Trust Matters: Lessons in Leadership

Flexible working that works: the 9-day fortnight, removing job titles and protecting staff energy

In this episode, we’re joined by Robyn Ellis, school and college trust leader at Dixons Academies Trust, whose career spans both global corporate leadership and education system transformation.
Drawing on her experience leading leadership development at Booking.com and now working across a major multi-academy trust, Robyn shares what education can learn from the corporate world, and where schools must lead differently. She explores how leadership systems, culture and organisational design shape staff experience, and why bold decisions — including removing job titles, introducing coaching-led performance development, and implementing a 9-day fortnight — can transform how organisations operate.
We explore:
What education can learn from global corporate leadership development
Why relationships, coaching and organisational health sit at the heart of effective leadership
Dixons’ decision to remove traditional job titles and what it changed about culture and collaboration
The thinking behind the 9-day fortnight for teachers and what has been learned about making flexible working viable in schools
Why leaders should focus on protecting energy, not just time
Leadership habits that matter most in high-pressure environments
Why joy, purpose and mission are essential to sustaining leadership over time
This is a thoughtful and practical conversation for trust and school leaders thinking about leadership development, flexible working, culture and building sustainable organisations where both staff and pupils can thrive.
LINKS
For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupportSubscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmattersConnect with Robyn on LinkedIn.
All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

Becoming a headteacher at 31: representation, visibility and school turnaround

Only around 1% of headteachers in the UK are Black. What will it take to change that and what does leadership really look like when you’re one of the few?
In this episode, we’re joined by Nadine Bernard, headteacher, author and founder of Aspiring Heads, and a national voice on inclusive leadership, representation and belonging in education.
Nadine reflects on her journey to becoming one of the youngest Black headteachers in the UK, sharing the realities of stepping into leadership early, navigating visibility and bias, and leading a school through significant transformation to achieve strong outcomes. Drawing on her experience turning around a previously closed school, she explores how high expectations, inclusive culture and relationship-centred leadership can work together to deliver both belonging and achievement.
We explore:
What stepping into headship at 31 taught her about leadership, visibility and resilience
The non-negotiables she put in place to lead school turnaround and sustained improvement
Why belonging and relationships sit at the heart of behaviour and pupil success
Balancing compassion, nurture and strong academic outcomes
The systemic barriers facing aspiring leaders from under-represented backgrounds
What meaningful allyship looks like in school leadership
How leadership systems can better support sustainable careers, including motherhood and wellbeing
This is a powerful and reflective conversation for trust and school leaders who want to build inclusive cultures, support diverse leadership pathways and create schools where both staff and pupils can thrive.
LINKS
For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupportSubscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmattersConnect with Nadine on LinkedIn.
All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

Mobile phones, memory, AI and behaviour: what research tells us about learning in schools

In this episode, we’re joined by Bradley Busch, co-founder of InnerDrive and a leading voice on the science of learning, memory and evidence-informed practice in education.
Bradley draws on his background in elite sport and educational psychology to unpack why so much of what feels like good learning often isn’t, and how understanding memory, cognitive load and thinking can radically improve classroom practice. He also explores some of the biggest and most contested issues facing schools right now, including mobile phones, AI, behaviour and assessment, through a research-informed lens.
We explore:
Why memory is the residue of thought, and what this means for teaching and learning
Common misconceptions around revision, studying and “effective” learning strategies
What the evidence says about banning mobile phones in schools
How AI can support performance, but undermine learning if it replaces thinking
Behaviour, expectations and what research suggests really improves classroom culture
Homework, assessment and fairness in an age of AI-generated work
This is a thoughtful, evidence-rich conversation for trust and school leaders who want to cut through noise and want to make more confident, evidence-informed decisions about teaching and learning.
LINKS
For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupportSubscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmattersConnect with Bradley on LinkedIn.
All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

Leadership behaviour is the problem - and the solution: retention, equity and belonging in schools

