A core component of our national trust leaders network is the sharing of practice and insights across trusts up and down the country. In March 2026, we are offering the opportunity for members of our networks who have oversight of, or an active role in, improvement at scale across the trust, to join a study visit to one of two trusts, both in very different areas of the country and working in different settings. Our study visits will take a deep dive into trust-wide school improvement through the lens of Forum Strategy’s 7 Pillars of Improvement at Scale, offering the opportunity to explore this with the host trust in detail. The day will be carefully facilitated and led by Forum Strategy to ensure the exchange of practice and ideas.

Our two host trusts will be as follows and network members can select which trust they would prefer to visit, based on which might offer more relevant learning to their context:
– The Challenge Academy Trust (TCAT) is led by CEO Andy Moorcroft and is a 14 school mixed phase multi-academy trust based in the North West of England (Cheshire)
– Transform Trust is led by CEO Rebecca Meredith and is a 26 school primary multi-academy trust based in the East Midlands (Nottingham)

Study Visit Agenda

9.15- 9.30am: Arrival
9.35am: Welcome – The 7 pillars of improvement at scale and the areas we are considering as part of that; led by Forum Chair/Representative
10.05am: Participants share their reflections on the 7 pillars
10.30am: Generating the vision, culture and capacity for improvement at scale (with questions) – CEO of host trust
11.00am; Break
11.15am: Leading improvement at scale; The roles, processes and data that drives improvement at scale across the trust;  School Improvement Directors of the host trust
12.00pm: Lunch – including a 20 minute tour of the host school if possible
12.50pm: Delivering improvement at scale; the role of expert leaders and practitioners in driving improvement across the trust; Those leading improvement practice, CPD, such as NLEs/LLEs/SLEs etc.
1.30pm: Being a headteacher at the trust and schools’ experience of the improvement model; reflections from two headteachers
2pm; Reflective sessions; attendees reflect on the the trust visit with reference to the seven pillar reflective questions. The hosts leave the room and return for the last 40 minutes to hear feedback for the host trust
3.30pm: Close

To join this study visit, you must be a member of one of our three national networks (Education Leaders, CEO or Operations Leaders) at the time of the study visit taking place. Please register your place using the form below. Please note we can only have a maximum of 10 attendees for each study visit, therefore places will be allocated on a first response basis.

Booking Form