Trust Matters: Lessons in Leadership

The Key
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated weekly

In Trust Matters: Lessons in Leadership, we dive deep into the real-world experiences of multi-academy trust leaders, education experts, and leadership coaches. Hosted by The Key, this series explores the unique challenges and opportunities in the education sector, offering practical advice and actionable insights for trust leaders and school leaders alike. - Each episode delivers clear takeaways, concise discussions, and a holistic view on leadership, with guests who represent the diverse voices within trusts and schools. From strategic decisions to everyday challenges, we focus on relevant, real-world examples that empower trust leaders to act. - Whether you’re a CEO, COO, part of the wider central team or a school-level leader, you’ll find inspiration, expert guidance, and ideas you can implement today.

  1. 1 day ago

    From 4 to 65 schools: growing England's largest primary-only trust | Cathie Paine CBE

    In this episode, we’re joined by Cathie Paine CBE, Chief Executive of REAch2 Academy Trust, the largest primary-only trust in England. Cathie has been part of REAch2 since the very beginning, joining as the trust’s first employee in 2012. Since then, she has helped grow the organisation from 4 schools to a national organisation of 65 schools across 20 local authorities, many of which joined the trust after experiencing significant challenges. Drawing on more than 30 years in education, Cathie reflects on what it takes to scale a trust while maintaining a strong culture, clear purpose and unwavering focus on children. She shares lessons from leading school improvement at scale, why leadership remains the most important lever for transformation, and how Reach2 is working to ensure every child receives the best possible start in life. We explore: How REAch2 grew from 4 schools to one of the largest trusts in the country while maintaining a strong sense of belonging and purpose Why leadership is the single biggest factor in school improvement The importance of early years education and why getting the foundations right changes outcomes for children What strong multi-academy trusts look like in practice and why culture matters as much as structure Cathie’s perspective on SEND reform and the opportunities and challenges facing schools Why REAch2 moved to GAG pooling and what it means for equity, sustainability and collaboration across schools How trust leaders can balance individual school identity with a shared organisational mission The thinking behind REAch2’s ‘11 Before 11’ promises and the experiences every child should have before leaving primary school Why school leaders should think beyond autonomy and embrace the opportunities of being part of something bigger Cathie’s vision for the next decade of REAch2 and the future of primary education This is a thoughtful and inspiring conversation for trust leaders, school leaders and anyone interested in culture, school improvement, inclusion and what it takes to build a trust where every school can thrive. LINKS For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupport  Subscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmatters  Connect with Cathie on LinkedIn. All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

    50 min

  2. 26 Feb

    Flexible working that works: the 9-day fortnight, removing job titles and protecting staff energy

    In this episode, we’re joined by Robyn Ellis, school and college trust leader at Dixons Academies Trust, whose career spans both global corporate leadership and education system transformation. Drawing on her experience leading leadership development at Booking.com and now working across a major multi-academy trust, Robyn shares what education can learn from the corporate world, and where schools must lead differently. She explores how leadership systems, culture and organisational design shape staff experience, and why bold decisions — including removing job titles, introducing coaching-led performance development, and implementing a 9-day fortnight — can transform how organisations operate. We explore: What education can learn from global corporate leadership development Why relationships, coaching and organisational health sit at the heart of effective leadership Dixons’ decision to remove traditional job titles and what it changed about culture and collaboration The thinking behind the 9-day fortnight for teachers and what has been learned about making flexible working viable in schools Why leaders should focus on protecting energy, not just time Leadership habits that matter most in high-pressure environments Why joy, purpose and mission are essential to sustaining leadership over time This is a thoughtful and practical conversation for trust and school leaders thinking about leadership development, flexible working, culture and building sustainable organisations where both staff and pupils can thrive. LINKS For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupport Subscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmatters Connect with Robyn on LinkedIn. All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

