Austen is Head Teacher at Bishop Luffa School and CEO of the Bishop Luffa Learning Partnership. Training as an English teacher at the Institute of Education in London, he began his career in Newham, East London. Austen has since worked exclusively on the south coast: at Mayfield School in Portsmouth, Hove Park School in Brighton and Hove and then as Head Teacher at Peacehaven Community School. Austen has held most of the key roles in school leadership at one time or another, including leading Teaching and Learning at Hove Park School and two stints as Business Manager.
Austen has always attended his local Anglican church, experiencing the breadth of the Church of England. He presently worships at St Mary’s Church, Pulborough, where he is the Safeguarding Officer and an Authorised Lay Minister.