Contributing to the National Conversation at the CST Conference

22nd October 2025

This month, we were honoured to contribute to the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) Annual Conference at the ICC in Birmingham. This is the most significant event in the school trust calendar, and having three of our senior leaders invited to present alongside national figures like Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education, was a wonderful opportunity to share our work and learn from others.

The conference theme was "flourishing," exploring how our school system can deliver excellence, inclusion, and equity for all children. Our CEO, Dawn Haywood, hosted an inspiring fireside chat with Baroness Sue Campbell for a keynote session titled "The Game Changer - flourishing in sport and leadership". In the session, Dawn introduced Baroness Campbell and guided a discussion exploring the values-driven leadership required to make a real difference for children and families, drawing on insights from our work as a Trust.

We also had the opportunity to share our work in two key workshops. Leanne Bridgwood co-presented a session on "the power of pupil voice", sharing the practical strategies we use to ensure our students are genuinely heard and empowered. Answering the conference's call to build partnerships with other public services, Claire Gething officially unveiled our new, co-created "national framework for co-creating healthy futures", showcasing how we are working to bridge the gap between schools and healthcare.

Adding to the wonderful atmosphere, the conference dinner on Thursday evening featured a fantastic performance by talented students from across our family of schools. Their performance was a brilliant showcase of the personal potential we champion within our Trust, and they truly embodied the conference's spirit of 'flourishing.'

Sharing our work on pupil voice, civic leadership, our vision for co-creating healthy futures, and showcasing our students' talents was a privilege. It reflects the innovative work happening across our family of schools every day, and we are grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to the national conversation and our sector's "collective commitment to flourishing together."