The CST Annual Conference 2026 programme brings together keynote addresses, panel discussions and breakout sessions exploring this year’s theme, Connecting.
Use the buttons below to view the main conference programme and explore the breakout sessions taking place across the event.
Opening performance from Windsor Academy Trust.
Opening remarks from Sir Mufti Hamid Patel CBE, Chief Executive, Star Academies and Chair of CST.
Chief Executive, Star Academies, Chair, CST
Sir Hamid is Chief Executive of Star Academies. He has led the trust since its inception. Sir Hamid is passionate about the highest of ambition for children and young people from the most disadvantaged communities across the country, and this vision has guided the philosophy of the trust and his work in particular.
Sir Hamid is a member of several national and international strategic educational and policy forums. In this role, he has contributed to the development of strategies and programmes as diverse as teacher training, leadership development, community cohesion, curriculum reform and social mobility. He is committed to the development of a strong and world-class academy sector, and actively works to improve its reputation.
In recognition of his service to education, Sir Hamid was made a CBE in 2015 and awarded a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2021.
Sir Hamid is Chair of the Confederation of School Trusts.
A keynote address from Leora Cruddas CBE, Chief Executive, CST.
Chief Executive, CST
Leora Cruddas is the founding Chief Executive of the Confederation of School Trusts – the national organisation and sector body for school trusts in England. She has advised successive governments and sits on several Department for Education advisory bodies. She was recently the vice chair of the Head Teacher Standards Review Group, a member of the external advisory group for the Schools White Paper, SEND National Implementation Board and the Regulatory and Commissioning Review.
Prior to founding CST, she was Director of Policy and Public Relations for the Association of School and College Leaders. Leora has six years of experience as a director of education in two London local authorities. She is a visiting professor at UCL Institute of Education. Leora was made a CBE in the 2022 New Year’s Honours.
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly rewriting the rules of classrooms, the workplace and the jobs market, raising huge questions about how to prepare our children for what lies ahead. In response to these urgent and evolving questions, Professor Susskind will take an evidence-based view of how we can help young people to flourish in the age of AI.
Mercers' School Memorial Professor of Business, Gresham College
Daniel Susskind is the Mercers’ School Memorial Professor of Business at Gresham College. He is also a Research Professor at King’s College London, a Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Ethics in AI at Oxford University, and a Digital Fellow at the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. He is the author of Growth: A Reckoning, A World Without Work and co-author of The Future of the Professions. Previously, he worked in the British Government – in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit, in the Policy Unit in 10 Downing Street, and in the Cabinet Office.
Reflection on the day's learnings before the drinks reception in Hall 3.
Deputy Chief Executive, CST
Steve Rollett is Deputy Chief Executive of the Confederation of School Trusts (CST), the national organisation and sector body for school trusts in England. Before joining CST, he was Curriculum and Inspection Specialist for the Association of School and College Leaders. Steve has sat on a range of advisory bodies, including Ofsted’s curriculum advisory group. Most recently he has supported Oak National Academy and the Department for Education’s remote learning advisory group. Originally trained as a history teacher, Steve was a vice principal of one of England’s most improved secondary schools before moving into a career in education policy.
A keynote address from Steve Rollett, Deputy Chief Executive, CST.
Deputy Chief Executive, CST
Steve Rollett is Deputy Chief Executive of the Confederation of School Trusts (CST), the national organisation and sector body for school trusts in England. Before joining CST, he was Curriculum and Inspection Specialist for the Association of School and College Leaders. Steve has sat on a range of advisory bodies, including Ofsted’s curriculum advisory group. Most recently he has supported Oak National Academy and the Department for Education’s remote learning advisory group. Originally trained as a history teacher, Steve was a vice principal of one of England’s most improved secondary schools before moving into a career in education policy.
Sir Martyn will outline Ofsted's preparations for trust level inspection and how the mechanisms and support for this new accountability measure will progress over the year ahead. The session will include a question-and-answer session hosted by Leora Cruddas, with questions submitted by delegates via the conference app.
HM Chief Inspector, Ofsted
Sir Martyn Oliver started as His Majesty’s Chief Inspector at the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills in January 2024. He has worked in education since 1995 starting as a teacher and joined Outwood Grange Academies Trust in 2009 where he became Principal of Outwood Grange Academy and then a National Leader of Education. In 2016, Sir Martyn was appointed Chief Executive and Accounting Officer for Outwood, a role he held until he started as His Majesty’s Chief Inspector. Sir Martyn has also previously held Trustee positions for the Office for Students, Education Endowment Foundation, Confederation of Schools Trusts and for the David Ross Education Trust, was a board member of the Department for Education’s Opportunity North East and has advised both the government and the DfE on a number of groups.
Chief Executive, CST
Leora Cruddas is the founding Chief Executive of the Confederation of School Trusts – the national organisation and sector body for school trusts in England. She has advised successive governments and sits on several Department for Education advisory bodies. She was recently the vice chair of the Head Teacher Standards Review Group, a member of the external advisory group for the Schools White Paper, SEND National Implementation Board and the Regulatory and Commissioning Review.
Prior to founding CST, she was Director of Policy and Public Relations for the Association of School and College Leaders. Leora has six years of experience as a director of education in two London local authorities. She is a visiting professor at UCL Institute of Education. Leora was made a CBE in the 2022 New Year’s Honours.
Leora Cruddas is joined by social entrepreneur and author Hilary Cottam to explore how we can strengthen relationships, rebuild trust, and create the conditions for communities to flourish. Drawing on Hilary’s influential work, including Radical Help and The Work We Need, the discussion will consider how we as school trust leaders can deliver support at a more human, local scale to unlock new possibilities for young people and for the places that we serve.
Social Entrepreneur, Author, and Policy Advisor
Dr Hilary Cottam OBE is a social entrepreneur, author and policy advisor. Her work includes the creation of new approaches and services for ageing, family life, work and care. Her first book Radical Help (pub. 2018) was hailed as ‘mind-shifting’ by David Brooks in the New York Times, has been translated internationally, and is widely credited with changing narratives and practice around welfare systems across Europe. Her new book The Work We Need challenges us to think differently about work and place-based economic policy. Her current research and practice centres on the future of urban and rural work and on new care economies. Hilary holds an Honorary Professorship at the Institute of Innovation and Public Purpose at UCL; she was named UK Designer of the Year in 2005 for pioneering the field of social design and has been named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
Chief Executive, CST
Leora Cruddas is the founding Chief Executive of the Confederation of School Trusts – the national organisation and sector body for school trusts in England. She has advised successive governments and sits on several Department for Education advisory bodies. She was recently the vice chair of the Head Teacher Standards Review Group, a member of the external advisory group for the Schools White Paper, SEND National Implementation Board and the Regulatory and Commissioning Review.
Prior to founding CST, she was Director of Policy and Public Relations for the Association of School and College Leaders. Leora has six years of experience as a director of education in two London local authorities. She is a visiting professor at UCL Institute of Education. Leora was made a CBE in the 2022 New Year’s Honours.
Sir Ian will examine some of the most provocative questions facing assessment in the age of artificial intelligence. Should exams move online? Is coursework still secure? Does knowledge still matter when information is instantly accessible? And can AI be trusted to mark assessments? The Ofqual chief executive will explore the opportunities, risks and trade-offs involved in ensuring assessment remains fit for purpose as technology continues to reshape education and society.
Chief Regulator, Ofqual
Sir Ian Bauckham was appointed Chief Regulator at Ofqual in January 2024, following his service as Chair of the Ofqual Board from 2021 and as a board member since 2018. He brings extensive experience in education leadership, having previously led a school trust and served as a headteacher. Sir Ian has contributed significantly to national education policy, including reforms in initial teacher training, relationships and sex education, and modern foreign languages. He was President of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) in 2013–14.
He holds degrees in modern and medieval languages from the University of Cambridge, in education from UCL, and philosophy from the University of London. His contributions to education were recognised with a CBE in 2017 and a knighthood in the 2023 New Year Honours.
In addition to his role at Ofqual, Sir Ian has been Chair of Oak National Academy, an arm’s length body of the Department for Education that supports schools with online curriculum and lesson resources.
Despite sustained attention on standards and improvement across the education system, white working-class pupils continue to experience some of the poorest educational outcomes in England. Sally and Katie will draw on the findings from the Inquiry into White Working Class Educational Outcomes, to shed light on the complex conditions shaping these outcomes and propose how we, as a sector and as individual leaders, can address these entrenched challenges.
Director, Public First
Dr Sally Burtonshaw is a Director at Public First, where she led the research for the Inquiry into White Working Class Outcomes. She also works on a wide range of other research and policy projects, including on the future of state-funded tutoring and countering mis- and disinformation in schools. Prior to joining Public First, Sally was Head of Policy at London Higher, representing over 50 higher education institutions across London. She began her career in a sixth form college and later worked on access and participation at The Brilliant Club. Sally is a trustee of The Elephant Group and a member of the Independent Schools Inspectorate’s Education Advisory Forum.
