcomes, strengthen transitions and expand opportunities for children and young people. His vision is for D6 to become a scalable national infrastructure that enables schools to improve attainment, develop young leaders and create stronger local learning communities.