In this episode, we’re joined by Sufian Sadiq, Director of Talent and Teaching School at Chiltern Learning Trust, and a national voice on equity, diversity and inclusion in education.
Sufian shares his journey from growing up in Luton to leading teacher development, recruitment and retention across a trust that has bucked national trends - and explains why the “secret” isn’t a single perk or policy. It’s people. Specifically, the everyday behaviours of leaders and line managers, and whether staff feel they belong, are supported, and are treated well.
We explore:
Why retention lives and dies in the relationship between a staff member and their line manager
What it means to be a “good egg” leader  and why you can’t just assume everyone is
How Chiltern Learning Trust has strengthened recruitment through a community-first approach
Why diversifying the workforce can’t be a numbers game, and what meaningful equity looks like in practice
How networks shape who gets opportunities and how Sufian’s Racial Equity Network dinners are changing that
Sufian’s perspective on the rise of extremism, normalised racism and political polarisation - and the responsibility of schools in responding to it
This is a powerful conversation about leadership as service, building belonging, and creating cultures where talented people want to stay and thrive.
LINKS
For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupportSubscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmattersConnect with Sufian on LinkedIn.
All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

Why 40% of teachers leave within 10 years: workload, leadership culture and rebuilding teaching as a profession

Welcome to Series 3 of Trust Matters: Lessons in Leadership - the podcast where we explore the big ideas, challenges and lived experiences shaping the future of trust and school leadership.
We’re opening the series with a powerful and timely conversation about one of the most urgent issues facing education today: how we make teaching an attractive, sustainable profession again.
Joining us is Baroness Mary Bousted, Chair of The Teaching Commission and one of the most influential voices in education. Mary began her career as an English teacher before moving into teacher training and, ultimately, union leadership. She went on to serve as Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, representing more than half a million members, and has been a tireless advocate for teachers’ working lives, professional autonomy and wellbeing.
In this episode, we explore the findings of the Teaching Commission’s Shaping the Future of Teaching report, which reveals the scale of the recruitment and retention crisis - including the fact that 40% of teachers leave the profession within 10 years, and that it now takes 10 new teachers to replace every 7 who leave.
Mary reflects on her leadership journey, what she learned leading one of the UK’s largest unions, and what continues to drive her sense of purpose. We dig into the roots of excessive workload, the role of leadership culture in staff wellbeing, the impact of poverty and shrinking public services on schools, and why flexible working must become a serious part of the conversation.
This is a thoughtful, challenging and deeply informed conversation about leadership, trust, and what it will really take to rebuild teaching as a profession people want to stay in.
LINKS
For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupportSubscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmattersConnect with Mary on LinkedIn.
Read Mary’s book: Support Not Surveillance: How to solve the teacher retention crisis
All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

“Ofsted must help, not hinder” - Sir Martyn Oliver on the new inspection framework

Ofsted’s new inspection framework marks one of the biggest shifts in education in a generation – but what does it really mean for schools and trusts?
In this special bonus episode of Trust Matters: Lessons in Leadership, Ellie speaks to Sir Martyn Oliver, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, about his ambition to build, in his words, “the most human version of Ofsted yet.”
Together, they explore:
How Sir Martyn’s years leading schools in challenging contexts have shaped his approach to inspection
Why he describes the disadvantage gap as “the problem of our time”
The move from a single overall effectiveness grade to more nuanced judgments
What it means to see vulnerability as a state, not a trait, and why belong, achieve, thrive runs through the framework
How inspectors are being asked to use context, dialogue and professional curiosity to reduce “big reveal” moments
What healthy “Ofsted readiness” looks like and what Ofsted is doing to reduce unnecessary stress for leaders and staff
This is a rare chance to step inside the thinking of the person leading Ofsted’s reform and to hear, in his own words, why “Ofsted must help, it mustn’t hinder” if the system is to serve all children, especially the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.
LINKS
For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupportSubscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmatters
All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

How to lead in turbulent times – funding shortfalls, policy shifts & building resilient trusts