Director, Public First
Katie Carr is a Director in the Education Practice at Public First. She leads the research for the Inquiry into White Working Class Educational Outcomes and a range of other high-profile education research and strategy projects, including surfacing the views of parents on education in the Parent Voice Project and understanding the views of parents, pupils and school staff in improving attendance in schools. Prior to this, Katie spent 10 years at the Department for Education, including as Chief of Staff to two Schools Ministers. She helped steer major legislation through Parliament and led national work on teacher recruitment and retention, regional school improvement, and school and trust strategy. Katie is Chair of Governors at a London secondary academy and a trustee of Tutors United.
Professor John Amaechi OBE will explore what it means to lead with courage, humanity and purpose. Drawing on his bestselling book, The Promises of Giants, he’ll illuminate how the most effective leaders create connection: helping others to grow, embracing discomfort, and building cultures where people can thrive. Challenging and inspiring in equal measure, this keynote will leave us reflecting on the promises that we make through our actions every day, and how those promises shape people, culture and collective success.
Organisational Psychologist, Professor of Leadership, University of Exeter Business School, and Founder of APS Intelligence Ltd
Professor John Amaechi OBE is an organisational psychologist, Professor of Leadership at the University of Exeter Business School, and founder of APS Intelligence Ltd. For 16 years he's advised FTSE 100 boards and their international equivalents, including Fortune 100 and global enterprise, across Europe, APAC and the Americas. He served seven years as a Non-Executive Director of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Britain's largest healthcare organisation, chairing the HR Scrutiny Committee through the TUPE transfer of 10,000 colleagues and the Trust's response to the Manchester Arena bombing. His clients span professional and financial services, banking and capital markets, legal, insurance, technology, life sciences, and sovereign institutions.
His work returns to one consistent finding: most organisational underperformance traces to behaviour, in leaders and in colleagues, not to values, strategy, or culture in the abstract. Leaders who work with John and APS Intelligence don't leave with a sharper self-image and an inspiring afternoon. They leave with a measurable, auditable difference in how they lead under pressure, and with frameworks that make specific excellent behaviours the norm. APS Intelligence holds a five year average Net Promoter Score of +84.
John is the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of three books, including The Promises of Giants, winner of the Porchlight Award for best business book, and It's Not Magic: The Ordinary Skills of Exceptional Leaders (2025). He holds an OBE, the 2023 Sport Industry Integrity and Impact Award, and a LinkedIn Top Voice designation. Before founding APS Intelligence, he completed his graduate training in psychology while playing professional basketball in the NBA, becoming the first British person to have a career in the League.
In 2026 he was appointed to the Mayor of London's AI and Jobs Taskforce, advising on workforce capability, role design, and the behavioural conditions that determine how organisations and their people adapt as technology reshapes work.
Headshot courtesy of APS Intelligence.
Closing reflections from Steve Rollett, Deputy Chief Executive, CST.
Deputy Chief Executive, CST
Steve Rollett is Deputy Chief Executive of the Confederation of School Trusts (CST), the national organisation and sector body for school trusts in England. Before joining CST, he was Curriculum and Inspection Specialist for the Association of School and College Leaders. Steve has sat on a range of advisory bodies, including Ofsted’s curriculum advisory group. Most recently he has supported Oak National Academy and the Department for Education’s remote learning advisory group. Originally trained as a history teacher, Steve was a vice principal of one of England’s most improved secondary schools before moving into a career in education policy.
In the first of our three conference debate sessions, the BBC’s Education and Family Editor Branwen Jeffreys will be joined by a panel of leaders from across the sector to ask what they – and their successors – need to do help trusts continue to improve over the next 10 years. Who are the leaders of the future? How do we find and develop them?
Education Editor, BBC News
Branwen Jeffreys is the Education Editor for BBC News - reporting for national news on every aspect of learning from early years to young adults. Her brief ranges from the policy and politics of education to the lived experience of children and young people including mental wellbeing and the transition to work. She has made documentaries for Radio 4 and Panorama. As a journalist and broadcaster she has taken a particular interest over three decades in how policy translates into delivery and user experience in public services.
Branwen is also an executive coach within the BBC as part of a network working with leaders to support resilience in a high stress industry. She in the lengthy training to become a transactional analyst in the organizational field as another framework to bring systemic thinking to working with leaders.
CEO, Advantage Schools
Stuart is an experienced school principal who has led a range of schools to very strong improvements and very high standards. As chief executive since 2017, he leads the strategy and direction of the trust.
His wide understanding of the role of school trusts enables him to shape the trust's work to deliver the vision of exceptional education and pupil outcomes.
Stuart is also one of the DFE’s national behaviour advisors.
Stuart has been on working and advisory groups with the department of education on recruitment and retention, workload, the early career framework, national professional qualifications, the role of national leaders of education, and the national headteacher standards. He was also on the group that developed and wrote the MAT CEO development programme. Stuart is the editor of the researchEd Guide to Leadership.
CEO, Cygnus Academies Trust
Danielle Lewis-Egonu is the CEO of Cygnus Academies Trust. She has worked in school improvement and leadership development for over 20 years, supporting schools, leaders and local authorities. She is a published author writing about education and leadership and has recently co-authored a chapter in Outstanding School Leadership published by Bloomsbury Education. The book highlights the positive impact of leaders across the UK and globally.
Managing Director, The Reach Foundation
Ed is the Managing Director of the Reach Foundation. He was the Founding Headteacher of Reach Academy Feltham and developed a Cradle to Career model around the school in Feltham. Now, the Reach Foundation supports more than 70 clusters of schools around the country to take a Cradle to Career approach.
The Reach Foundation developed a model of support in the first 1,001 days and were commissioned by Hounslow Borough to deliver the Start for Life offer for the Family Hub service and have also developed a Foundation Degree in Early Years to support the local workforce.
The ‘partnership dividend’ is realised through an investment in each other, in people, in ‘our place’. It is ‘paid out’ in the increased collective capacity of and for our children, families and colleagues and in stronger, more resilient communities. In this session, James will be inviting trusts to provide tangible examples of this work already underway at each level (neighbourhood, local and regional). He’ll pose some reflection questions to help consider the implications for trust leaders seeking to increase the collective capacity supporting their children, staff and communities.
Executive Director, Reach Foundation
James Townsend is an Executive Director at the Reach Foundation, where he leads the Cradle to Career Partnership and Reach's leadership programmes for aspiring head teachers and and trust CEOs. James has previously held leadership roles at Teach First and STiR Education, where he helped found and grow the organisation to reach over 200,000 teachers globally. He started his career as a history teacher in east London.
Session details to be confirmed.
CEO, Ormiston Academies Trust, and Co-Chair, DfE’s Expert Panel for National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages
Tom is chief executive of Ormiston Academies Trust, one of England’s most established school trusts which serves over 35,000 children in 45 schools across the country, including special, alternative provision, primary and secondary. He has 30 years of experience working in education as a teacher, headteacher and in executive roles, previously at Ambition Institute where he was responsible for the delivery of professional development to over 50,000 teachers and school leaders.
Tom has worked in different advisory roles to government, including as chair of the Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion. He is current co-chair of DfE’s Expert Panel for National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages.
In 2006, Tom was the founding chair of Ups ‘n’ Downs – a charity supporting families affected by Down’s syndrome.
Is your trust telling its story to employees and potential recruits? This workshop explores how employer branding, communications, and evidence-based storytelling can strengthen recruitment, retention, and trust-wide connection, including through change and mergers - especially for trusts that have limited capacity. Join this session to learn how trusts have successfully utilised people-focused strategies to showcase the value and fulfilment of working in schools, communicating impact and retaining talent.
Founder, Talent Architects
We live in a highly interconnected age, when global conflicts can directly impact school budgets and cyber threats and AI can change how we work daily. This session explores how trust leaders and their boards can identify, assess, and respond to emerging risks in an increasingly complex environment. You will consider trade-offs, risk appetite and audit implications, while engaging with practical tools to support horizon scanning and informed decision-making. Designed as a fast-paced, discussion-led session, it will equip trustees and executive leaders with actionable insights to strengthen oversight and resilience.
Consulting Director, RSM
Risk and Governance Consulting Partner, RSM
Partner, RSM
Chief Financial Officer, Greater Manchester Education Trust
As Chief Finance and Operations Officer at the Greater Manchester Education Trust, Louise is responsible for each of the core areas of business, premises, finance, IT and administrative support functions. Louise is an accredited Schools Resource Management Advisor (SRMA) and CFO Mentor.
