National #TrustLeaders Symposium 2022
‘Accomplishment At Scale’
The inaugural National #TrustLeaders symposium took place on 8th June 2022. It was titled ‘Accomplishment at Scale’ and led by Sir Michael Barber and facilitated by Forum Strategy Associates Sir Steve Lancashire and Maggie Farrar. Sir Michael is the former Head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit, a leading thinker internationally in public sector improvement and reform, and author of highly acclaimed books including ‘Instruction to Deliver’ and ‘Accomplishment’. In 2021, he was asked by the UK Prime Minister and Cabinet Secretary to conduct a rapid review of government delivery to ensure it remains focused, effective and efficient in the rebuild after COVID-19.
The National #TrustLeaders Symposium was an active participation event, where individual members of our CEO, COO and Education Executives networks came together and reflected on their bold strategic aims and ambitions for their organisations; considering their plans, progress and next steps for accomplishment at scale. For many, it will was the first time to think and work together with other executive leaders since the publication of the new Schools White Paper.
We would like to thank everyone who was able to join us at the National #TrustLeaders leadership Symposium in Nottingham. It was fantastic to see so many of you there and great to see so many rich professional discussions and connections taking place around the accomplishment of ambitious goals at scale. We hope the networks and small groups formed on the day will prove valuable as you continue to take the work forwards over coming weeks and months.
A range of resources following the day are shared below; and are accessible to individual members of our respective networks.
Reflections & Resources
Sir Steve's Blog
Sir Steve Lancashire shares his reflections from the #TrustLeaders Symposium
Insights and Key Learning from Forum Strategy
A comprehensive summary of the day including key learning and themes from the #TrustLeaders Symposium
Maggie Farrar
Maggie Farrar shares her thoughts and insights from the #TrustLeaders Symposium
#InTheLoop with Sir Michael Barber
Sir Michael Barber joins regular contributors Frank Norris MBE and Sarah Ginns to talk about the #TrustLeaders Symposium
Relections from our Partners
You read some reflections of the day from our Partners.
Partners to Forum Strategy are part of a ‘paid-for partnership’. In selecting our partners, we also do so with strong reference to their expertise in their field and commitment to Forum Strategy’s values and ethos.
Sir Michael Barber
Sir Michael Barber is one of the leading Education and Government experts of the last 20 years. He was once described by Time magazine as ‘the single most influential educator on the face of the earth’. In April 2021 his latest book Accomplishment: How Ambitious and Challenging Things Get Done was published by Penguin. It identifies the pattern of accomplishment across many fields including sport, business and science as well as government. It has been described by Matthew Syed as “an excellent analysis”. His previous book How to Run a Government so that Citizens Benefit and Taxpayers Don’t go Crazy, also published by Penguin, has been influential among politicians and officials worldwide.
From 2017 to 2021 he was Chair of the Office for Students which regulates the higher education system in England.
He served as Chief Adviser to the Secretary of State for Education on School Standards from 1997 to 2001 during which school performance improved significantly.
In 2001 he set up the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit in No 10 Downing Street to ensure the successful implementation of the Prime Minister’s priorities in domestic policy including education and health.
Having worked as Head of McKinsey’s Global Education Practice and as Pearson’s Chief Education Adviser, Michael now leads his own company, Delivery Associates. He is also Chancellor of the University of Exeter
Maggie Farrar
Maggie has worked as a teacher and in senior leadership roles in education for over 40 years. She was latterly Director for Leadership Development and Research at the National College for School Leadership and Interim Chief Executive. She is currently working with schools, partnerships and education systems on collaborative school improvement. She is a coach to a number of school leaders and Chief Executives of MATs.
Maggie trained as a mindfulness teacher at the Oxford University Mindfulness Centre in 2018 and has integrated this into her current work, supporting leaders to thrive and flourish in the complex and demanding role of school leadership.
Sir Steve Lancashire
Steve was the founder and CEO of REAch2, one of the largest primary academy Trusts in England. He has been involved in primary education for over thirty years and as a Headteacher for the past twenty years, most recently as Executive Headteacher of Hillyfield Primary Academy. Hillyfield is a double outstanding school and REAch2 was founded on its success. Steve has been a National Leader of Education and a lead adviser for the department for Education, taking the lead in supporting schools to move from ‘Good’ to ‘Outstanding’.
Steve was Knighted for services to education in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list in 2016 and has been a driving force at the centre of many important groups and discussions around system leadership and improvement.