Academies Conference 2025
Grand Hotel, Gosforth Park, Newcastle
Join us for the eighth annual Schools North East Academies Conference, where trust leaders, academy heads, and educational professionals will come together to shape the future of education.
This year’s conference theme is: ‘Lead, not plead’.
As a senior leader in the North East’s amazing education community, you embody the principle of Lead, not plead—driving positive change and delivering outstanding results for the young people of our region. You lead from the front, navigating the challenges of the education system and empowering your team to make a real impact, without waiting for external solutions.
Our carefully curated sessions will offer you valuable perspectives and practical solutions tailored to your leadership role. Through a blend of keynote speeches and hands-on workshops, you’ll gain actionable ideas to enhance outcomes for your schools and students. This conference is also an unparalleled opportunity to network with fellow leaders, and the wider education community to gain the insights, tools, and strategies to help your trust continue to thrive. Explore our exhibition, showcasing innovative products and services designed to support your strategic goals.
The Academies Conference programme will enable delegates to continue leading with purpose, driving meaningful change, and making a lasting impact on education in the North East.
Who Should Attend:
Whether you’re a Trust CEO, CFO, COO, Academy Head Teacher, or School Business Professional, the programme offers tailored sessions to meet your needs. The event is designed for leaders from trusts, academies, and maintained schools, with content focused on both strategic planning and the operational management of your setting.
Notable Past Speakers:
Our previous speakers have included influential figures such as Bridget Phillipson MP, now Secretary of State for Education, Catherine McKinnell, now Schools Minister, former National Schools Commissioner, Sir David Carter, and Ofsted’s National Director of Education, Lee Owston, among others.
Event Organiser
Event Costs
Partner School£100 + VAT
Non-Partner School£160 + VAT
Commercial/Education Supporter Member£250 +VAT
Non-School£300 + VAT
Group bookings of 3 or more10% discount
Book your placeEvent Overview
New Domains of Educational Leadership: Embracing a “Lead, not Plead” Mindset – Leora Cruddas, Chief Executive, Confederation of School Trusts (CST)
In a rapidly evolving educational landscape, leaders today face complex challenges that demand resilience, vision, and innovative solutions. This keynote invites us to consider how trust leaders can embody the conference theme of Lead, not plead, by harnessing the mental models and mindsets that fuel transformative leadership. Leora will explore three crucial domains of educational leadership during her keynote. This session will be a call to action, challenging educational leaders to transcend traditional roles, confront obstacles head-on, and create lasting change. Join Leora to explore new ways to lead with purpose, using Leora’s insights and expertise to fuel your journey as a transformative leader.
Leading with Purpose – Dr Jill Berry, Leadership Development Consultant, Author & Education Commentator
How can leaders at all levels ensure that they navigate challenges, and embrace opportunities, with confidence and a strong sense of purpose? How can we model senior leadership so that we inspire and lift others, identifying and nurturing potential and investing in the next generation of school and trust leaders?
Recent research from Professor John Jerrim (UCL Social Research Institute and ImpactEd Group): ‘The link between school leadership, staff job satisfaction and retention’ identifies the capacity of strong leadership to build staff engagement. As Professor Jerrim observes in a recent Schools Week article describing the research: ‘Leadership teams have strong evidence – if they needed it – to back up investing in relationship-building with their staff.’
How can we lead with purpose so that we build the most positive and constructive relationships with those we lead in order to drive positive change in our schools?
Strategic Growth: Navigating Success Without Setbacks – Nick Blackburn MBE FRSA, CEO, Lingfield Education Trust
This session on trust growth offers strategic insights and actionable strategies to navigate the challenges of growth effectively. At the heart of the message lies the importance of remaining true to your values as a leader throughout and beyond the growth phase.
AI in Education: Strategic Opportunities, Ethical Challenges and Practical Tools for School Leaders – Dr Kimberley Hardcastle, Assistant Professor in Business & Marketing, Northumbria University
Artificial Intelligence is reshaping industries—and education is no exception. In this session, we’ll explore how AI can be strategically leveraged in school academies to improve outcomes, streamline operations, and empower teachers while navigating critical concerns about privacy, equity, and cost.
We’ll explore the potential cost-saving benefits of AI-powered systems in administration, resource allocation, and personalised learning. We will contrast this with the ethical implications of data security and privacy. We will discuss the landscape of AI tools—free versus premium—and the accessibility issue. The session will also offer some practical uses of AI for teachers, from lesson planning and assessment to fostering creativity in the classroom.