    54 min

  3. 18 Feb

    Becoming a headteacher at 31: representation, visibility and school turnaround

    Only around 1% of headteachers in the UK are Black. What will it take to change that and what does leadership really look like when you’re one of the few? In this episode, we’re joined by Nadine Bernard, headteacher, author and founder of Aspiring Heads, and a national voice on inclusive leadership, representation and belonging in education. Nadine reflects on her journey to becoming one of the youngest Black headteachers in the UK, sharing the realities of stepping into leadership early, navigating visibility and bias, and leading a school through significant transformation to achieve strong outcomes. Drawing on her experience turning around a previously closed school, she explores how high expectations, inclusive culture and relationship-centred leadership can work together to deliver both belonging and achievement. We explore: What stepping into headship at 31 taught her about leadership, visibility and resilience The non-negotiables she put in place to lead school turnaround and sustained improvement Why belonging and relationships sit at the heart of behaviour and pupil success Balancing compassion, nurture and strong academic outcomes The systemic barriers facing aspiring leaders from under-represented backgrounds What meaningful allyship looks like in school leadership How leadership systems can better support sustainable careers, including motherhood and wellbeing This is a powerful and reflective conversation for trust and school leaders who want to build inclusive cultures, support diverse leadership pathways and create schools where both staff and pupils can thrive. LINKS For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupport Subscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmatters Connect with Nadine on LinkedIn. All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

    52 min

  4. 11 Feb

    Mobile phones, memory, AI and behaviour: what research tells us about learning in schools

    In this episode, we’re joined by Bradley Busch, co-founder of InnerDrive and a leading voice on the science of learning, memory and evidence-informed practice in education. Bradley draws on his background in elite sport and educational psychology to unpack why so much of what feels like good learning often isn’t, and how understanding memory, cognitive load and thinking can radically improve classroom practice. He also explores some of the biggest and most contested issues facing schools right now, including mobile phones, AI, behaviour and assessment, through a research-informed lens. We explore: Why memory is the residue of thought, and what this means for teaching and learning Common misconceptions around revision, studying and “effective” learning strategies What the evidence says about banning mobile phones in schools How AI can support performance, but undermine learning if it replaces thinking Behaviour, expectations and what research suggests really improves classroom culture Homework, assessment and fairness in an age of AI-generated work This is a thoughtful, evidence-rich conversation for trust and school leaders who want to cut through noise and want to make more confident, evidence-informed decisions about teaching and learning. LINKS For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupport Subscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmatters Connect with Bradley on LinkedIn. All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

    57 min

  5. 4 Feb

    Leadership behaviour is the problem - and the solution: retention, equity and belonging in schools

    In this episode, we’re joined by Sufian Sadiq, Director of Talent and Teaching School at Chiltern Learning Trust, and a national voice on equity, diversity and inclusion in education. Sufian shares his journey from growing up in Luton to leading teacher development, recruitment and retention across a trust that has bucked national trends - and explains why the “secret” isn’t a single perk or policy. It’s people. Specifically, the everyday behaviours of leaders and line managers, and whether staff feel they belong, are supported, and are treated well. We explore: Why retention lives and dies in the relationship between a staff member and their line manager What it means to be a “good egg” leader  and why you can’t just assume everyone is How Chiltern Learning Trust has strengthened recruitment through a community-first approach Why diversifying the workforce can’t be a numbers game, and what meaningful equity looks like in practice How networks shape who gets opportunities and how Sufian’s Racial Equity Network dinners are changing that Sufian’s perspective on the rise of extremism, normalised racism and political polarisation - and the responsibility of schools in responding to it This is a powerful conversation about leadership as service, building belonging, and creating cultures where talented people want to stay and thrive. LINKS For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupport Subscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmatters Connect with Sufian on LinkedIn. All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

    54 min

  6. 28 Jan

    Why 40% of teachers leave within 10 years: workload, leadership culture and rebuilding teaching as a profession