We’re closing series 2 of Trust Matters: Lessons in Leadership with a timely and powerful conversation with Leora Cruddas CBE, Chief Executive of the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) – and one of the most influential voices in the sector today.
Leora helps us make sense of the current political, fiscal, and policy landscape. We explore what effective leadership looks like in a time of economic and geopolitical uncertainty, and why values-based decision-making has never been more important.
Drawing on her own powerful personal story and career journey, Leora offers a compelling case for strategic, resilient, and deeply human leadership. She shares what gives her hope for the future of the sector – and how trust leaders can help create the conditions for every pupil and adult in the system to truly flourish.
LINKS
For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupportSubscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmattersConnect with Leora Cruddas CBE on LinkedIn: Leora Cruddas CBE
All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

What 10,000 teachers really think – workload, wellbeing & school culture unpacked

In this episode of Trust Matters: Lessons in Leadership, we’re joined by Laura McInerney – former teacher, education journalist, and co-founder of Teacher Tapp, the daily survey app used by over 10,000 teachers across the country.
Laura’s journey has taken her from East London classrooms to national commentary and now into the heart of teacher voice and data. With her unique perspective, we dive deep into the realities behind the stats: what teachers are really saying about workload, retention, behaviour, flexibility, and workplace culture.
We explore surprising insights from the data, emerging challenges school leaders may not yet see coming, and the urgent changes needed to make teaching sustainable and joyful again. From early career lessons to raw messages from the profession, Laura shares reflections every trust and school leader needs to hear.
If you want to understand what’s really driving teacher stress – and how leaders can act on it – this episode is essential listening.
LINKS
For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupportSubscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmattersConnect with Laura McInerney on LinkedIn: Laura McInerney
All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

How to build a scalable mental health offer - supporting staff, engaging families & creating trust-wide impact

In this episode, we’re joined by Becci Owen, Assistant National Mental Health Lead at Oasis Community Learning – one of the largest trusts in the country. With a background in teaching, safeguarding, and emotional wellbeing, Becci now helps lead a multi-disciplinary mental health team supporting pupils, staff, and families nationwide.
Becci shares what it really takes to create a meaningful, sustainable, and scalable mental health offer – and the leadership mindset needed to make it happen. From using a “Mental Health Matrix” to understand needs, to supporting staff beyond signposting, to engaging families in meaningful ways, this episode is full of practical strategies trust leaders can use right now.
We also explore how trusts can measure impact, avoid tokenistic training, support emotionally based school avoidance, and foster reflective practice across their CPD offer.
LINKS
For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: https://key.sc/trustsupportSubscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: https://key.sc/trustmattersConnect with Becci Owen on LinkedIn.
All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

How to challenge misogyny in schools - sparking empathy, redefining masculinity & responding to the manosphere

In this episode, we’re joined by Andrew ‘Bernie’ Bernard, a writer, speaker, and school workshop leader on a mission to spark brave, honest conversations about masculinity, coercive control, and gender-based violence.
As toxic ideas from the online manosphere infiltrate classrooms and popular culture, and with Netflix’s Adolescence bringing national attention to the issue, Bernie’s work has never been more urgent. His powerful workshops draw on personal experience, including the story of his sister, to help young people question harmful beliefs and build empathy.
We explore how schools and trusts can engage boys without blame, the importance of who delivers PSHE messages, and the practical steps leaders can take to create safe, inclusive school environments. Bernie also shares insight on navigating conversations around masculinity, helping pupils recognise coercive behaviours, and how to support parents in tackling digital influences at home.
From developing a gender-balanced curriculum to rethinking how we teach empathy, this episode is essential listening for trust and school leaders determined to lead change.
Please note: This episode includes references to domestic violence, coercive control, misogyny, and gender-based violence. Listener discretion is advised. If you need support, a list of organisations is provided below:
National Domestic Abuse Helpline
NSPCC
Women’s Aid
Refuge
Respect
Galop
LINKS
For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupportSubscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmattersConnect with Bernie on LinkedIn: Andrew ‘Bernie’ Bernard
All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.