Trust Leaders join together for annual Trust Leadership Day
Leaders from across the Spencer Academies Trust joined together for the annual ‘Trust Leadership Day’ last Friday. Over 70 members including Academy Principals, Trust Senior Leaders, Trustees and Central Support professionals were in attendance for a day of learning and collaboration.
The day was held at the Jubilee Hotel and Conference Centre in Nottingham and is the fourth year the event has taken place. This year’s theme centred around “belonging”, encouraging colleagues to embrace the motto “Belong, Build, Become”, in which all members of our school communities collectively create, and contribute to, the Spencer Academies Trust.
The event began with a welcome into the new academic year from CEO, Paul West, along with some exciting updates from the Trust and in Education. Director of Primary Education, Kate Green, and Director of Secondary Education, Fraser Mitchell, then introduced the principles behind our “Belong, Build, Become” values - to build a community where everyone is known and valued and create a culture of belonging in which everyone feels part of “One Spencer”.
An abundance of knowledge and expertise were shared by leaders within the Trust, including Sarah McAneny-Vincent, Director of Inclusion, and Aoife Galletly, Director of Quality and Standards. Drawing from the International #1 Bestseller, “Belonging” by Owen Eastwood, Sarah shared insights into how the behaviours underpinning our sense of belonging connect with the Trust’s shared vision of “Aspiration, Partnership and Responsibility” and highlighted how leadership behaviours are integral to promoting belonging.
Aoife then introduced the concept of ‘Whakapapa’, an idea shared by Owen Eastwood which embodies our universal human need to belong; “It represents a powerful spiritual belief – that each of us is part of an unbroken chain of people who share a sacred identity and culture.” Stories were then shared from around the Trust, showcasing the journeys that Spencer staff have experienced throughout their careers with the Spencer Academies Trust and why the Spencer family is special to each of them, as well as the story of ‘George Spencer’ – the Trust’s founding academy.
Director of Quality and Standards, Aoife Galletly, shared the impact of these stories: “It was powerful to focus on our values of Aspiration, Partnership and Responsibility through our Spencer Stories. These are the stories of those who attended our schools and were inspired to train and teach in our schools, the stories of Spencer parents who became Spencer teachers and leaders, the stories of those who were there at the start and those how have joined us on the journey. They remind us of the responsibility we have to play our part in creating the conditions for future pupils, staff and leaders to thrive.”
The Trust then welcomed Keynote Speaker and Award-Winning Author, Will Hussey, who delivered an engaging talk on “The Art of Being Brilliant: Embracing Leadership Behaviours”, in which colleagues were inspired to make sustainable mindset changes in order to transform their daily lives, so that they can do more, be more and achieve more!
Jenny Griffiths, Head of Research at the Centre for Education and Youth, conducted the second guest session of the day, which focused on “Belonging Schools”, sharing how we can work together to build inclusive schools that consider the views and needs of all members of school communities and implement behaviours that help shape policies and procedures that can benefit everyone.
The final session of the day centred around “The Five Pillars of Belonging” and invited colleagues to consider how they can begin implementing techniques - through behaviours, symbols and systems – to build and maintain a culture in which everyone at Spencer feels welcomed, known, included, supported and connected.
The day was a productive and positive experience that provided opportunities for growth and insight. Leaders across the Trust look forward to implementing what they have learned throughout the upcoming school year to continue our shared journey as One Spencer.
Kate Green, Director of Primary Education, shared her reflections on the day: “It was a brilliant day! It was a pleasure to see leaders from across our trust come together with the purpose of building a culture of belonging and to be part of the #onespencer team. The day provided a balance of celebrating our heritage – the people and their journeys through Spencer; understanding the impact we have and how we can be the best version of ourselves; and looking to the future by thinking about how we can apply the 5 pillars of belonging in our schools and teams for everyone. As always there was space for deep thought and reflections, meaningful connections, as well as plenty of smiles, laughter and a few tears of pride too!”
Paul West, Chief Executive Officer, also shared: “Our annual Leadership Day is an important date in our Trust calendar, allowing colleagues to reflect and connect with each other, and consider our strategic priorities for the year ahead. I’d like to thank all colleagues that contributed and participated”.
Thank you to our guest speakers, everyone who shared their wonderful Spencer stories, and our colleagues for attending such a special day.
