Teaching and support staff come together for Belong 26 event

Teaching and support staff from across Cranmer Education Trust came together for Belong 26 . . . a Trust-wide professional development event dedicated to strengthening inclusive education and ensuring every child can flourish.

Held on Monday, November 2, across The Blue Coat School and The Loom in Oldham, the event brought together colleagues from the Trust's ten schools, including teachers, teaching assistants, school leaders, pastoral teams, business, technical and operational staff. 

Serving more than 7,500 children and young people across Oldham and Rochdale, Cranmer Education Trust is united by three values: Ambition, Excellence and Community. 

Central to Belong 26 was the belief that excellence and inclusion go hand in hand. Maintaining the highest expectations for every child means understanding the challenges they may face and providing the teaching, support and opportunities needed to overcome barriers to learning and achievement. 

Throughout the day, colleagues shared their expertise through practical workshops exploring inclusive teaching, attendance, safeguarding, communication and the experiences of children and families. 

Teachers examined evidence-informed approaches to helping every pupil participate and succeed, while teaching assistants explored how carefully targeted support can develop children's confidence and independence. Business and technical colleagues considered how everyday systems, processes and communications can either remove barriers or unintentionally create them. 

The programme combined expertise from within Cranmer's schools with contributions from external education specialists. 

Guest contributors included executive coach and former headteacher Paul Carlile, education consultant and former Ofsted inspector Helen Lane, education strategy adviser John Brennan, and Andrew Yeomans, Learn Sheffield Insights Hub Director. 

Specialist colleagues from New Bridge Multi Academy Trust, through its Everyone Learning Training and Development team, also delivered workshops focused on supporting autistic children and young people and understanding and responding to anxiety and distressed behaviour. 

Julie Hollis, Chief Executive of Cranmer Education Trust, said: "You cannot mandate greatness. As a Trust, we can help create the conditions in which schools flourish, but it is the expertise, professionalism and commitment of our staff that bring those ambitions to life. 

"Excellence means ensuring that every child has the opportunity and support to succeed. Belong 26 was about bringing our people together, learning from one another and strengthening our shared responsibility to make that happen." 

The day concluded with a keynote address from Professor Katriona O'Sullivan, psychologist, academic and bestselling author of Poor. 

Professor O'Sullivan shared her experiences of growing up in poverty, the adversity she faced during childhood and the profound influence of teachers and others who recognised her potential and helped open up opportunities that changed the direction of her life. 

Her deeply personal account brought the day's discussions into sharp focus, highlighting the importance of understanding children's circumstances, recognising their potential and the lasting impact of education and meaningful support. 

The keynote was delivered at The Loom and livestreamed to colleagues at The Blue Coat School. 

Belong 26 also celebrated the expertise already within Cranmer's schools, with staff leading workshops, sharing practical approaches and building professional relationships across different settings and roles. 

Organised through the Cranmer Institute, the event reflected the Trust's wider commitment to professional learning, collaboration and continuous improvement. 

For Cranmer, bringing people together is part of an established approach to school improvement, where individual schools retain their distinctive identities while benefiting from collective expertise, shared resources and opportunities to learn from one another. 

Following the event, colleagues are being encouraged to reflect on the learning and identify practical changes that can strengthen their everyday work with children, families and colleagues.