CEO Thought for the Week

Hi Everyone,

I am pleased to be able to share, once again, the wonderful news that Fiona Booth, Headteacher at St Nicholas C.E. Primary Academy, has been awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours for outstanding services to education. It is a richly deserved recognition of Fiona’s commitment to the children, families and wider community she serves, and of the significant journey of improvement at St Nic’s.

Alongside this message, I have included the Trust graphic celebrating this moment. It captures something important for us: this is not just an individual achievement, but a shared one.

Fiona would be the first to say that this recognition reflects the work of a much wider team. Behind every visible success are countless unseen acts—carefully planned lessons, patient conversations with families, support offered in corridors, lunchtime duties, safeguarding vigilance, and the quiet persistence that defines school life. This award shines a light on what we know to be true across our Trust every day: that when we work with love, integrity and a strong sense of purpose, lives are changed.

In the busyness of the term—budgets, accountability, staffing challenges, and the constant rhythm of school life—it can be easy to move quickly from one task to the next without pausing to notice the difference being made. Moments like this give us the opportunity to step back and celebrate one another. They remind us that success is not isolated; it is built collectively, across teams, across schools, and across our whole Trust family.

Living out our values means actively celebrating the success of others:

• Love in recognising and valuing the contribution of every colleague
• Unity in understanding that no school succeeds alone
• Hope in seeing what is possible for our communities
• Integrity in acknowledging the real work behind the headlines
• Curiosity in learning from each other’s journeys

There will be similar stories of dedication and transformation in every one of our academies—perhaps not all recognised nationally, but no less important. Whether it is a child learning to read, a family feeling supported, or a team pulling together through challenge, this is the work that defines us.

So, alongside congratulating Fiona, I want to thank each of you. Your day-to-day work—often under pressure and sometimes without recognition—is what makes moments like this possible. You are part of a collective effort that is changing life chances for children and strengthening communities across our Trust.

Let us take this opportunity to celebrate not only Fiona’s achievement, but the many successes around us. If you have examples of practice, progress or community impact in your setting, please do share them—we all benefit from seeing and learning from one another.

With warmest congratulations to Fiona, and with sincere thanks to you all.

Best wishes,
Gavin