In Memory of John Jackson LGfL

[talksr]

 

I am not sure how many of you have seen the email from LGfL regarding the passing of John Jackson, but thought it might be an idea to post a thread in memory of him. 
 
He was quite simply one of the most energetic and capable people I have ever met.  
The LGfL events were always so memorable entirely because of John's enthusism. 
He really helped bring school connectivity and infrastructure into the 21st century, driving massive initiatives like SuperCloud broadband, securing dedicated national fibre infrastructure, and championing essential tools like safeguarding packages, the Free School Meals checker, and mass device procurement that made a tangible difference to schools daily. 
 
I am deeply saddened to hear this news.  
My thoughts are with his family and all his LGfL colleauges. A great loss for so many. 😭 

 

  

[ZeroHour]

I had not heard he had passed.

What a terrible loss! He was brilliant to have a chat with and it will be a huge loss for his family, friends and LGfL!

[DavR]

I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that LGfL wouldn't have been the same company they are today without John's drive and enthusiasm. He really pushed things forward, and for that schools, and the Ed Tech industry as a whole, have a lot to be grateful for.

 

On a lighter note, also the absolute master of the loud shirt. You knew when John was on the stand at BETT or whatever because you could see/hear his shirt from half a mile away. An inspiration to us all 😂

 

He will be missed.

[tom_newton]

Very sad to hear of his passing - John and I had the occasional opposing view, but his work with LGfL pushed us all to do better.

[gh5000]

Thanks for posting this. Been out of the education world for the past two years so wouldn't know without your post.

 

John was always too excited about something to keep it a secret 😄 

Edited September 23 by gh5000

[Dos_Box]

Very sad news indeed, John was a larger than life character who played a key role in taking LGfL forward (far beyond what other RBC's were doing at the time) during the NGfL days, then building it up to the multifaceted organisation it is today.

A very sad loss to the EdTech industry, and his loss will be felt by many.

[Zoom7000]

I was devastated to hear the news that John Jackson, CEO of LGfL has passed away 😢

 

Those who knew John, will know that he was a larger than life character, famous for his “loud” shirts, but beyond all the fun and games, the work he did with LGfL truly helped to pave the pathway for schools in the UK to build strong digital foundations and raise the bar for others to achieve the same. The resultant effect is a lot of why schools are able to enjoy the digital learning opportunities available today.

 

John was a kind, honest man, but for me, personally, and above anything, a friend, confidant and someone who supported me many, many times over the years. Something for which I will be forever grateful.

 

My fun fact and lasting memory of John... I never would have started the whole #SelfieWithAbid thing if John hadn't pushed me to do it at Bett 2018. I was never confident at all about taking photos and well, he pushed me out of my comfort zone, told me to take one, post it on socials, and well, the rest is history! #SelfieKingsForever ❤️

 

John’s passing is a huge loss for the wider EdTech community. Thank you John, for the long lasting impact you had on not only EdTech, but education as a whole.

 

I will miss him dearly 😢

 

[Edu-IT]

I had no idea. I had seen a few of his posts on social media of late.

 

Shocked.

 

John was always a pleasure to deal with when we used LGfL.

[GrumbleDook]

There have been few true folk within the EdTech community who you could really think of as a 'character' over the last few years, but John was one of those. He played into it wonderfully and his drive and passion to get the best he could for our schools really did set the bar high for us all.

I hope his walk across the black sands with the bony one is as loud or as peaceful as he wants ... though part of me is expecting a selfie or two with Death along the way.

[MisterTechMan]

On 22/09/2026 at 16:44, talksr said:

 

I am not sure how many of you have seen the email from LGfL regarding the passing of John Jackson, but thought it might be an idea to post a thread in memory of him. 
 
He was quite simply one of the most energetic and capable people I have ever met.  
The LGfL events were always so memorable entirely because of John's enthusism. 
He really helped bring school connectivity and infrastructure into the 21st century, driving massive initiatives like SuperCloud broadband, securing dedicated national fibre infrastructure, and championing essential tools like safeguarding packages, the Free School Meals checker, and mass device procurement that made a tangible difference to schools daily. 
 
I am deeply saddened to hear this news.  
My thoughts are with his family and all his LGfL colleauges. A great loss for so many. 😭 

 

  

Really really sad to hear this! Had a good few conversations with John via X over the years. 

 

I've not had the email from LGFL, are you ok to post the email here? 

[Cat_Jam148]

1 minute ago, MisterTechMan said:

Really really sad to hear this! Had a good few conversations with John via X over the years. 

 

I've not had the email from LGFL, are you ok to post the email here? 

 

Email below:

 

It is with great sadness that we write to inform you of the passing of our CEO, John Jackson.

 

John helped to found LGfL in 2001 and made an immeasurable impact on the organisation and the many schools, teachers and children we support. He was passionate about using technology to make a real difference to education and spent more than 25 years championing the role of LGfL in delivering meaningful impact for schools, teachers and pupils. John defined and embodied our mission: saving schools money, keeping children safe, protecting and securing schools, tackling inequality, energising teaching and learning and promoting wellbeing. This commitment will remain an important part of his legacy at LGfL.

 

John had been unwell for the past six months. During this time, he was determined to ensure that LGfL (The National Grid for Learning) remained strong and continued to operate effectively, even in his absence. His foresight in establishing a strong leadership team has meant that the organisation has been able to operate successfully without his day-to-day involvement.

 

Throughout John's illness, the LGfL Leadership Team has worked hard to ensure that our services have continued without disruption. This remains our priority, and we want to reassure you that LGfL continues to operate as normal. John was incredibly proud of LGfL, its people and the services we provide. It is our intention to honour his legacy by maintaining the standards, stability and commitment that he worked so hard to establish.

 

The Board of Trustees will be appointing an Interim CEO and Deputy CEO in the coming weeks. This will provide further continuity and ensure that LGfL continues to flourish and build on the strong foundations John put in place.

 

We understand that John's passing may raise questions, and we want to assure you that there will be no disruption to the services we provide to you. Our services and support will continue as normal, and you can continue to use your usual LGfL contacts and support channels.

 

Thank you for your continued support and confidence in LGfL during this difficult time.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Paul Robinson

LGfL Chairman