Louise held the role of Education Finance Officer with Trafford Local Authority for five years before becoming Finance Director and Business Manager in a school trust, establishing a business management partnership providing services to schools across the local authority. Louise has worked closely with the National College for Teaching & Leadership as regional business manager advocate and partnership adviser, promoting school business management collaborations across the North West. Louise holds an advanced diploma in Education Business Management and a postgraduate qualification in Educational Leadership. From 2014-2018 she was Strategic Director of Finance and Corporate Services at Manchester Health Academy, overseeing a £14 million expansion project and providing support, in her role as SLE, to numerous organisations experiencing financial pressures.
Drawing on new Edurio research findings, this interactive session explores how school and trust staff are experiencing the rapid growth of AI and digital technology in education. Iona Kelliher will share insights into staff confidence, concerns, and development needs around AI adoption, alongside perspectives from trust leaders embedding AI and digital tools across their organisations. Through practical examples and audience discussion, we will explore the conditions needed for successful digital transformation and where human judgement remains essential. Ideal for trust leaders responsible for digital strategy, workforce development, innovation, and school improvement.
Managing Director, Edurio
Iona runs the insights team at Edurio, responsible for the creation of new surveys and analysis of the national datasets on staff, pupil and parent experience. Since joining Edurio in 2021, Iona has worked on national reports focused on topics such as equality, diversity and inclusion and staff retention. Iona brings over 10 years of research experience, previously working in fields from technology, to food waste, to finance.
You can’t control external shocks to energy prices, but you can control the assumptions on which decisions about your trust estates are made. This workshop aims to help trust leaders unpack common assumptions and identify information gaps that can hold significant risk for your operating costs. Drawing on case studies it will give you fresh, practical ideas to strengthen and support your trusts’ decision-making. Areas we will cover include due diligence during mergers, decarbonising estates, new builds, how small operational changes can have a real impact, the costs and benefits of lettings, and other estate decisions that can affect long-term cost, efficiency, and risk within your energy contracts.
Director, Ginger Energy
With two decades of experience in the UK energy industry working for suppliers, consultancies and representing customers, I'm well versed in the intricacies and peculiarities of this complex market. As Director of Ginger Energy, I'm passionate about working for our public sector clients to secure the best procurement solutions and lived experiences for their energy needs.
Chief Operating Officer, The Circle Trust
Andy Hinchliff is the Chief Operating Officer for The Circle Trust. The Circle Trust is a group of 11 school in based in Wokingham, Bracknell, Oxfordshire and Hampshire. Andy plays a key role in driving the trust's strategic approach to centralisation and digitalisation. His work focuses on developing efficient systems, strengthening organisational capacity, and using technology to streamline processes to improve services for schools, staff, and pupils. As the trust continues to grow, effectiveness and efficiency become more important than ever.
This session shares the headline findings from IMP Software's 2026 MAT Financial Benchmarking Report, published in partnership with CST. Drawing on the budget assumptions of hundreds of trusts and thousands of schools, we will examine where the sector is heading on staffing ratios, school-level cost pressures, and the size and shape of central teams. We will go further this year with new analysis on CEO and CFO pay, benchmarked against trusts of similar size, location and school mix, giving trustees and executives hard data for a conversation that often relies on instinct. IMP Software's Co-founder and CEO Will Jordan will walk you through the trends shaping 2026, share what the strongest-performing trusts are doing differently, and equip you with questions to take back to your board. Ideal for CEOs, CFOs, COOs and trustees.
Co-Founder, IMP Software
Will Jordan FCCA has worked with academies and multi academy trusts since the first ‘phase two’ academies opened in September 2010. As a qualified accountant and financial technology specialist, Will now works with established multi academy trusts to strengthen their financial planning and reporting processes by replacing legacy software with multi academy trust-specific, agile tools.
Head of Education Strategy, IMP Software
Warren gained his chartered accountancy qualification whilst working at a primary multi academy trust with over 20 schools, before moving on to become CFO at a special/AP trust in Derbyshire.
In his role at IMP, he analyses sector developments and trends, and works closely with customers to ensures that IMP’s financial management tools continually evolve to support smarter trust finance.
This case study session explores how Windsor Academy Trust is using connected digital ecosystems to strengthen pedagogy, professional learning, and trust-wide school improvement. Through the trust’s EmpowerED digital transformation programme, contributors including will reflect on how aligned digital strategy, staff development and communities of practice can support organisational capacity-building and more consistent implementation across schools. Discussion will include links to CST’s conceptual model of school improvement, alongside practical lessons from scaling connected practice across a trust. Ideal for directors of education, school improvement leaders, digital strategy leads and trust executive leaders. Session speakers to be confirmed.
This case study session explores two approaches to enrichment, and the role trusts can play in widening participation and opportunity. Leaders from Ormiston Academies Trust will share how a trust-wide commitment to guaranteed enrichment and a timetabled programme have helped improve engagement and attendance. Leaders from Altus Education Partnership will discuss how the Children's University, REACH, alumni networks, employer partnerships and community programmes are helping connect young people to experiences, aspirations and opportunities beyond the school gate. We will explore how these models were designed and implemented, the impact achieved, and the lessons learned for trusts looking to strengthen their own enrichment offer. Ideal for CEOs, directors of education and those responsible for personal development.
CEO, Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust
Carol has been Chief Executive Officer of Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust since April 2014 overseeing the trust's growth from a three schools to a trust of 21 schools, educating more than 10,600 pupils. During her time at the trust, she has sat on several DfE advisory groups and supported a number of national education commissions, including the current commission on current affairs teaching being led by the Economist Education Foundation. Carol is a Trustee for the Bradford Culture Company driven by her ambition to ensure that young people have a voice in shaping the Bradford City of Culture enrichment offer available across the City. In 2020, Carol was awarded an OBE for her services to education. In 2025 Carol was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for West Yorkshire and she will also take up the position of High Sherriff for West Yorkshire for 12 months from April 2028.
Chief Executive, Altus Education Partnership
Richard is the CEO of Altus Education Partnership and former Principal of Rochdale Sixth Form College, a beacon of excellent practice in education. As an Ofsted outstanding provider, the college has been ranked as one of the most consistent colleges in terms of A level progress in the country, has an excellent track record for supporting disadvantaged pupils and has been instrumental in improving the life chances of young people in the borough.
As CEO he has a high profile in the local community and works closely with a wide variety of stakeholders to deliver on the trust's commitment to support all children in an Altus academy to lead happy and fulfilling lives, and make a positive difference to their communities and society.
Partnership Development Manager, Altus Education Partnership
Jo previously worked for Rochdale Borough Council for 17 years where she undertook a variety of roles and responsibilities, including raising of the participation age agenda and careers education, information, advice & guidance. Jo then became the Inclusion Lead Officer within school improvement, responsible for several teams, working with primary and secondary heads on a myriad of inclusion projects. She also led the work to develop Alternative Provision across the Borough. Now with Altus Education Partnership as their Partnership Development Manager, Jo leads and manages Children’s University, REACH (Rochdale Enrichment Activity Hub) platform and Altus Community Food Hub. Jo is proactive and attends a number of Boroughwide networks and forums, working with a wide range of partners. Jo is a Trustee at Rochdale AFC Community Trust, Dale Futures and Rochdale Training. She also loves the theatre and is part of an amateur dramatics society.
Head of Enrichment, Ormiston Academies Trust
Joe Bradley is Head of Enrichment at Ormiston Academies Trust where he leads the trust's ambition to guarantee every pupil access to 80 hours of enrichment every year. As a 2015 Teach First Ambassador, he began his career as a secondary maths teacher in East London and has since developed extensive experience designing inclusive programmes for school trusts that support pupil engagement, aspiration, and achievement.
Principal, Ormiston Ilkeston Enterprise Academy
Simon Leach has been Principal of Ormiston Ilkeston Enterprise Academy since January 2023. Since his appointment, he has led the academy through significant transformation, securing its first ever good judgement after more than 20 years of satisfactory, requires improvement and inadequate inspection outcomes.
Simon is passionate about overcoming educational disadvantage and creating the culture and climate for young people to achieve social, emotional and academic success. Under his leadership, Ormiston Ilkeston has developed a distinctive approach to enrichment, embedding it into the core school week alongside academic subjects.
Serving a highly disadvantaged community, Simon has championed an entitlement model that ensures 100 percent of students access meaningful and regular enrichment, recognising its vital role in broadening horizons, building confidence and improving life chances.
What does it actually look like when finance, HR, payroll and operations stop working in silos and start working as one? In this product showcase session, trust leaders will share how they are using the Access Education platform to connect core business functions, improve visibility across their organisations and reduce duplicated processes. We will explore their implementation journey, the lessons learnt along the way, and the operational impact of having more connected data and workflows across the trust. The session will also include a demonstration of the platform in practice. Ideal for CFOs, COOs, finance directors, trust business leaders and operations leaders. Session speakers to be confirmed.