    Welcome to Series 3 of Trust Matters: Lessons in Leadership - the podcast where we explore the big ideas, challenges and lived experiences shaping the future of trust and school leadership. We’re opening the series with a powerful and timely conversation about one of the most urgent issues facing education today: how we make teaching an attractive, sustainable profession again. Joining us is Baroness Mary Bousted, Chair of The Teaching Commission and one of the most influential voices in education. Mary began her career as an English teacher before moving into teacher training and, ultimately, union leadership. She went on to serve as Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, representing more than half a million members, and has been a tireless advocate for teachers’ working lives, professional autonomy and wellbeing. In this episode, we explore the findings of the Teaching Commission’s Shaping the Future of Teaching report, which reveals the scale of the recruitment and retention crisis - including the fact that 40% of teachers leave the profession within 10 years, and that it now takes 10 new teachers to replace every 7 who leave. Mary reflects on her leadership journey, what she learned leading one of the UK’s largest unions, and what continues to drive her sense of purpose. We dig into the roots of excessive workload, the role of leadership culture in staff wellbeing, the impact of poverty and shrinking public services on schools, and why flexible working must become a serious part of the conversation. This is a thoughtful, challenging and deeply informed conversation about leadership, trust, and what it will really take to rebuild teaching as a profession people want to stay in. LINKS For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupport Subscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmatters Connect with Mary on LinkedIn. Read Mary’s book: Support Not Surveillance: How to solve the teacher retention crisis All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

    54 min

  7. 04/12/2025

    “Ofsted must help, not hinder” - Sir Martyn Oliver on the new inspection framework

    Ofsted’s new inspection framework marks one of the biggest shifts in education in a generation – but what does it really mean for schools and trusts? In this special bonus episode of Trust Matters: Lessons in Leadership, Ellie speaks to Sir Martyn Oliver, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, about his ambition to build, in his words, “the most human version of Ofsted yet.” Together, they explore: How Sir Martyn’s years leading schools in challenging contexts have shaped his approach to inspection Why he describes the disadvantage gap as “the problem of our time” The move from a single overall effectiveness grade to more nuanced judgments What it means to see vulnerability as a state, not a trait, and why belong, achieve, thrive runs through the framework How inspectors are being asked to use context, dialogue and professional curiosity to reduce “big reveal” moments What healthy “Ofsted readiness” looks like and what Ofsted is doing to reduce unnecessary stress for leaders and staff This is a rare chance to step inside the thinking of the person leading Ofsted’s reform and to hear, in his own words, why “Ofsted must help, it mustn’t hinder” if the system is to serve all children, especially the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. LINKS For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupport Subscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmatters All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

    51 min

  8. 02/07/2025

    How to lead in turbulent times – funding shortfalls, policy shifts & building resilient trusts

    We’re closing series 2 of Trust Matters: Lessons in Leadership with a timely and powerful conversation with Leora Cruddas CBE, Chief Executive of the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) – and one of the most influential voices in the sector today. Leora helps us make sense of the current political, fiscal, and policy landscape. We explore what effective leadership looks like in a time of economic and geopolitical uncertainty, and why values-based decision-making has never been more important. Drawing on her own powerful personal story and career journey, Leora offers a compelling case for strategic, resilient, and deeply human leadership. She shares what gives her hope for the future of the sector – and how trust leaders can help create the conditions for every pupil and adult in the system to truly flourish. LINKS For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupport Subscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmatters Connect with Leora Cruddas CBE on LinkedIn: Leora Cruddas CBE All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

    32 min
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In Trust Matters: Lessons in Leadership, we dive deep into the real-world experiences of multi-academy trust leaders, education experts, and leadership coaches. Hosted by The Key, this series explores the unique challenges and opportunities in the education sector, offering practical advice and actionable insights for trust leaders and school leaders alike. - Each episode delivers clear takeaways, concise discussions, and a holistic view on leadership, with guests who represent the diverse voices within trusts and schools. From strategic decisions to everyday challenges, we focus on relevant, real-world examples that empower trust leaders to act. - Whether you’re a CEO, COO, part of the wider central team or a school-level leader, you’ll find inspiration, expert guidance, and ideas you can implement today.

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