At the AoEA Annual Summit 2025, our Chair Les Walton CBE delivered a keynote address that reimagines the future of school support and improvement.
In his speech, now featured in Schools Week, Les advocates for a move away from top-down control and short-term performance measures. Instead, he calls for a fresh model of improvement led by professional advisers, grounded in evidence, reflection and trust.
Centred on the theme Leadership from the Middle, Les emphasises the importance of empowering those working within the system. Not because of titles, but because of their expertise, adaptability and impact. He explains how AoEA’s accreditation standard supports this shift, focusing on continuous development rather than compliance.
This vision is not theoretical. It is already taking shape through AoEA’s growing network of partners across curriculum hubs, local authorities, multi-academy trusts and beyond. Together, we are building a national framework that supports every school with professional challenge and high-quality advice.
Les invites readers to see this not as a programme, but as a movement. A collective effort to ensure that all schools have access to the support they need to thrive.
🔗 Read the full article on Schools Week:
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/how-well-transform-school-support-from-the-ground-up/