General Manager, Access Technology Group
Jonny brings powerful commercial insight to the education sector, working closely with schools, academies and trusts to help them think more strategically about growth and improve operations. With over 15 years’ experience leading global technology and SaaS organisations, he has transformed teams, modernised strategies and delivered significant growth in complex environments. Over the past year, Jonny has applied this expertise directly to education, helping leaders optimise processes and free up resources so funding can be reinvested where it matters most, supporting teaching, learning and student success. As panel host, he guides discussion with clarity and purpose.
Director of Product, Access Technology Group
Emma Slater helps schools see the bigger picture: how smarter systems, clearer budgets and aligned practice create capacity for people to do their best work. With over a decade as a Lead Practitioner and Head of English across LEA and trust schools, Emma understands the operational pressures schools face. As former Director of Education at GCSEPod and now Director of Product for Access Education, she connects curriculum ambition with backroom strategy. Emma brings practical insight into how reducing admin burden strengthens wellbeing, builds trust-wide cohesion and enables more strategic, sustainable growth.
Chief Financial & Operating Officer, The De Curci Trust
Nathan Waites has been in post as Chief Financial & Operating Officer at The De Curci Trust in Portsmouth for over eight years. In addition to his main role, he is also an accredited School Resource Management Advisor (SRMA); a Chief Financial Officer Mentor; Chair of the Institute of School Business Leadership’s Advisory Panel; Chair of Portsmouth Schools' Forum and Co-Chair of Governors at Admiral Lord Nelson School, Portsmouth.
Following an early career in general management within the retail and hospitality sectors, Nathan began his 18-year education career as school business manager (SBM) in a maintained primary school and then SBM in an all-through independent school. He completed an MBA in 2016 with his dissertation focussing on the development of the role of School Business Managers, and is passionate about all aspects of school business leadership.
CFOO, Education Learning Trust
Sam Finch is the Chief Finance & Operating Officer at Education Learning Trust, a school trust based in Stockport, Cheshire. Sam has been dedicated to driving financial excellence, operational efficiency, and strategic growth since 2010. Sam has recently completed her operational excellence training at strategic lead level and has also undertaken the Level 5 Diploma in School Business Management and AAT. Throughout her career, she has worked closely with CEO's, executive leaders, trustees and other stakeholders to strengthen financial sustainability while ensuring high-quality educational outcomes.
Sam's expertise spans financial strategy, budgeting, compliance, risk management, business operations, procurement, estates, human resources, IT, and organisational transformation. She has successfully led complex change initiatives, implemented robust financial controls, and developed long-term strategies that support teaching and learning.
In this second our three conference debate sessions, TES Editor Jon Severs will explore the next decade of teaching and learning with a panel of trust leaders and education thinkers. How will our classrooms look a decade from now? What do we need to do to get there, and ensure it succeeds for all our children?
Editor, Tes Magazine
Jon Severs has been editor of Tes magazine since 2021 and has been a journalist at Tes magazine since 2012. He previously wrote for national newspapers and magazines.
Director of Education, No More Marking
Daisy Christodoulou is Director of Education at No More Marking, a provider of online comparative judgement assessments. She works closely with schools in the UK, Australia and USA on developing new approaches to assessment, and on applications of artificial intelligence in the classroom.
Before that, she was Head of Assessment at Ark Schools, a network of academy schools. She has taught English in two London comprehensives and has been part of UK government commissions on the future of teacher training and assessment.
Daisy is the author of three books about education: Seven Myths about Education (2013), Making Good Progress? The future of Assessment for Learning (2017), and Teachers vs Tech (2020).
CEO, Three Spires Trust
Emily Verow is CEO of Three Spires Trust. Emily is a creative, well-qualified and experienced educationalist. Emily graduated with a first class honours degree, before completing a Masters degree in Educational Leadership. Emily was a teacher for all her professional life prior to joining the trust in 2021; her six years as an Executive Head leading both primary and secondary schools served as the perfect preparation for her present role as trust CEO. Emily is passionate about high quality educational experiences for young people and an active contributor to proposals to completely re-imagine the educational provision for the students of today and tomorrow.
CEO, The Great Schools Trust
Shane Ierston was a successful academy principal for nine years before taking up his post as CEO at the Great Schools Trust. In 2012, he became the founding Principal of King’s Leadership Academy Warrington, which was later judged outstanding under his leadership. King’s Warrington was the first academy in the trust and performs in the top four percent of state schools nationally for progress. Shane’s career spans 26 years across a range of settings, his portfolio includes school transformation and cross trust improvement work for the DfE. Shane is a fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and served as an Inspector at Ofsted for six years.
In this strategic discussion, we will explore how the government's agenda, the rise of Reform UK, and shifting public opinion could shape the education landscape in the years ahead. Drawing on PLMR's Road to 2029 polling and insight from across Westminster, we will examine the trends trust leaders should be paying attention to and consider how they may shape the environment in which we operate. We will also explore why building relationships with political stakeholders across the political spectrum matters and how trusts can engage effectively. Ideal for trust CEOs, trustees and executive leaders.
Head of Education, PLMR
As PLMR’s Head of Education, Tiffany provides expert strategic advice and support in reputation management and crisis communications, PR and media relations, public affairs and wider communications disciplines to school trusts and maintained schools; early years, further and higher education institutions; charities; sector bodies; edtech companies and organisations across the education sphere. She is also Chair of Trustees at Maritime Academy Trust, where she has obtained in-depth understanding of issues and challenges facing schools and trusts around the country. She was made an OBE for services to education in the King’s New Year Honours List 2024.
This panel brings together perspectives on how trust leaders can approach the impact of online conspiracies and misinformation on pupils, staff and communities. Drawing on initial findings from the Commission into Countering Online Conspiracies in Schools and the National Institute of Teaching’s work at the Centre for Digital Information Literacy, we will consider the implications for curriculum, pedagogy, and leadership practice, asking what are trusts noticing in their communities? Where are current approaches proving effective, and where are they more challenging? What kinds of knowledge, skills and judgement do staff need to navigate misinformation and conspiracy theory with confidence? Ideal for CEOs, directors of education, safeguarding leads and headteachers.
Head of Teacher Development, National Institute of Teaching
Pip is the Head of the Centre for Digital Information Literacy in Schools, which aims to embed critical thinking, psychological insight and media literacy across teacher development - to equip educators with the knowledge, confidence, and tools to teach and lead effectively in an age of misinformation.
An experienced education leader, Pip has held senior roles including head of department, assistant head, vice principal, and teaching school director. With a background in English teaching and a decade in advertising, Pip is passionate about evidence-informed practice and professional development.
Pip has contributed to national and international education initiatives, led the Star SCITT provision, and actively supports career changers entering the teaching profession.
Director, Pears Foundation
Amy Braier is Director of Pears Foundation, where she has worked since 2007, overseeing the Foundation's grant-making and operations. Pears Foundation is one of the UK's largest family foundations, awarding more than £25 million in grants annually.
The Foundation is widely recognised for its support of education, including funding research and teacher development through initiatives such as the UCL Centre for Holocaust Education, the National Institute of Teaching's Centre for Digital Information Literacy in Schools, the Centre for Research in Autism and Education, and research on the teaching of empire and migration. Amy played a leading role in establishing the Foundation's Commission into Countering Online Conspiracies in Schools and currently serves as a Commissioner. Her work centres on building strategic partnerships that strengthen education, promote social cohesion and address complex social challenges.
She is currently Chair of Miscarriage UK, the UK's leading charity supporting people affected by pregnancy loss.
CEO, University of Chichester Academy Trust
Jennese Alozie is the CEO of University of Chichester Academy Trust because she is passionate about what education and learning must mean for generations of children, young people, and adults. She began her career as a secondary school English teacher and has held a range of senior and executive leadership roles within schools, local authorities and school trusts. Currently, Jennese is an experienced board member and believes that as system leaders and architects, collectively we have the expertise and innovation required to reshape our society and how we see ourselves within it.
Successful reform of the SEND system will depend on strong, proactive collaboration and connection across mainstream, special, and alternative provision. Together, we need to provide flexible pathways to meet more of the needs of our children and young people. In this session, you’ll be involved in the conversation as trust leaders explore the opportunities and challenges of maximising expertise and knowledge from across education, to break down sector silos and build a continuum of SEND provision.
CEO, Ambition Institute
Hilary is the CEO of Ambition Institute, and has previously held senior roles in education policy, professional development, and equalities. As a charity, Ambition Institute’s focus is on tackling educational inequality. Since March 2019, Ambition has worked with over 100,000 teachers, and with more than half of all schools in the country. The organisation supports teachers and leaders across their careers with high quality, evidence-based professional development, from initial teacher training to trust leadership. As well as a wide range of professional development programmes, Ambition delivers innovative pilot initiatives, a portfolio of robust research, and wider sector engagement to support equality. SEND and inclusion are long-standing priorities for Ambition, and the team is pleased to have worked with CST on publications like Five principles for inclusion, and convening the Inclusion in Practice hub.
