Registration, Networking & Breakfast

Chairs Welcoming Address

This keynote session tackles the challenge of achieving more with limited resources in our schools. Through inspiring examples and expert insights, we explore innovative strategies and collaborative approaches that empower educational institutions to optimize efficiency, effectiveness, and impact. Join us as we uncover practical solutions and key principles that can revolutionize the way schools operate, creating sustainable, high-quality learning environments for all students.

In this session, Educational Consultant and Founder of Teach Active, Jon Smedley, will talk about the 1000+ schools he supports across the UK and Internationally who have taken an approach to make the school day more active.

Jon will demonstrate the importance of this to your pupils and explain how to easily achieve this - ensuring sustainability and impact to drive up attitudes and attainment in Maths and English, whilst also developing the whole child.

What are the expectations placed on Trust leaders and what preparations do you need to make to ensure that your Trust is ahead of the curve and is perceived as a high-quality Trust. In this session we will look at the latest information that Trust leaders need to consider, looking at the key areas that need to be on your radar. 

Morning Break, Networking & Refreshments

The presentation highlights and demonstrates the importance of culture and more precisely, the intentional design of organisational culture as the main driver of success. It provides some useful resources that we used to do this and also explores the importance of staff happiness.

In this session we will cover some simple steps that trusts can take to improve online safeguarding, mitigate cyber risk and protect data through a variety of methods including awareness training , software solutions and solid cyber safe practices  

Keynote Session - Intelligent, accountability and collaboration

Carla Whelan, CEO, Empower Trust

Sponsor Session - Hosted by IRIS Education

Moorlands Academy Trust has recently undergone a period of rapid growth. CFO, Alison Kaye, will share how they transitioned from a 2 to a 6 school MAT in a matter of months, some changes they had to make, and challenges they have overcome along the way.

iExel Education Trust (iExel) was formerly known as Feversham Education Trust (FET), comprising of a number of Academies in Bradford. During 2022, FET/iExel went through a major re-branding exercise. This presentation outlines that journey: from the initial discussions/reasons to re-brand, the creative journey, thereafter the implementation of the myriads of practical tasks, to its continuous marketing. Hopefully, this presentation will provide an insight for Trust/s who may be contemplating embarking on such an exciting journey.

In this discussion attendees will hear from Trust leaders who have successfully navigated the political challenges of growing their trusts in Midlands/North. They will be discussing the importance of building strong relationships with local authorities, community organisations and schools; relating to how this engagement has improved their process and results of growing their trusts.

We will also examine how to assess the financial viability of new schools, managing the transition process effectively and how to communicate this effectively with students, staff and parents.

• Chair of Panel (TBC)
• Karen Burns, CEO, Victorious Academies Trust
• Khurshid Khan, CEO, iExel Education Trust
• Hayley Guest, Deputy CEO, Manor MAT (Provisionally Confirmed)

Post-Conference Drinks Reception

End of Day