Rachel Wilkes

CEO, Humber Education Trust

Rachel Wilkes is the founding Chief Executive of Humber Education Trust - a multi academy trust of 17 primary and special schools which have inclusion and ambition for all at the heart of their values. Rachel has worked in education for over 25 years and spent eight years as the headteacher of Clifton Primary School, a national support school, prior to becoming the CEO at Humber Education Trust. Rachel has been involved in system leadership at many levels during her career, has supported colleagues across the sector as a NLE and regularly contributes to educational publications and blogs. Rachel believes that all children are capable of great things when they are given the opportunity to shine and is committed to working collaboratively with all partners to secure the best outcomes for children and young people.

1 Workshop series two

Exploring effective models of special schools’ outreach

Chaired by Alistair Crawford of Eden Academy Trust, this session explores two distinct models of outreach. Cate Marsden of Woodbridge Trust (3 specialist settings across primary, secondary, and sixth form), with an Outreach Service supporting over 120 schools, will share an approach developed in close partnership with the local authority, rooted in collaboration and sustained support across mainstream schools. Rachel Wilkes of Humber Education Trust (4 specialist schools and 13 mainstream primary schools) will share a model of support enabling mainstream settings to inclusively meet the needs of more complex learners within and beyond the trust. Attendees will gain valuable perspectives on how outreach can be structured, sustained, and scaled to help inform or enhance work in their own trusts.