Jim Nicholson

CEO, Honeycomb Education Trust

Jim started his teaching career in Stockport in a primary school in 1991 and he quickly established a position as a subject leader for a variety of subjects, and head of pastoral care in the early 1990s. During his early teaching career, he worked regularly with the local authority on the development of curriculum planning, assessment, providing professional development for teachers and support for SEND pupils and those who are in danger of falling behind. Jim worked with Edexcel on the advisory group for maths SATs; the NFER for Science tests at KS2 and the national numeracy strategy in its construction stage. Jim was appointed as headteacher at Mellor in 2007. He was instrumental in establishing the first primary academy in Stockport in 2011. Jim worked with governors developing a case for change and engaging the local community, demonstrating the benefits of establishing Mellor academy. After working as a Director of School at Mellor for almost 15 years, Jim was appointed CEO of Honeycomb Education Trust in February 2025. The Honeycomb Education Trust was officially launched as a school trust with two primary schools (Mellor Primary and Bolshaw Primary) after a period of working together in successful partnership.

Hall 10a

1 Series four

Leading through change: Unlocking operational efficiencies with the power of data

In recent research led by IRIS Education, over four fifths of education leaders cited budget constraints as a core challenge. This session will provide practical strategies and real-world insights into how to operate more efficiently, gain greater financial visibility, and help future-proof your trust’s success. Aimed at small to mid-size trusts, and those with ambition to grow – trust leaders will walk away with actionable takeaways to drive capacity, improve efficiency, and create the conditions where schools, and their pupils, can flourish.

Hall 11b

1 Series two

Leveraging the levy: The strategic role of teaching apprenticeships

This session is designed for trusts looking to make strategic use of the apprenticeship levy to strengthen their workforce pipeline, improve retention, and maximise public funding. The levy is widely underutilised, often due to misconceptions about its relevance and complexity. This workshop will address myths surrounding the levy, offering a clear, operationally focused overview of how trusts can leverage the levy to upskill teaching assistants and support staff into qualified teacher roles, without incurring debt or diverting core budgets. Attendees will hear directly from trust leaders who have integrated teaching apprenticeships into their workforce strategy, sharing insights on implementation, impact, and talent development.