There are moments in leadership that stop you in your tracks, fill you with immense pride, and remind you precisely why we do the work we do. Recently, we experienced one of those unforgettable moments at the Local Authority Education Awards, hosted at the University of Huddersfield. It was an event dedicated to celebrating the champions of education, and I am thrilled to share some incredible news with our entire Trust family of schools.

First and foremost, I want to extend my warmest congratulations to two phenomenal colleagues from Upper Batley High School: Denita and Gemma. They were nominated for a special achievement award recognising their truly exceptional work with young people who have SEND. To put it simply: the work Denita and Gemma do every single day changes lives. They provide the safety, understanding, and high expectations that allow our most vulnerable learners to thrive. Plus, as we all know what works with children with SEND works for all children. 

The awards were presented by the acclaimed author Jaz Ampaw-Farr, whose hugely successful book; “Because of You, This Is Me,” beautifully documents the profound, lifelong impact that dedicated teachers can have on a child's life. Having Jaz present the awards was incredibly fitting, because Denita and Gemma are living embodiments of that exact message. Because of them, our young people have brighter futures. Our entire Trust family of schools is bursting with pride.

During the ceremony, I was both deeply shocked and incredibly delighted to be called to the stage to receive a Special Leadership Award for my work in ensuring all our schools deliver a first-class, inclusive education for all. This was such a humbling surprise. While I am absolutely honoured to receive this award, I know a fundamental truth: leadership does not happen in a vacuum. This recognition is only possible because I am highly privileged to lead such a superb team of over 700 highly committed teachers and associate staff. You are the ones who do your very best each and every day for all the children we serve. This award does not belong to me. It belongs to everyone across our Trust family of schools. As the famous proverb states; “It takes a whole village to raise a child.” Thank you to our whole staff team, and congratulations Team Batley.

Whether you are in the classroom, managing finances, maintaining our buildings, working in the offices, or supporting our learners' pastoral care and wellbeing, you are a vital part of our village. You make our vision of inclusive education a reality. Congratulations to Denita, Gemma, and the entire Team Batley family of schools. Let's keep changing lives together!

Oh, and for all of the football fans reading this today - 'England knew today was gonna be the day and it was definitely worth the early wake up!' We are bursting with pride for our national team today - come on England!