CEO, The Eden Academy
Chief Executive Officer, Nexus Multi-Academy Trust
Warren Carratt was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Nexus Multi-Academy Trust in April 2016 and was brought in to establish the trust and develop its strategy and operating model. Since its founding in June 2016, the trust has grown under Warren’s leadership as a civic structure across South Yorkshire and the East midlands, and reached the finals of the National Governance Association Outstanding Governance Awards twice, winning the "outstanding vision and strategy” category in 2017.
National Director of AP & Special, Ormiston Academies Trust
Wasim is a member of the executive leadership team at Ormiston Academies Trust (OAT), a family of 45 schools across England. As National Director, he oversees a cluster of special and alternative provision academies and leads OAT’s national strategy for inclusion. Wasim’s career spans mainstream, special, and alternative settings, including serving as a headteacher and executive headteacher in inner London before joining OAT in 2021. His work focuses on supporting schools to build inclusive cultures through strong leadership, high-quality teaching and effective support for pupils with additional needs. He was also a member of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) Inclusion Taskforce, contributing practitioner insight to the national report Breaking the Cycle: A Blueprint for SEND Reform (2025).
Director of Inclusion, River Learning Trust
Katherine Walsh is the Director of Inclusion for River Learning Trust. She is an experienced teacher and school leader and has led SEND provision in primary and secondary schools in England and America. Over the past ten years, Katherine has developed particular expertise in working with leadership teams to develop school-wide systems, establishing shared and inclusive visions for the education of children and young people with SEND. Katherine was a lead author on the Department for Education commissioned Whole School SEND Teacher Handbook: SEND.
The general understanding of what headteachers do hasn't changed for decades. But those who work as and with heads in school trusts recognise the evolution of the role in recent years. This discussion will explore those changes and discuss the critical role of headteachers within their schools and communities. It will ask what trust teams can do to alleviate pressure, provide support, and ensure a pipeline of potential education leaders ready to step into school leadership.
Director of Talent and Teaching School, Chiltern Learning Trust
Sufian Sadiq is the Director of Talent and Teaching School at Chiltern Learning Trust, with responsibility for overseeing two regional hub areas in the south east of England and four regional SCITT provisions. Chiltern Teaching School are one of the largest providers of CPD to the sector nationally. He is a passionate activist within the educational landscape around race, equity and inclusion. He is a Fellow and Board Member of the Chartered College of Teaching and now the President-Elect, as well as a Fellow for the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors. He plays an active role in numerous charitable organisations as a Trustee and also holds key governance roles within educational organisations. He is a serving Ofsted inspector and richly contributes to the education landscape.
Director of Education; Headteacher, Xavier Catholic Education Trust
Sam Crome is a school leader, currently a Headteacher and Director of Education for Xavier Catholic Education Trust in Surrey. He has lead in primary and secondary schools, across a range of roles in middle and senior leadership. For the last few years, Sam has studied high-performing teams, trying to better understand how teams can become more than the sum of their parts. He regularly blogs, speaks, and works with schools regarding their teams, helping educators to maximise their effectiveness, and is author of The Power of Teams: How to create and lead thriving school teams. He remains convinced that this is an area that needs more attention and exploration.
This session brings together legal and operational perspectives on trust mergers. Jamie Otter, Partner at Stone King, will draw on sector experience to highlight key legal and regulatory pitfalls, including due diligence, decision-making frameworks, and evidencing public benefit. He will be joined by Alan Warboys, who led a trust merger, to offer practical insight into the cultural, stakeholder, and integration challenges that can shape outcomes. Together, they will explore how boards can exercise strong stewardship through complex transitions, balancing risk, purpose, and pace while maintaining trust with communities and partners.
Partner, Stone King LLP
Jamie’s key focus is acting for schools and academies in the North and is based in our Leeds Office. Jamie has vast experience acting for providers across the education sector, and is recognised as a Rising Star in the Legal 500.
Jamie advises schools, academies, nurseries, further education and sixth form colleges and local authorities on sophisticated corporate governance issues, including the establishment of trading companies, collaborative groupings and federations on collaboration agreements. He has also managed over 800 conversions projects and his experience includes providing cutting edge strategic advice to a number of high profile school trusts on academy to academy transfers.
Jamie is a trustee of a secondary school and also sits on the audit committee of a large, high profile school trust.
CEO, Place Partnership Trust
Alan Warboys is the founding Chief Executive of Place Partnership, a newly formed school trust based across West and South Yorkshire arising from the merger of Accord Multi Academy Trust and Maltby Learning Trust from 1 September 2026. Starting in the summer of 2024, Accord Multi Academy Trust began work on a voluntary merger with Maltby Learning Trust (MLT), a South Yorkshire based school trust with a shared ethos and a strong track record of its own. Following DfE approval in October 2025, the two trusts announced the creation of a new organisation, Place Partnership, bringing their collective strengths together to broaden their impact with the approach taken best described as a ‘merger of equals’. Prior to establishing Accord Multi Academy Trust and Place Partnership, Alan held a range of senior and executive leadership positions and was designated as a National Leader of Education (NLE) in 2013.
As trusts mature, the challenge is shifting from building strong individual functions to leading increasingly complex organisations. Drawing on new research across finance, HR, estates and IT, this session explores how leadership across these domains is evolving and what this means for executive teams looking to build more connected organisations. We will examine the capabilities, structures and strategic capacity required as trusts grow in scale and complexity and consider what trust leaders need to do differently in the next phase of trust maturity. Ideal for trust leaders responsible for organisational strategy and development.
Director, CJK
Chris Kirk is a strategic adviser, education leader and former PwC Partner with more than 30 years’ experience across education, skills and social impact. His career has spanned senior leadership roles in government, consulting, international education and advisory work across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.
Chris is the founder of CJK, a specialist advisory practice supporting trusts, charities, foundations, education suppliers, investors and school groups with strategy, organisational development, operating model transformation and growth. He is particularly recognised for his work with school trusts on operating models, shared services, governance, collaboration and organisational effectiveness, and for helping education organisations scale while remaining focused on quality and impact.
Alongside his advisory work, Chris is a regular keynote speaker, facilitator and masterclass leader for sector organisations including Confederation of School Trusts, and has contributed thought leadership on school group strategy, operating models and accountability through work with The Key and other sector bodies.
Across his career, Chris has worked extensively at the intersection of education, public service reform and social impact, with a consistent focus on improving education, skills and opportunity for children, young people and communities.
This strategic panel discussion brings together payments expertise from Lloyds alongside sector insight, including reflections from James Rant to explore the changing role of payments and financial operations across trusts. We examine streamlined payment processes, stronger controls and better integration, and the role they play in supporting efficiency, resilience, and visibility across organisations. The session also explores the evolving payments landscape, including straight through processing and embedded payments as part of wider digital transformation. Discover techniques for improving visibility, reducing friction in procure-to-pay workflows and preparing for future payment models. Ideal for CFOs, COOs, finance directors, procurement, and operations leaders.
Director of Education, Lloyds Bank
Phil brings over 20 years of dedicated experience in supporting the education sector. He currently leads our national education proposition, overseeing a team of 14 specialist education relationship managers who work with eight out of 10 school trusts across the UK. Phil is committed to delivering value to our clients through cutting-edge digital innovations—driving efficiency, reducing risk, enhancing oversight, and strengthening financial control.
Head of Payments and Liquidity Sales, Lloyds Bank
Ross Taylor is a senior banking leader at Lloyds Banking Group, currently serving as Head of Payment and Liquidity Sales within Commercial Banking Coverage. He brings deep expertise across merchant services, commercial cards, cash management, and liquidity solutions, with a strong track record of driving sales performance, leading high-performing teams, and shaping strategic initiatives.
Ross is known for his practical, results-focused approach, combining commercial insight with disciplined execution. He works closely with senior stakeholders to drive standards, deliver growth, improve customer outcomes, and navigate regulatory and operational complexity.
Alongside his professional focus, he is passionate about developing people, improving sales capability, and applying data-driven insights to decision-making. Outside work, Ross is actively involved in youth sport, supporting the development of young rugby players.
CFO, Red Kite Learning Trust
James Rant is Chief Financial Officer for Red Kite Learning Trust which comprises 16 schools based in Leeds and Harrogate. Having worked in the education sector now for seven years, James is keen to collaborate with others across the sector to get the best for young people that they serve.
Prior to working in education, James worked for several years in external audit as well as a financial controller for a travel health company.
Head of Make & Take Payments, Lloyds Bank
Linda Weston is a senior payments executive with a distinguished track record in leading transformation across the financial services industry. As Head of Make & Take Payments at Lloyds, she leads the cards and payments business for the business and commercial bank, driving both strategic growth and cultural change at scale.