Great schools are necessary but no longer sufficient – Phil Latham, Chief Executive Officer, Endeavour Academies Trust
Endeavour Academies is a cross-phase trust in Middlesbrough taking CYP from ages 2-18.
They have been working with the Reach Foundation over the last 2 years to develop a
Cradle to Career model of education. Central to this idea is the notion that the social
problems affecting schools are now too complex for a single organisation, like a school, to
be able to manage on their own. The Cradle to Career model encourages schools to develop
a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the local community and then to work much
more closely with community organisations to address them. The presentation focuses on
the work Endeavour have done with Reach, in developing their own charity The Endeavour
Foundation and cross-sector convening partnerships that have been established to enhance
the work of their schools.
Estates: A Solid Strategy is the Key to Success – Tracey Field, Estates Manager, Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust
This session will explore why a clear estates strategy is essential for managing competing priorities such as maintenance, capital projects, sustainability, and compliance. You’ll learn the key components of a successful strategy, including asset management, space utilisation, and technology integration, while addressing challenges like ageing infrastructure and evolving educational needs. Discover how strategic planning drives effective decision-making, resource allocation, and collaboration, with insights into stakeholder involvement, communication, and contractor perspectives. Packed with practical takeaways, this session will equip you with the tools and knowledge to develop a forward-thinking, sustainable estates strategy.
MAT Finance Sector Insight Report 2024 – Warren Porter, Head of Education Strategy, IMP Software
Join Warren Porter, Head of Education Strategy of IMP Software, to hear insights from the first ever forward-looking financial benchmarking report created from the budget assumptions of over 300 school trusts.
Warren will explore key trends from across the sector; the varied approaches that different trusts are taking to navigate budget challenges over the medium and long term; and emerging areas such as ‘lost income’ from falling pupil numbers vs capacity.
Rt Hon Justine Greening
Former Secretary of State for Education & Chair, The Purpose Coalition
Justine is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity, she championed social mobility as Secretary of State for Education, embedding it at the heart of the Department for Education's strategy. Recognising the transformative power of access to opportunities, Justine founded The Purpose Coalition, uniting business leaders, public sector figures, educators, and policymakers to create pathways for all. Through the Purpose Goals, an innovative framework for purpose-driven organizations, they promote collaboration, best practice sharing, and measurable impact on social mobility and social progress. Currently Joint Chancellor of the University of Southampton and Chair of the Sutton Trust Education Advisory Panel, she served as Member of Parliament for Putney, Roehampton & Southfields for 14 years, including six years in the UK Cabinet under two Prime Ministers. Justines cabinet roles encompassed Education, International Development, Transport, Treasury, and Equalities. Before politics, she spent 15 years as a finance professional in business and industry and now serves as a Non-Executive Director at On The Beach plc.
Leora Cruddas
Chief Executive, Confederation of School Trusts (CST)
Leora Cruddas CBE is the founding Chief Executive of the Confederation of School Trusts – the national organisation and sector body for academy trusts in England. She is a teacher and has spent many years working at director level in local government. She is Visiting Professor at UCL Institute of Education. Leora was awarded a CBE in the New Year’s Honours, 2022.
Katherine Cowell
Regional Schools Director for the North East, Department for Education
Katherine Cowell started in her role as Regional Director for the North East in July 2022 as part of a change programme within the Department of Education to bring improvement and intervention in SEND and CSC together with the stewardship of the schools system.
Prior to this Katherine was Regional Schools Commissioner for North in May 2020, following an interim position since July 2019.
Katherine is an experienced civil servant with a broad range of experience including:
an area director within the Cities and Local Growth Unit
FE and skills policy
an education advisor in the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit
Dr Jill Berry
Leadership Development Consultant, Author & Education Commentator
Jill taught for thirty years across six different schools in the UK, state and independent, and she taught adults to GCSE and A level in the evenings for several years. She was a head for the last ten years of her time in schools. Since 2010 she has completed a doctorate, researching the transition to headship, written a book about it: 'Making the Leap - Moving from Deputy to Head' (Crown House, 2016) https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/publications/making-the-leap, and carried out an extensive range of leadership development work.
