Cathie Paine CBE

CEO, REAch2 Academy Trust

Appointed in 1998 to her first headship in a large and socially deprived school in ‘special measures’, Cathie was at the time the youngest headteacher in England and led the school to become ‘good’ in just over one year.

Until February 2013 Cathie was Executive Headteacher of three primary schools and it was the national reputation of Mount Street Academy as a twice ‘outstanding’ school and Cathie’s work across the country as a National Leader of Education which drew the attention of other school leaders, national educational academics and Department for Education officials. In 2012, Mount Street became Lincolnshire’s first teaching school.

Cathie joined REAch2 at the end of 2012 as its first employee when there were only four schools in the trust. She has overseen its growth to over 60 schools today, serving over 20,000 pupils. In that time the number of schools judged as good or better has risen from four schools in 2013 to 58 schools today. Appointed CEO in April 2022, Cathie retains her passion for enabling children to flourish in an environment of outstanding practice: “School leadership at its heart is about transforming lives”. It remains an honour for her to champion each and every school in its transformation and to lead the growing team.

Hall 9

1 Series four

GAG pooling: Driving fairness, resilience, and strategic impact

With rising costs and tightening budgets, some trusts are exploring GAG pooling as a way to build financial resilience and ensure equity across their academies. In this session, trust leaders will share their respective approaches – from equalising pension rates and centralising services, to using pooled reserves to support vulnerable schools and invest in shared priorities. We’ll discuss practical insights into how it works for them, the benefits it has the potential to unlock, and how to manage the cultural and leadership challenges along the way. Whether you are considering GAG pooling or looking to refine your existing approach, this session will help you think strategically and act confidently.