Confederation of School Trusts

This week our 🔎Friday Focus🔍 turns to excellent work happening @staracademies.org to build systems, processes and provision with inclusion at the heart of them.

Read all about it here: inclusioninpractice.org.uk/wp-content/u....

Five point summary below >>

(2) CST members can also book their tickets to CST's Finance and Operations Conference taking place on 5 February 2026. This year’s theme, Taking the long view, will examine how trusts can plan strategically for long-term sustainability. Book now: https://twp.ai/ImsgbE

(1) Our Finance professional community meets on Tuesday 2 December, 09:00-10:00. During the session, you will discover practical ways trusts can apply SMRA principles to drive efficiencies, uncover savings, and achieve greater value for money.

Join the community: https://twp.ai/E6DRPA

Read about how trusts are reaching beyond the classroom to bolster education and strengthen communities: https://twp.ai/E6CkCD

Co-creating healthy futures for children and young people

In our latest Trust blog post, Windsor Academy Trust's Dawn Haywood and Claire Gething introduce their new framework for collaboration, developed in partnership with six school trusts, nine NHS trusts, CST, NHS Confederation and NHS Employers.

(2) CST members can book their tickets now to our Communications Summit taking place on 5 March 2026, as we bring together a variety of industry experts to exchange insights and best practice. Book your advance tickets now:

(1) Our Communications professional community meets on 27 November, 09:00-10:00. Together, we’ll explore strategies for addressing online hostility, reporting problematic material, and supporting staff impacted by online behaviours.

Join the community: https://twp.ai/E6DRQm

CST Member Webinar: Building an inclusive future across our trusts. Tuesday 25 November (09:00-10:00).

Our SEND and inclusion professional community member webinar will explore how we can strengthen our collective approach to SEND and inclusion across our school trusts in the year ahead. Join us on Tuesday 25 November (09:00-10:00). Register for the community: https://twp.ai/9PYAYp

CST member webinar "Exploring the National School Trust Survey". Monday 24 November (14:00).

CST and Edurio's National School Trust Report is the largest and most comprehensive survey of academy trust chief executives. Join us on 24 November (14:00) for a deep dive into this year's results, including an exclusive look at previously unpublished data. Register now: https://twp.ai/9PYWRI

CST Finance and Operations Conference 2026. Keynote announcement: Dr Tim Coulson CBE, Director General, Regions Group, DfE.

We are pleased to announce that Dr Tim Coulson CBE, Director General of the Regions Group at the Department for Education as a keynote speaker at #CSTFinOpsConference on 5 February 2026. Book your place: https://twp.ai/9PYWO8

New CST Masterclass 'Leading the change: New models of education leadership' starts on 13 January 2026.

Join us on 13 January 2026 for our new masterclass series examining CST’s new domains of leadership. This series will help you sharpen your vision, strategy and stewardship, and enhance your trust’s contribution as a strong civic institution. Book your place: https://twp.ai/9PYKdt

(2) CST members can book their tickets now to our Early Years Summit taking place on 21 April 2026, as we bring together a variety of industry experts to exchange insights and best practice. Book your advance tickets now:

CST Early years professional community meeting, 18 November (09:00-10:00).

(1) Our Early years professional community meets on 18 November, 09:00-10:00. We will explore why handwriting should be explicitly taught in Reception, and what effective early writing practice looks like in action.

Join the community: https://twp.ai/E6DRGI

New CST Blog 'A smart way to keep everyone safe' - Matrix Academy Trust.

Emergency situations can't always be anticipated. How you respond to them can be, and after experiencing a high-profile school lockdown, Matrix Academy Trust is sharing their expertise through a free online training course to help other trusts prepare and react. Read more: https://twp.ai/9PYAHG

(2) CST members can book their tickets now to our Data and Digital Transformation Conference taking place on 18 June 2026, as we bring together a variety of industry experts to exchange insights and best practice. Book your advance tickets now:

CST Data and digital transformation conference, Thursday 13 November (09:00–10:00).

(1) Our Data and digital transformation professional community meets tomorrow, 13 November. This session will formally introduce CST’s new guiding principles for data and digital transformation.

Join the community: https://twp.ai/E6DRSZ

CST Finance and Operations Conference. Thursday 5 February 2026. Birmingham. Book now.

Join us on 5 February 2026 for #CSTFinOps Conference. This year’s theme, Taking the long view, will explore what it means for trust leaders to take the long view and plan with clarity, resilience, and purpose. CST members can book now: https://twp.ai/9PYDiq

(5) Wishing everyone a safe journey home. We hope you will be able to join us again at one of our events in 2026. Find out what’s on:

(4) CST members can continue exploring these themes in the CST People and culture professional community, where members can connect and share strategies that help trusts and teams thrive. Join the community: https://twp.ai/E6DTUY

(3) Thank you also to our incredible speakers for leading these valuable sessions today, and to our community supporters, Edurio, Edwin People, Leadership Edge and MyNewTerm.

(2) What has been your key takeaway from today’s sessions? Share with us below.

(1) It has been a fantastic day here at our inaugural #CSTPeopleCulture Conference. Thank you to all our delegates for engaging with and contributing to the discussions with colleagues around our theme, flourishing adults, flourishing children.

In her closing keynote, Sinéad McBrearty, Chief Executive of Education Support, explored the link between connection, trust and wellbeing, highlighting how meaningful relationships underpin resilience and performance. #CSTPeopleCulture

If you are attending the conference today, visit our exhibition and connect with leading suppliers to the sector.
#CSTPeopleCulture

Delegates are now taking part in guided networking discussions led by Tamsin Frances (Ted Wragg Trust) and Laura Andersen (Educators Thriving), sharing experiences and exploring common challenges across the trust sector. #CSTPeopleCulture

Our keynote panel, with Mandy Coalter, Faizal Musa, Tamsin Frances, and Laura Andersen, discussed how education can become the sector of choice by intentionally shaping cultures that attract, develop and retain the next generation of educators. #CSTPeopleCulture

Faizal Musa (Dixons Academies Trust) and Rebecca Curtis (Ambition Institute) are sharing the recently published qualitative evidence on a nine-day working fortnight on teacher retention, and the impact on leaders and teachers. #CSTPeopleCulture

In his keynote, Sal Naseem explored moral courage as the foundation of an inclusive culture, emphasising how psychological safety and openness enable staff to speak up and be heard.

#CSTPeopleCulture

(2) Leora Cruddas CBE and Tamsin Frances, Chair of CST's People and culture professional community, are now officially welcoming our delegates this morning.

#CSTPeopleCulture

(1) A warm welcome to those arriving at #CSTPeopleCulture Conference 2025, which will explore this year’s theme, flourishing adults, flourishing children.