Known for her authentic and impactful leadership style, Linda specialises in designing and executing forward-looking strategies that enable innovation, scalability, and sustainable growth. She has consistently delivered strong outcomes for customers and organisations alike, bringing a deep understanding of the evolving payments landscape and the opportunities it presents.
With experience spanning multiple financial institutions, Linda is passionate about building high-performing, inclusive teams and shaping the future of payments through technology, partnerships, and customer-centric innovation.
This product showcase explores how Renaissance is responding to the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence in education through its emerging AI-enabled approach to teaching and learning. We’ll discuss what trust leaders should look for when adopting AI, including the importance of safe, responsible, and evidence-informed approaches built on trusted data. You’ll get an early look at the thinking behind Renaissance Intelligence and hear how long-standing trust partners are responding to this next stage in Renaissance’s development. Ideal for trust leaders responsible for data, teaching and learning, innovation, and school improvement. Session speakers to be confirmed.
This practical workshop explores how trusts can move from improvement priorities to credible, usable evidence about what is actually working across their schools. Leaders have access to more data than ever before, face growing expectations to demonstrate impact, and must make difficult decisions about where to focus limited time and resources. Through a trust case study on attendance, we will examine how leaders can move beyond data tracking towards targeted evaluation. We will explore practical approaches to building evidence, identifying which initiatives are making the greatest difference, and using evaluation to strengthen decision-making. You will gain ideas and tools to help prioritise improvement activity and focus resources where they can have the greatest impact. Ideal for CEOs, directors of education, executive principals and school improvement leaders.
Group Director and Co-Founder, ImpactEd Group
Elin de Zoete is Group Director and Co-Founder of ImpactEd Group and brings 20 years of experience in education policy, government relations and impact communications. At ImpactEd, she has led high-profile, cross sector convening projects on inclusion, oracy, school improvement, AI, critical thinking and resilience. Prior to ImpactEd, Elin was Managing Director of PLMR, an award-winning education public affairs and communications agency. She also served as Government Relations Director at Bite Back (Jamie Oliver's campaigning charity).
Outside of work Elin sits on the Board of Inspiration Trust and is the lead trustee for SEND and inclusion and AI. She is also the Vice Chair of intergenerational charity, The Together Project.
Principal Director, ImpactEd
Jo Twiby is Principal Director for ImpactEd Group's evaluation practice - supporting schools, trusts, government and education organisations to evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies, programmes and interventions for the benefit of children. Prior to this, she worked as Executive Director at Delta Academies Trust for nine years, supporting their mission to improve educational outcomes for children in the North of England. She founded The Exchange Partnership as a vehicle for school improvement through evidence-informed professional learning and collaboration, engaging over 900 schools in Yorkshire and the Humber. Her trust-wide leadership of English at Delta and Outwood Grange Academies Trust led to significant gains in achievement for all students, exceeding national averages in academies predominantly serving communities characterised by disadvantage.
Jo is a member of the EEF's Disadvantage Expert Advisory Group. She has 24 years of experience in teaching and leading in schools and trusts in the North of England.
When parents use AI to raise a complaint, the technology isn't the issue. The breakdown in the home-school relationship is. This session reframes both the problem and the response and will seek to understand the significant increase in complaints, including from parents of children with SEND, and the possible pathways available to trusts. Drawing on the latest school leaders survey findings, Claire and Victoria will cover how to handle AI-drafted complaints on their merits, what proactive steps cut the risk of formal complaints, and how to build AI literacy across your staff team.
Partner, Browne Jacobson
Vicky is a partner and has been practising education law since 2010. Her areas of expertise include academy projects, governance and student related matters. Vicky is ranked as a ‘Rising Star’ in Legal 500 for 2021.
Vicky supports schools and trusts on the corporate and governance aspects of all types of academy projects, including academy conversions, academy mergers and transfers and significant change applications. She also advises trusts on changes to their governance arrangements, including putting in place new Articles of Association and schemes of delegation. She has particular experience in supporting Church of England schools and trusts with diocesan requirements, having undertaken in-house secondments with two dioceses in the South West.
Vicky advises on a range of student related matters, especially those which are, or are likely to become, contentious including admissions, exclusions, special educational needs, discrimination claims, complaints and other parent issues. She also advises on issues arising from regulatory intervention from Ofsted, local authorities, the ESFA and the Department for Education.
Vicky takes an active interest in education, having held several volunteer governorship roles in maintained and academy schools and in higher education. She is currently a Trustee of Askel Veur, the Diocese of Truro Umbrella Trust Company, and a member of a special school trust.
Vicky is also a co-opted member of the Audit Committee at Plymouth Marjon University, working with internal and external auditors to review financial and risk management controls and ensuring compliance with OFS and other regulatory body requirements on behalf of the University’s Board of Governors.
Legal Director, Browne Jacobson
Claire specialises in data protection, AI, information governance, and freedom of information for education clients at Browne Jacobson LLP. Her extensive experience leading a data protection officer service as well as experience working as a school business manager and as a local academy board governor equips her with a profound understanding of school challenges. Claire received the European Picasso 'Champion' Award for her ability to support and promote a positive information governance culture within schools, and the important work done by school staff to protect children's personal data. Claire is also a co-author of the IRMS Records Management Toolkit for Schools and Academies and is known for her effective public speaking and advocacy for data protection importance in education. Additionally, Claire's expertise extends to AI governance and edtech. This experience and knowledge makes her an invaluable resource for educational institutions.
This workshop explores what it would take to build more coherent and connected systems around children and young people over the next decade. We will introduce the children’s workforce as a way of understanding the roles and systems shaping outcomes across education, health, early help and community settings. Drawing on emerging ideas and shared experience, participants will reflect on how the workforce currently operates and will identify opportunities to strengthen collaboration and connection across roles, organisations, and local areas. Ideal for trust and system leaders working across inclusion, partnerships, and place-based strategy.
Managing Director, Centre For The Children's Workforce
Ned Younger is the Managing Director of the Centre for the Children's Workforce, a national initiative dedicated to building more connected and coherent approaches to working with babies, children, and young people in England.
His background is in workforce development and social innovation. He has built programmes and partnerships across social impact sectors in the UK and internationally over the last decade, and was previously Managing Director at Koreo, a leading learning consultancy and incubator.
He is a trustee of the Virgin Money Foundation, and a founding Director of the campaigning charity Inside Track.
Director of Education, Centre For The Children's Workforce
Beck Crowhurst is the Director of Education at the Centre for the Children's Workforce - a new national initiative dedicated to building the workforce children deserves. She oversees the curriculum sitting behind a new foundation degree targeted at the hidden children's workforce, and works to build programmes that connects different sectors to learn and collaborate.
Prior to working with CCW, she was part of the founding team at Reach Academy Feltham in 2012, and was co-headteacher for seven years from 2018 - 2025.
Head of Nurseries and Preschools, The Priory Learning Trust
Amy Marsh is the Head of Nurseries and Preschools at The Priory Learning Trust and Castle Education Schools Trust where she oversees the strategic direction, quality of education, and operational excellence of the trust’s early years provisions. With over 20 years of dedicated experience in Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) leadership, Amy Marsh is passionate about creating nurturing, stimulating, and high-quality learning environments that give every child the best possible start in life.
Amy supports her school based nurseries to focus on bridging the gap between early years and primary education to ensure seamless transitions for young learners. She believes that strong early intervention and a play-based, language-rich curriculum are fundamental to narrowing the disadvantage gap and unlocking long-term academic and social success.
In this final of our three conference debate sessions, a panel of leading trust figures will discuss what our sector might look like 10 years from now, guided by Schools Week Editor Freddie Whittaker. The government has set out plans for long-term reform for schools, post-16, and SEND – but are they achievable, and what will they look like in practice?
Editor, Schools Week
Freddie Whittaker is the editor of national education newspaper Schools Week.
He was previously its deputy and political editor, covering politics and policy issues for the newspaper as well as a number of other areas including industrial relations, school funding and children's rights.
Freddie trained as a journalist on the Gloucester Citizen where he spent four years writing about local government, environment and education issues. He then served as the Oxford Mail's political reporter before joining FE Week in 2014.
Following Schools Week's launch later that year, Freddie began writing for both publications. He moved to the Schools Week team full time in August 2015, and became the paper’s political reporter in January 2016, its chief reporter in 2017 and its deputy editor in 2022.
CEO, Woodard Academies Trust
Mike Pettifer has been the CEO of Woodard Academies Trust, for four years. Woodard Academies Trust is school trust with six academies across the country covering early years, primary, secondary and post 16. Prior to this, Mike spent 12 years working in the Department for Education serving as Director of the Covid Response Unit and previously the Director of Academies and Maintained Schools. He was responsible for academy funding, financial health, and governance with a budget of around £45 billion. He started as an English teacher in a further education college and became more involved in strategy, planning and funding whilst working for the Learning & Skills Council on all types of post 16 provision.
