We look forward to welcoming members of our Education Leaders national network to our second network meeting of the academic year, taking place at Colwick Hall Hotel. The focus for this network meeting is ‘Accountability as a wicked issue’ and is exceptionally well-timed given recent updates and announcements in the sector in relation to this important area for leaders. We will offer network members a valuable opportunity for high quality learning, networking, and peer connection. The session will bring together school improvement and educational leaders from across the country together with their peers and with leading experts – including speakers from Futures for All and a former academy trust CEO and former HMI. The network is Chaired by former CEO of Co-op Academies, Frank Norris MBE.

The session will:

• provide a space for network members to consider and reflect on some of the big policy announcements and developments of recent weeks and the implications for their trusts – not least the changes to Ofsted inspections and wider accountability measures. This session will be led by Frank Norris;
• hear from two excellent external contributors in relation to accountability – exploring how we move from a focus on national, government driven metrics to fully embracing and implementing ‘pure accountability’ measures that best serve our communities, our young people, and our staff. Debbie Clinton, former academy trust CEO and former HMI, will share her thoughts and reflections on the latest developments and share where, across her ongoing work with trusts, she is seeing trusts and schools get the balance right between external metrics and trust and community shaped metrics. Nick Brook, CEO of Futures for All, will share his experience and perspective from working with schools up and down the country on what we need from accountability structures in education, also drawing on his prior experience in the Home Office and HMICFRS and his reflections and learning on accountability from other sectors.

There will also be time for Education Executives to network and connect with their peers more informally and share their own experiences and learning in relation to accountability (and wider)

To join this network meeting, you must be a member of our national Education Executives network (our CEO and COO networks have their own network meetings in place). Invitations have been sent out to members of the network – please accept or decline this invitation. Attending members may also bring one guest of their choice to this event – please email alice.gregson@forumstrategy.org with the name, title and email address of your guest should you wish to bring one.