She has given a TEDx presentation, ‘Take a Second Look: Bring Out the Best in Yourself and Others’: https://www.ted.com/talks/jill_berry_take_a_second_look_bring_out_the_best_in_yourself_and_others and she has published four novels: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B01JSM9UXI
Jill is an advocate for the opportunities presented by social media for networking and professional development, on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/jillberry102, on Bluesky: @jillberry102.bsky.social, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jill-berry-a5a55a21/ and blogging about education at https://jillberry102.blog/
Michael Heppell
Speaker, Coach & Author
Sunday Times No.1 best-selling author. Success coach to Davina McCall, Patrick Kielty, Simon Woodroffe, Sara Cox and hundreds of others who want brilliance as their benchmark.
Nick Blackburn MBE FRSA
CEO, Lingfield Education Trust
Prior to his move into school leadership positions in London, Nick was a Local Authority Lead Teacher for Numeracy, Literacy & Inclusion and provided exemplar/modelling of best practice for the National Strategies. He also sat on the DfE National Strategies Steering Group as a teacher representative.
Following two deputy headships, one in Kings Cross, London, then in Darlington, he became a substantive Headteacher in 2007. In 2012 he became Executive Headteacher of two primary schools and subsequently led on the formation of Lingfield Education Trust.
He has successfully coached and developed leaders at all levels in schools and has a strength and a great track record in supporting leadership in schools that are in challenging circumstances.
He brings a very strong set of personal values coupled with very strong sector experience. Nick is very outward facing in leadership and has undertaken a wide range of roles across the sector from Peer Support to Quality Assurance of National Leadership Programmes and NPQEL Programme Delivery & Development. He has led & facilitated a number of TSIO projects in the sector set and has undertaken a wide range of mentoring activities for new CEOs and school leaders.
Nick is Founding Trustee of North East Wellbeing, a charity dedicated to building emotionally healthy school communities thorough high quality services. He is also a member of HMP Independent Monitoring Board and volunteers as an advocate for local refugee families.
Phil Latham
CEO, Endeavour Academies Trust
Phil is the Chief Executive of Endeavour Academies. He has worked in education for 27 years and was Principal of Macmillan Academy for 10 years. He holds a National Professional Qualification for both headship (NPQH) and executive leadership (NPQEL). He has worked as a National Leader of Education (NLE) and currently sits the advisory board for Schools North East, Campus School Teaching Alliance (CSTA) and is a governor of XP Gateshead.
Gareth Edmunds
Chief Operating & Financial Officer and Trust Secretary, Northern Education Trust
Gareth has worked for over twenty years within the public, commercial and voluntary sectors. Experienced in successfully leading corporate services and governance structures he has recently had the opportunity to act as a seconded CEO/Accounting Officer in a mixed-phased trust. He is CIMA, CIPA, Prince2 and CIPD qualified. Gareth joined Northern Education Trust in 2013 as a Director and progressed in 2019 to lead a wider range of corporate services and governance responsibilities as the Chief Operating and Financial Officer and Trust Secretary.
Gareth has held several Non-Executive Director posts and in 2016 co-founded the North of England Schools and Academies Forum (NESAF). In 2018 Gareth was recognised at the North East Accountancy Awards as Director of Finance of the Year.
Dr Kimberley Hardcastle
Assistant Professor, Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University
Kimberley is an Assistant Professor in Marketing at Newcastle Business School (AACSB), Northumbria University, leading one of the largest Business & Marketing degree programmes in the North of England. Prior to entering academia, she has worked in various marketing and business management roles in the F & B service sector. She has a PhD in Marketing and is a researcher, writer, speaker & advisor in branding, sustainable consumer behaviour, AI, algorithms & platforms.
In particular, she is keen to understand how brands can use successfully proven influential buyer strategies to help consumers create good sustainable habits, her research also extends to examining the societal implications of emerging technologies. Her work has been published at several international conferences and in peer reviewed journals. Whilst working at the Newcastle Business School (AACSB), Kimberley has directly supported and trained many SMEs through European Regional Development Funding. As part of her leadership roles, Kimberley is Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Business and Marketing and leads on the Branding module on the MSc Marketing Programme & the Digital Campaign Management & Media module on the MSc Digital Marketing.