Chief Executive Officer, Academy Transformation Trust
Mark McCourt became CEO of Academy Transformation Trust (ATT) in April 2025. A nationally renowned educationalist and business leader, Mark has dedicated his career to raising standards across all phases of education. With a background in mathematics education, curriculum design, and system leadership, Mark brings a wealth of experience from working with schools, trusts, governments, and international organisations. He is passionate about ensuring every child – regardless of background – has access to a first-class education and is committed to supporting ATT’s 22 academies and their communities to thrive.
CEO, Lift Schools
Rebecca Boomer Clark is the Chief Executive Officer of Academies Enterprise Trust. An experienced school leader, she was Director of Secondary at Ark Schools from 2017 to 2021. Prior to that, she worked for the DfE as Regional Schools Commissioner for South-West England. Rebecca also worked at Oasis Community Learning for eight years in a variety of roles, initially as a vice principal and principal in Bristol, before becoming a Regional Director and then National Education Director at the school trust. Rebecca is also a Trustee at Ambition Institute and Jamie's Farm.
Led by Matthew Purves, this session will provide space for discussion and shared reflection following HMCI’s keynote, offering delegates an opportunity to explore the themes, questions, and implications in greater depth.
National Director, Ofsted Academy
Matthew Purves took up his post as National Director of the Ofsted Academy on 2 September 2024. Previously he was Regional Director, South East from January 2022. Matthew was Director for Education Services at a large national school trust in 2020 and 2021, where his responsibilities included curriculum, safeguarding, wellbeing and teacher and leader development throughout the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier in his career, Matthew was Deputy Director for Schools at Ofsted. He has also worked at the Home Office and the Department for Education.
This workshop explores how trusts can design coherent pathways that help every learner make informed choices and progress with confidence. Working through learner profiles with different strengths, aspirations, and support needs, we will examine where curriculum, qualifications, careers education, and transition points can become disconnected. Together, we will identify common barriers and explore practical approaches to trust-wide curriculum planning, qualification pathways, and destination strategies to create a more joined-up experience. You will gain tools to help review progression pathways across your trust. Ideal for trust leaders responsible for curriculum, inclusion, pathways, and careers strategy. Session speakers to be confirmed.
What is the impact of a pedagogy-first approach to thinking about digital tools to support learning and teaching, and why is it so different from the historical EdTech approach? This session explores how Inspiring Futures through Learning has approached their device provision with a very clear vision – using digital tools to support, extend, enhance, and stay away from specific aspects of pedagogy and practice. Sarah Hand and Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith will reflect on their year-long impact research, sharing insights about pedagogical drivers, implementation, accessibility, staff development, and the practical realities of classrooms across the 21 school all-through trust. Ideal for directors of education, school improvement leaders, digital strategy leads, and inclusion leaders.
Founder of PedTech, and Director, One Life Learning
Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith an independent consultant researcher who works closely with schools to support a deeper understanding of pedagogy and practice in a contemporary landscape.
She is a PhD supervisor and examiner, and co-author of the best selling book From EdTech to PedTech: Changing the way we think about digital technology. Fiona is Co-founder of the National PedTech Partnership and The Open School UK, and sits on a number of advisory and charitable boards. In 2024, Fiona was granted Freedom of the City of London, and Fiona was named EduFuturist of the Year 2025.
Head of System Leadership, Inspiring Futures Through Learning
Sarah is an experienced school and system leader. As Head of System Leadership at IFtL, she leads the Learning and Development (CPD) offer, designing system leadership approaches to build sustainable capacity and expertise. Sarah champions evidence-led, research based, professional learning and creates opportunities for colleagues to collaborate and inspire each other to think creatively. Sarah is highly respected for the thoughtful way in which she combines her extensive educational expertise with positive challenge and a nurturing style. Her work leading Digital Learning at IFtL has taken a pathfinding approach, placing the interaction of pedagogy and digital at its heart and vitally, pivoting around the needs and aspirations of children and young people.
Who will lead our schools in the decade ahead, and what will they need to succeed? This session explores one of the sector's most pressing workforce challenges: securing a strong pipeline of future headteachers. Bringing together trust and school perspectives, speakers will examine how expectations of headship are changing, the competencies and attributes most critical for success, and what makes the role attractive and sustainable for current and future leaders. Through discussion and shared insight, delegates will explore emerging thinking on the capabilities future headteachers will require and consider the implications for recruitment, retention and succession across the sector. Ideal for CEOs, chief people officers, directors of education and trust executive teams.
CEO, The CAM Academy Trust
Claire is the Chief Executive of The Cam Academy Trust and the Chair of the Active Learning Trust. She is also a trustee at The Difference.
Chair of Trustees, Big Education Trust
Andrew Thraves is Chair of Big Education Trust, Chair of Barking and Dagenham School Improvement Partnership, and a Non-Executive Director of CST Professional Development Ltd.
He has spent nearly 40 years supporting schools, trusts and other education organisations through the development and provision of curriculum and assessment resources, strategic advice and guidance, and the creation of services that strengthen leadership, governance and organisational effectiveness.
Andrew has worked extensively across the commercial services to education sector, including roles as Director of Education Services at GL Education Group, and Managing Director of Optimus Education Ltd.
Partner, Anderson Quigley
Hayley has supported the education sector for the last 10 years, providing executive search and interim and consultancy solutions to school trusts, independent schools, FE colleges, and universities. Her speciality is understanding the education sector and connecting talent that is passionate about providing high quality inclusive education. Hayley has built a track record with education leaders and helped many organisations identifying top talent.
Hayley has a passion for education, she is a governor for school trust working closely with the head and trust leaders to ensure excellent levels of education. She previously worked closely with England Rugby Schools to deliver inclusive sport in schools and has strong understanding of the curriculum.
Hayley joined the Anderson Quigley team to further develop the schools and colleges practice and is driven by making a positive difference to the education sector through the quality of leadership appointment.
In this session, we will explore CST’s Governance at scale paper, which draws on systems thinking and sector experience to set out a principles-led framework for deliberately redesigning governance for greater complexity, pace, and distance. It focuses on stewardship, assurance, clear accountability, and effective information flows, moving beyond incremental tweaks towards governance that remains viable, resilient, and purposeful at scale.
Director of Trust Governance, CST
Samira Sadeghi is Director of Trust Governance for CST. Prior to that, she was Head of Governance and Company Secretary at Academies Enterprise Trust, a multi-academy trust with 57 schools, and served as Regional Governance Officer at Ark Schools for four years. Before moving to the UK with her family in 2010, she was a criminal defence attorney and spent 12 years representing clients on California's death row in their post-conviction proceedings.
Director of Policy and Programmes, Trust Governance Professionals
Head of Governance & Company Secretary, The Co-operative Academies Trust
Sarah Lay has worked in governance roles for more than 15 years, holding professional positions in educational institutions and independent professional bodies. She is the Head of Governance and Company Secretary at the Co-op Academies Trust, a large multi academy trust in the North of England, where she leads a team of governance professionals facilitating effective decision making and stakeholder engagement across 38 diverse communities.
Sarah is passionate about promoting the profile of academy governance professionals across the wider sector, and in identifying opportunities for cross-sector learning, development and collaboration. She is a trustee of a charity in central Manchester, and the winner of the National Governance Association's Outstanding Lead Governance Professional Award 2025.
This case study and discussion explore how trusts can respond when parental complaints move beyond formal processes and begin affecting staff wellbeing, reputation, and leadership capacity. Drawing on sector insight, trust experience, and specialist support perspectives, we will examine how concerns can escalate through parent groups, local media and online discussion, and explore practical approaches to de-escalation, communication and staff support. You will gain insight into warning signs, governance considerations and how trusts can assess when additional support may be beneficial. Ideal for CEOs, governance professionals, HR leaders and school leaders.
Director of Governance, The Mead Educational Trust
Cathy Brown has held the post of Director of Governance at The Mead Educational Trust since 2016. In this role she is responsible for the strategic leadership of governance across the trust. As a member of the trust’s executive team, she is involved in discussions and decisions across school improvement, finance, operations and HR.
Cathy brings extensive experience of school and academy trust governance to her role, including: chairing and clerking governance meetings and panels for complaints and exclusions; delivering governance training; conducting reviews of governance; and mentoring other school trust governance professionals.
She works with colleagues across the trust to manage complaints.
This strategic panel discussion explores how trusts and partners are designing inclusive learning environments that support a wider range of learner needs across mainstream and specialist provision. The panel will translating inclusive design principles into effective spatial strategies, from sensory considerations and adaptability to whole-school planning and external environments, sharing the practical realities of translating ambition into delivery. You will gain practical insight into how to embed inclusive principles into estate strategy, capital planning and project delivery, while balancing long-term adaptability, operational needs and learner wellbeing. Ideal for COOs, heads of estates and directors of operations.
