A Community of Schools: Leading Together for the Future
Invitation-only Lunch Briefing for Local Authority and Maintained School Leaders
Hosted by the Schools & Academies Show and Commercial Services Group
Wednesday 15th October 2025 | From 12:00pm
Attlee Room, House of Lords, Central London
This briefing is by reservation only and is limited to 35 attendees
The Schools & Academies Show is delighted to be teaming up with Commercial Services Group (CSG) to deliver an exclusive lunch briefing on 15th October at the House of Lords, central London. This event is for local authority school leaders, bringing together 35 delegates from local authority maintained schools across the UK.
Maintained schools face a unique set of challenges with regards to their business and finance operations. Whilst multi-academy trusts can have large finance and business teams, maintained schools must operate in a more nimble, agile and collegiate manner to achieve the best outcomes for their schools.
This exclusive briefing looks to examine how maintained schools can form cooperative partnerships and collaborative models to leverage greater purchasing power and improved business operations.
Agenda:
12:00pm - 14:00pm | Lunch, Panel & Discussion
Collaboration, Cooperation and Coalition: Models of Cooperation in the Business Practices of Maintained Schools
Sharing models of best practice with regards to school business operations in maintained schools
Exploring models of cooperation and partnership in purchasing and business functions in LA funded settings
What does the future of cooperative business practices in maintained schools look like?
14:00–16:00pm – Drinks, Peer Networking & Problem-Solving
A chance to connect informally with fellow school leaders, share ideas, and discuss local solutions to common challenges. This unstructured space is designed to foster openness, reflection, and mutual support—building the kind of peer community many leaders say they want more of.
Register Here:
Confirmed Speakers:
Dr Carl Ward, Chief Executive
City Learning Trust
Founder
Foundation for Education Development (FED)
Rt Hon Robert Halfon Former Minister of State for Skills
Dr Robin Bevan, ISBL Patron, former NEU President and Headteacher
Southend High School for Boys
Suzanne Nuttycombe, A senior leader and designated safeguarding lead in an outstanding secondary academy
Jason Gould , Managing Director and Co-founder, The Education Company (EdCo)