Embedding staff wellbeing into trust culture

Dixons Academies Trust supports staff through its Dixons OpenSource platform, offering best practices, wellbeing resources, and leadership development opportunities. Their platform provides information and best practice examples on a range of topics from more big-picture, trust-level initiatives around culture or aligned autonomy, to more day-to-day resources for school staff about behaviour and attendance.

“We want to stay ahead of the curve all the time. We don’t just stand still. We want to continue to contribute to the wider sector in terms of sharing those things that we’ve brought in from different industries and sectors and sharing our learnings from these experiences.”
— Faizal Musa, School and College Trust Leader, Dixons Academies Trust

Providing high-quality professional development opportunities

LEO Academy Trust runs trust-wide professional learning programmes, providing staff with training, leadership development, and networking opportunities. Regular trust conferences focus on themes such as sustainability and digital innovation.

“Beyond traditional leadership meetings, we’ve significantly expanded our network learning communities over the past few years. These communities focus on ‘Learning, Excellence, and Opportunity,’ connecting their specific expertise to our Trust’s core vision.” Alison Day, Executive Director of Growth and Development, LEO Academy Trust

Supporting work-life balance with flexible working

Dixons Academies Trust enhances staff wellbeing through flexible working arrangements, including a nine-day fortnight, helping staff balance workloads while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. This approach strengthens morale, reduces burnout and fosters long-term commitment among staff.

Listening to staff through direct feedback

Cirrus Primary Academy Trust conducts “Stay Interviews,” where randomly selected staff discuss their experiences, challenges, and suggestions for improvement. Feedback is shared with trust leadership to enhance engagement.

“We conduct stay interviews with staff across the Trust to gather valuable insights. A random selection of staff members from each school are invited to discuss questions such as what they enjoy most about their work, what they find challenging, and how their experience could be improved—both at the school and trust levels.”  Claire Marriott, Head of HR, Cirrus Primary Academy Trust

Encouraging collaboration and peer support

Rose Learning Trust facilitates collaboration through professional networks, including subject-specific groups, leadership communities, and trust-wide professional development initiatives.

“We believe in doing things the harder way—through collaboration rather than dictation. This ensures all voices are heard before an informed decision is made.” Jeremy Harris, CEO, Rose Learning Trust

Windsor Academy Trust strengthens staff collaboration through professional learning communities, trust-wide events, and monthly leadership meetings.

“These events and forums help staff feel part of our family, whether they’ve been with us for many years or are just joining.” Claire Gething, Director of Communications, Windsor Academy Trust

Building a research-led professional learning culture

The Pinnacle Learning Trust embeds research-led professional learning into its culture through The Pinnacle Learning Research School, which provides leadership training, curriculum workshops, and thematic reviews.

Through its EEF Research School, The Pinnacle Learning Trust provides professional development opportunities for educators within and beyond its academies, ensuring continuous improvement and collaboration.