The Southport Learning Trust Conference was a dynamic and inspiring event that brought together schools within the trust for a day focusing on Ensuring Equity in Education.
The conference for over 800 colleagues was held at Maghull High School and Kew Woods Primary School in Southport.
It provided a platform for thought-provoking discussions, impactful presentations and collaborative efforts aimed at fostering a more inclusive and equitable educational landscape.
‘Empowering our communities to positively impact the world’ is the vision that sits at the heart of Southport Learning Trust and the day provided a unique insight into the opportunity the town and wider region have with this collaborative approach being taken by the schools.
The conference featured keynote speakers Lee Elliot Major, Britain’s first Professor of Social Mobility and The Literacy Coach Sarah Green.
Lee Elliot Major is dedicated to improving the lives of children and young people from under-resourced backgrounds and works closely with school leaders, universities, global employers, and governments to develop practical ways of improving educational and life prospects.
Sarah Green, a Literacy Trust Director for Prospere Learning Trust in Manchester, and an independent educational consultant, provides training, leadership coaching and literacy reviews across the UK.
Major’s presentation delved into the challenges and opportunities surrounding educational equity and provided valuable insight into addressing disparities and fostering a more inclusive and accessible educational system.
The Southport Learning Trust Conference was a dynamic and inspiring event
Green brought her passion for literacy and education to the forefront, discussing the pivotal role literacy plays in shaping a student’s academic journey. Her insights into effective literacy strategies provided staff with practical tools to enhance teaching practices to support students in developing strong literacy skills.
One of the conference’s highlights was the opportunity for colleagues from across the Trust to develop collaborative strategies to ensure our young people have access to the highest quality education experiences.
Teaching assistants had the opportunity to develop approaches with our Education Psychologist, support staff engaged in a powerful customer service training programme and our central teams delivered training on HR and IT support.
Teaching staff had the opportunity to work collaboratively with subject specialists across the schools focusing on sharing best practice and how as a group of schools we can provide unique opportunities for our students.
Candice Follett, Assistant Headteacher at Birkdale High School, said:
“The conference has been an invaluable day – I loved hearing from our keynote speakers on how we can maximise strategies within the classroom and how we can tighten our vocabulary direct instruction.”
Sharon Naughton, Trust Lead for History and Geography at Southport Learning Trust said:
“We looked at strategies that we can include to improve the life chances of all our learners throughout the trust.”
Ian Parry, Director of Education for Southport Learning Trust, said:
“We are extremely fortunate to have exceptional colleagues across our schools in the Trust.
“The ambition we have for our communities extends well beyond the school gates and we are embedding sustainable opportunities for high impact collaboration that will ensure students are accessing the very best educational experiences.”
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