CEO Thoughts

Hi All,

I hope you’ve had a great start to the academic year and that you’re finding you way back into routine after the summer break. It was wonderful to see so many of you at the conference last week and to spend time really appreciating the scale of our Trust and the brilliant opportunities that are available to us as we collaborate and work together.

I wanted to revisit the10 lessons from Admiral McRaven that I shared at the conference last week. I do this because I want you to have them to think about, reflect upon and consider how they apply to you and your role today in school. It is often easy to go to a conference, enjoy the day and then leave not internalising any of the content or using it to adapt practise. We can’t afford to do that- as schools and educationalists we must be open to learning and reflecting. We must be prepared to adapt, amend and iterate to ensure what we offer is the best it can be and continues to meet the needs of our children and families. I’ve loved receiving some feedback from some colleagues this week at St Nicholas who have taken to heart some of the lessons shared. I even understand that a few more beds are getting made in the morning! 😊I really appreciated their feedback on the content of the conference but also loved hearing how it had made them reflect on their approach to the classroom and their approach to this new school year.

So, to help us all ensure that learning from last week isn’t lost in the noise, below is a simple interpretation of Admiral McRaven’s lessons for you and how they can be applied to our work in schools.

1. Start by making your bed → Pay attention to the small details in your classroom and practice including the environment; they build the foundation for excellence.

2. Find someone to help you paddle → Collaboration across schools and teams ensures no one faces challenges alone.

3.Measure people by the size of their heart, not their flippers → Value and celebrate every child and colleague for their character, potential, and contribution.

4. Get over being a sugar cookie → Accept that setbacks happen; model resilience so pupils learn to bounce back.

5. Don’t be afraid of the circus → Embrace mistakes and challenges as opportunities to grow professionally and personally.

6. Slide down the obstacle head-first → Be bold in trying new approaches; innovation transforms learning and leadership.

7. Don’t back down from the sharks → Stand firm in safeguarding and inclusion, always doing what’s right for children.

8. Be your very best in your darkest moments → Show calm, compassion, and strength when things are toughest — that’s true character.

9. Start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud → Stay positive; your optimism will change the atmosphere in classrooms and staffrooms.

10 Don’t ever, ever ring the bell → Never give up on a child, a colleague, or the mission of Infinity Academies Trust. I hope you all have a great end to the week and as always thank you for being an awesome part of the Infinity Family.

Best Wishes

Gavin