ASCL CEO Network - Leeds

The ASCL CEO Network provides a trusted space for trust CEOs to step away from the immediate demands of their roles and explore the strategic issues shaping education. It brings together external thinking, leadership experience and peer discussion, helping CEOs make sense of a rapidly changing policy landscape and learn from one another. 

The Network is primarily a space for strategic sense-making and peer learning. The insight generated through these conversations will also help ASCL understand the realities of trust leadership and inform our wider policy work. 

 

Ongoing Programme

Monthly sessions will feature insights from leading thinkers, facilitated peer discussion, and explore the key challenges and opportunities shaping trust leadership. The Network is designed as an ongoing conversation, with each session building on previous discussions and emerging insights.

This Network is designed primarily for Trust CEOs who lead multi-academy trusts and are looking to engage in strategic discussion about the realities of trust leadership.

It is particularly suited to CEOs who want to:

• Reflect on the challenge and complex decision-making involved in leading trusts.
• Learn from other trust leaders in a trusted peer environment.
• Gain insights from research, external experts and thought leaders.
• Better understand and respond to the evolving education and policy landscape.
• Contribute to shaping ASCL's future policy development and support for trust leaders.

The Network is aimed at leaders who value strategic thinking beyond day-to-day operational demands and want to participate in an ongoing conversation with peers throughout the academic year, helping them make sense of emerging issues affecting the education sector.

ASCL reserves the right to amend the programme should circumstances dictate.
Theme: A Constant Dance: Leading trusts through complexity

 

14:00		Welcome and framing Pepe Di'Iasio, ASCL General Secretary
14:15		Keynote  Research of Professor Toby Greany Hosted by Phillipa Sherlock-Lewis, CEO, Prince Albert Community Trust (PACT) Rather than a traditional keynote, this session will take the form of a conversation exploring: What Toby's research tells us about the evolving CEO role  The tensions CEOs navigate every day  Sustainable leadership in practice  What excellent trust leadership looks like in an increasingly complex system  ​Implications for the future of trust leadership
15:00		Refreshment break
15:15		CEO roundtable discussion  Facilitated by Phillipa Sherlock-Lewis, CEO, Prince Albert Community Trust (PACT) Discussion themes could include:  Which leadership tensions resonate most with your experience?  What is making CEO leadership increasingly complex?  What enables sustainable leadership?  What organisational or system conditions help CEOs flourish? ​​​What should policymakers better understand about leading trusts today?   ​The emphasis will be on honest discussion between CEOs, with ASCL listening to understand rather than seeking consensus.
14:45		From discussion to policy Facilitated by Kathryn Morgan, ASCL Leadership and Workforce Specialist Drawing together the key themes emerging from the discussion:  Common leadership challenges  Areas of agreement and difference  Emerging implications for ASCL policy work  ​Identifying questions for future CEO Network discussions
17:20		Closing reflections Facilitated by Kathryn Morgan, ASCL Leadership and Workforce Specialist Key takeaways  Next steps   ​Looking ahead to future CEO Network events
		17.30 onwards Dinner

Details of upcoming network dates:  

• 10 Dec | London - Beyond School Improvement: The next chapter for trust leadership 
• 21 January | London 
• 11 March | Birmingham 
• 29 April | London 
• 9 June | Warwick

Themes and contributors will develop across the year in response to the changing policy landscape and the conversations taking place within the Network. Updates to each network theme will be annouced on a rolling basis.