Partner, Barker Associates
Robert is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a Partner at Barker heading up their education sector. He works with academies, trusts and colleges to deliver capital projects and surveying services including condition surveying and estate planning. He also assists education clients in applying for capital funding and advises on energy efficiency strategies.
Director of Practice, Scott Brownrigg
Helen is a chartered architect, fellow of RIBA, and Director of Practice for Scott Brownrigg, an international design practice specialising in architecture, masterplanning, urbanism and interior design. She is responsible for knowledge management across the practice. Helen’s commitment to sustainability, diversity and inclusive design, supports the implementation of new initiatives to assist the practice in achieving its quality management, sustainability and corporate social and environmental responsibility objectives. Specialising in education design for many years, including the nature-based Island School in Cyprus, shortlisted in World Architecture Festival (WAF) awards, she has authored books for RIBA on Urban Schools: Designing for High Density, awarded the AJ100 Collaboration of the Year award and Community Schools: Designing for Sustainability, Wellbeing and Inclusion. Helen is passionate about cross industry collaboration, engagement and research. She played a significant role in the establishment of Modern Apprenticeships in Architecture and is an external examiner and lecturer.
This facilitated round table provides an opportunity for trust leaders with responsibility for procurement, finance and operations to discuss the issues that matter most to them. Rather than following a predetermined agenda, the discussion will be shaped by attendees, with topics gathered in advance through the conference app. Whether your focus is procurement strategy, value for money, supplier relationships, contract management, sustainability, risk, collaboration or emerging sector challenges, this session offers a space to share experiences, explore solutions and learn from peers. Ideal for CFOs, COOs, and others with strategic responsibility for procurement across their trust.
CEO, Value Match
David created Value Match over 10 years ago as a specialist procurement services and consultancy company. Previously, David has held senior positions in the cabinet office, HM treasury and recently as director of procurement, sustainability and social impact at NHS SBS. Through extensive experience in ensuring procurement aligns to an organisations strategy and purpose, David believes that procurement can play a pivotal role in mitigating climate change while delivery positive social vale impact and improving broader organisational outcomes.
Director of Operations, Value Match
Charlotte Mclone is a seasoned procurement professional with over 10 years of experience in the public sector. She has worked extensively across Education and Emergency Services, delivering innovative procurement solutions across diverse categories. Charlotte specialises in aggregating spend across sectors to maximise efficiency and achieve value for money. Her expertise lies in building strategic frameworks that drive compliance, cost savings, and operational excellence, ensuring robust procurement outcomes for complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
This evidence-informed session explores early learning from the national attendance mentoring programme. We will examine how trusts are addressing persistent absence through relationships, belonging, family engagement and wider wraparound support. Speakers will share emerging findings, reflections from live delivery and practical considerations around sustainability, scalability and implementation across different trust contexts. You will gain practical insight into approaches that can strengthen attendance, inclusion, and pupil engagement. Ideal for directors of education, inclusion and school improvement, alongside attendance, safeguarding and pastoral leaders.
Business Director, Thrive
Tom Preston is a Director of Thrive, the UK’s leading provider of social, emotional and mental health training and resources for schools, boosting attendance and behaviour, reducing exclusions, and improving staff and pupil wellbeing. Thrive is part of Supporting Education Group, which supports over 95% of all the school trusts in England through their SEND, qualifications and training, recruitment and professional services businesses. Prior to Thrive, Tom was a Director of Partnerships at Teach First. He is passionate about social impact, leadership, and strategy, a published author and based in Nottingham, UK.
CEO, Compass Eko Trust
As well as being CEO of Compass Eko Trust, Rebekah provides high quality school improvement work to a range of schools and trusts.
Previously, Rebekah has been a headteacher, co-headteacher, deputy headteacher, and an advisor for science, early years and English as an additional language in two local authorities before becoming a senior advisor for continuing professional development (CPD). This role included specific responsibility for developing leadership capacity across primary, secondary and special schools. She has also taught in schools in Britain and Namibia.
Regional Director North, Etio Global
Jude Yoxall is the Regional Director for Etio’s Attendance Mentoring Programme; leading delivery across 10 regions of the UK. She supports teams dedicated to helping young people overcome barriers to school attendance, improve engagement and successfully reconnect with education.
Jude has been involved in school management and leadership for over 30 years in a range of educational settings. She has lead staff development and embedded sustainable change through building positive relationships with children, staff and school communities.
As a Lead Mentor and Associate Tutor for Cumbria University, Jude has provided training, led induction and as Appropriate Body Lead contributed to developing the pedagogy of future teachers. She has worked closely with many early career teachers and mentors providing training and mentor support.
Jude is passionate about building positive learning environments and deepening understanding of young people’s needs so all pupils thrive at school.
Implementation and Re-integration Manager, Etio
Clair is an Implementation and Re-integration Manager at Etio, specialising in supporting vulnerable children and young people to successfully re-engage with education. She plays a key role in the delivery and development of the Attendance Mentoring Programme, working collaboratively with schools, local authorities and education professionals to improve engagement and attendance for pupils facing significant barriers to learning. She has held pastoral, safeguarding and curriculum leadership roles in mainstream education and has coached trainee teachers throughout her career.
Passionate about helping young people achieve their full potential, Clair believes in the transformative power of mentoring and coaching. Her approach centres on building trusted relationships that engage and empower young people and their families. Her work includes developing bespoke, holistic programmes, delivering training, and promoting inclusive practice to ensure young people receive the support they need to thrive in education and beyond.
This workshop launches FFT's major new national research on reading fluency, drawing on more than one million reading assessments. We will explore what the research reveals about the gap between phonics, fluency, and comprehension, with a particular focus on the pupils most at risk of falling behind. We will discuss implications for trust-wide improvement and practical approaches to identifying need, benchmarking performance, and monitoring progress across your schools. The session includes a demonstration of FFT's assessments, benchmarking tools, and literacy programmes, supporting reading improvement at scale. Ideal for directors of education and trust literacy leaders across primary and secondary schools.
Managing Director, FFT Education
Paul Charman has 20 years’ experience working in educational technology, assessment and data. He joined FFT as a Director in 2012 and was appointed Managing Director in 2014. Before joining FFT, Paul worked for 14 years in senior roles at RM where he led the team which designed and developed education data platforms and services for schools for DfE and Ofsted. Paul has been Chair of Governors at Dyson Perrins CE Academy in Malvern since 2011.
Many trusts are looking for ways to strengthen workforce capacity without placing further pressure on already stretched budgets. This interactive session explores how the Growth and Skills Levy can support retention, talent development and inclusive provision, drawing on practical examples from trust leaders in both mainstream and special education settings. We will examine common misconceptions, practical implementation approaches and how funded development opportunities can be used to develop teaching assistants, create career progression opportunities and support staff into qualified teacher roles. Ideal for CEOs, COOs, and HR leads.
Education Leadership Mentor and Advisor
John is a highly experienced former CEO who has grown and developed one of England’s leading school trusts and is now dedicating the next stage of his career as an Education Leadership Mentor, Advisor and Public speaker. As one of the founding CEOs of the National Institute of Teaching, John has contributed to the architecture of the school trust sector. John has become the Programme Architect for the BeReady Becoming the CEO programme and is currently enabling, equipping and sustaining 150 aspiring and current CEOs. Now John continues to use his skills and experience to support other leaders to succeed as a CEO mentor, leadership trainer and chair of national conferences that nurture the next generation of school trust CEOs.
Director of Strategic Partnerships, BeReady Group
As Head of Partnerships at Be Ready, Dan is passionate about inclusion focused staff development for education that enables organisations and individuals to flourish. He has led the provision of fully funded professional development programmes for wellbeing and SEND for over 300 school trusts and thousands of schools across the country. Dan continues to champion and demystify how school trusts can access over £4billion of apprenticeship funding available to the education sector as part of staff development and retention strategies in a challenging fiscal environment.
CEO, Cygnus Academies Trust
Danielle Lewis-Egonu is the CEO of Cygnus Academies Trust. She has worked in school improvement and leadership development for over 20 years, supporting schools, leaders and local authorities. She is a published author writing about education and leadership and has recently co-authored a chapter in Outstanding School Leadership published by Bloomsbury Education. The book highlights the positive impact of leaders across the UK and globally.
Deputy CEO, Thrive Education Partnership
Dominic Broad is Deputy CEO at Thrive Education Partnership, a specialist SEND school trust. He is a former director of education and headteacher. Previously strategic lead for curriculum reform in Wales, Dominic led large-scale curriculum change alongside pioneer schools, regional consortia, and Welsh Government. He has led successful school improvement across multiple academies and now oversees trust-wide strategy, leadership development, and central services. Dominic also sits on the Pearson Digital Transformation Advisory Panel, hosts The Olympic Mindset Podcast and was recently appointed as a pedagogical expert on the AI Tutoring Tools Pioneer Programme on behalf of the Department for Education.