Kimberley is an external examiner at Bournemouth University for Programmes MSc Marketing Management & MSc Marketing and User Experience. She is also a reviewer for the Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, Journal of Consumer Behaviour, Journal of Marketing Management and the Academy of Marketing Science. Kimberley has been awarded Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy and has been a nominated finalist for the Student Led Teaching Awards numerous times. Kimberley is on the judging panel for the prestigious Effie Awards UK, The Prolific North Marketing Awards & The North East Marketing Awards. Her current projects include The Responsible Development of AI and the societal implications of this in the North East.
Kimberley is working with North East partners to understand how we can adopt a citizen well-being approach to safeguarding and upskilling the region to ensure the NE is not left behind with emerging technology. Kimberley initiated such discussions after organising and delivering the first 'The North East AI Safety Summit' October 2023, which aimed to articulate a regional voice on the opportunities & threats of AI, & the responsible development of AI for NE industries, businesses & individuals with the intention of informing policy and the first Global Summit. Kimberley's business and marketing expertise resonate beyond academia as she is also a contributor at the World Advertising Research Centre (WARC).
Tracey Field
Estates Manager, Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust
Tracey is currently employed as the Estates Manager for Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, overseeing a portfolio of 30 schools, ensuring they remain safe, operational and fit for purpose to serve their young people and the communities they serve. She has over 20 years of experience in the UK and overseas, holding leadership roles in organisations such as LADOL in Nigeria, Interserve Defence in The Falkland Islands, The Royal Household, The Bedford Estates and other local authority sectors where she successfully led and executed complex projects, managed teams, optimised operational efficiency and implemented innovative solutions and strategic initiatives.
Tracey has a degree in Construction Management, a Chartered Fellow with the Chartered Institute of Building (FCIOB), achieved the IEMA Foundation Certificate in environmental management and the NEBOSH General Certificate in health and safety. She is passionate about fostering collaborative relationships, appreciating that there is always something to learn that supports improvements.
Graham Vials
Head of Education Law, Ward Hadaway
Graham specialises in providing commercial advice to predominantly employer clients, advising on a full range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters to a variety of private and public sector clients, ranging from owner-managed businesses to large national companies, schools and academies and government departments and local authorities.
Graham provides pragmatic and strategic advice in respect of all day to day HR and employment related matters and has expertise in all aspects of employment law.
Chris Zarraga
Director, Schools North East
Chris has been part of the Schools North East team since its inception in 2007 and in 2019 he was appointed Director.
Chris works with other leaders across the North East, the education sector and charity sector to represent the voice of North East schools, and lobby policy makers to ensure that the North East is not left behind when it comes to education policy. Chris has overseen the launch of the Ednorth evidence-based excellence programme, as well as the partnership with SHINE bringing over £500,000 worth of funding to North East schools.
Under Chris, Schools North East has moved to a greater focus on lobbying around education policy, with the launch of the Manifesto for North East Education in December 2019. As well as being a trustee of a local MAT, Chris sits on various boards including the board for Opportunity North East. Prior to joining Schools North East, Chris worked with over 165 schools in the North East and various education organisations including local authorities, Excellence Partnerships, 14-19 Groups, the Specialist Schools & Academies Trust, and School Improvement Officers. He led a large scale culture change project in education across the North East and was the development consultant for the LEGI funded Wansbeck Enterprise Education Network.
Parking FAQ’s
Parking is available on site and is free to hotel guests and Academies Conference attendees.
You MUST input your car registration number at one of the screens either at the hotel main reception desk or at the event registration desks. Failure to do so may result in a parking fine.
Arrival
Please head to the conference foyer and register your arrival on the screen at the registration desk.
Public Transport
Newcastle Racecourse bus station is located a 3 minutes walk from the venue.
Arriva Buses 43,44 & 45 and Go North East bus 116 stop there.
The nearest metro station is Regent Centre, Buses 43, 44 & 45 leave from the station to the Newcastle Racecourse stop outside the venue.
WiFi
Elite Venue WiFi
OR
Grandstand Gosforth Free WiFi
(no passwords)
Accommodation
For anyone wishing to stay at the venue either the night before or the night of the event, we have agreed a reduced rate with the Grand Hotel.
The cost is £60 bed & breakfast for a single occupancy, double bedroom.
To book, please contact the hotel sales team and let them know you are attending the Schools North East Academies Conference:
events760@theelitevenueselection.co.uk | 0191 236 4111
Please use the form below to book if you have any issues click here to open in your browser.
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