Celebrating a year of collaboration, innovation and impact across North East education
As another academic year comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to celebrate the people, partnerships and progress that have shaped 2025/26 across North East education.
From bringing colleagues together to share ideas and tackle common challenges, to ensuring the experiences of our region’s schools are heard nationally, everything we do is shaped by one thing: our remarkable network, spanning all 1,150 schools in the region.
We exist because of the commitment, expertise and generosity of the schools and trusts we represent, and we are proud to be the collective Voice that ensures the realities of North East education are heard; the Glue that brings people together, and the Bridge between schools and decision-makers.
None of the work highlighted below would be possible without the thousands of colleagues who engage with us, share their experiences and contribute to a stronger education community. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.
Making sure the North East voice is heard
Throughout this academic year, the insight shared by our network has helped shape our policy work, consultation responses and engagement with government, Parliament and sector organisations.
Additionally, it’s helped us ensure that the realities facing North East schools are reflected in the wider public conversation, with our team responding to more than 120 media requests and securing coverage across outlets including Tes, Schools Week, BBC, ITV, LBC and more.
Whether discussing SEND reform, school funding, early years provision, workforce challenges or the wider structural divide affecting opportunity, our ability to influence comes directly from the schools and trusts we represent.
The Sutton Trust’s work on opportunity for white working-class young people, for example, has highlighted many of the challenges facing our region. But even more critically, it’s also reinforced a message we work hard to amplify on behalf of our schools: educational outcomes cannot be separated from the wider economic and social context in which children and families live.
Celebrating inclusive practice across our region
This year, we’ve had the great pleasure of witnessing the expertise and innovation of North East schools receive further national recognition.
The Department for Education’s inclusion base guidance featured three North East schools as examples of effective practice, highlighting the different approaches being developed to support children and young people with additional needs to thrive in mainstream settings.
Of course, this recognition belongs to the schools themselves, but it also reflects something we see every day through our network, which is a willingness to share learning, support colleagues, and find better ways of meeting the needs of the region’s children and young people.
Strengthening specialist school communities
The National Network of Special Schools for School Business Professionals (NNoSS) has continued to grow this year as a vital community for colleagues working in special and hospital schools and alternative provision.
Powered by Schools North East, but shaped by its remarkable 250+ members, NNoSS provides opportunities for school business professionals to connect, exchange practical knowledge and influence national conversations affecting specialist settings.
Through our annual conference in Liverpool, virtual conferences, webinars and member discussions, the network has continued to create valuable spaces for collaboration and shared learning.
The expertise and experiences of members have also helped raise the profile of key issues, with NNoSS work receiving national coverage in publications including Tes and Schools Week on topics such as the Annual Conference, medicines in schools, and our response to the SEND consultation.
NNoSS is a powerful example of what can happen when colleagues come together around shared challenges and a shared purpose, and we are incredibly proud of the supportive and influential community we’re building together.
Sharing innovation and celebrating success
One of the greatest privileges of our work is being able to showcase the incredible things happening in schools across the North East.
Throughout the year, we’ve continued to share stories of achievement, creativity and innovation, from pupil successes and community initiatives to examples of excellent leadership and school improvement.
We have also supported and amplified initiatives tackling some of the key issues affecting young people, including the Boys’ Impact Hub, which brings together schools and partners to explore approaches that help boys and young men thrive.
These stories matter because they challenge negative narratives and shine a light on the ambition and expertise that exists across our region, and we’ll never tire of showcasing these successes.
Looking ahead… together
As we look towards 2026/27, our purpose remains unchanged: to listen to schools, connect colleagues, amplify your voice and help create opportunities for collaboration. There is still much to do, and we remain committed to working alongside schools and trusts to tackle these challenges.
Initiatives such as Mission North East present important opportunities for our region, but, as outlined in our response to February’s Schools White Paper, success will depend on meaningful involvement from the schools and communities they aim to support. We look forward to exploring this theme further at Schools North East Summit on 8 October.
We will continue to ensure that North East schools are not simply part of these conversations — they are helping to shape them. Thank you to every school, trust and colleague who has been part of our network this year. You are what makes Schools North East what it is.
For every child, for every school, for the future of our region.