On Monday 5 January, staff from Crosshill joined colleagues from across Oak Learning Partnership’s other schools for the annual trust-wide staff conference, held at Bolton Excellency Centre. Around 650 colleagues took part in the day, which focused on the theme ‘Everyone welcome – connected communities: Reaching every learner, supporting every educator’.
The conference was a chance for staff to step away from their day-to-day roles, reconnect with colleagues from across the trust and take part in a wide range of CPD sessions. These sessions encouraged reflection, discussion and practical thinking about how we continue to build inclusive, supportive environments for both learners and staff.
We were also privileged to hear from three powerful keynote speakers. Chris Lubbe, former bodyguard to Nelson Mandela, shared his personal experiences of growing up under apartheid and his work alongside Mandela in the years that followed. His story was a moving reminder of the impact of courage, compassion and leadership. Bennie Kara spoke about fostering diversity in schools and the importance of building a cohesive curriculum that truly reflects the communities we serve. Patrick Ottley-O’Connor focused on The Oak Way, exploring how valuing difference strengthens our schools and helps everyone feel they belong.
Our trust values were woven throughout the day, with our motto “Inclusion is at the heart of our trust” at the centre of conversations. The conference was a powerful reminder of the collective commitment across Oak Learning Partnership to connected communities, inclusive education and supporting both learners and educators to thrive.
