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Unified Purpose, Empowered People: A National Gathering of Changemakers

From the Norfolk coast to Milton Keynes, from Coventry to Stoke-on-Trent, over 100 colleagues from across Creative Education Trust came together for a landmark two-day national conference at Staverton Park. This inspiring event marked the launch of our new 2025–2030 strategy: Unified Purpose. Empowered People.

Rooted in our refreshed values of Ambition, Equity, and Opportunity, the conference brought together leaders at all levels—headteachers, facilities managers, finance and HR professionals, curriculum leads, administrators and those championing enrichment and inclusion—to shape the future of our Trust.

A Trust Like No Other

Our new strategy sets out a bold vision: to build a Trust where equity is lived, ambition is ignited, and opportunity is limitless. We will achieve this through a focus on Leadership at All Levels—empowering every adult to lead with purpose and every student to see themselves as a leader of their own life.

Nicole McCartney, CEO, opened the conference with a powerful message: “Together, we are shaping a Trust where every learner thrives and every adult leads with purpose.” Director of Education Dr Jason Howard echoed this, describing our colleagues as “changemakers” who are turning our values into lived realities.

From Vision to Action

The heart of the conference was a collaborative challenge: teams from each school and central function designed a project to drive meaningful change, rooted in our values, within their setting. These projects were grounded in real contexts, with SMART targets, pre-mortems to anticipate challenges, and leadership maps to ensure success through distributed leadership at all levels.

The energy was electric as teams shared their ideas—from innovative curriculum enhancements to inclusive enrichment programmes and operational improvements. The buzz of collaboration and creativity was a testament to the strength of our shared purpose.

A Culture of Belonging and Excellence

This conference was more than a strategy launch—it was a celebration of who we are. Across two days of workshops, discussions, and shared meals, we strengthened our identity as a trust where collaboration, pride, and purpose drive collective success.

As we move forward, the projects born at this conference will ripple across our schools and services, bringing our strategy to life in classrooms, offices, playgrounds, and communities.

Chief Executive, Nicole McCartney said,

"Our students’ success is our purpose, and their success hinges on how we empower our staff. Sustainable and meaningful change rarely comes from the top down. I want all of our staff to understand how important their place is in our organisation, and how much power they have to affect change. I truly believe that after this conference, we are united in purpose. We are empowered people. And together, we are working together to build a future where every student thrives, succeeds and becomes a leader in their own life."

Nicole McCartney, CEO

 

 

 

Thank you to our generous sponsors who made this event possible: Teaching Personnel, Link3 Recruitment and Progress Teachers. 

 

 

 

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