Both the Secondary School event at North Liverpool Academy and the Primary School event at Gateacre School provided invaluable insights and opportunities for teaching staff to enhance their practice.

Secondary School PD Day: Fostering Independent Learners

The Secondary School Professional Development Day at North Liverpool Academy was a resounding success. The day began with Paul Smith, our Chief Education Officer, opening the proceedings in the Theatre, sharing good news and outlining the Trust's strategic goals.

But the highlight was the keynote speech by Katharine Birbalsingh, Head Teacher and co-founder of Michaela Community School. She is known as the strictest headmistress in the UK and her presentation, "Raising the Bar: Cultivating Excellence in Our Schools", captivated the audience in the Theatre.

Katharine shared valuable insights from Michaela Community School, which boasts an "Outstanding" OFSTED rating in every category and a top Progress 8 score nationally. Her keynote speech included practical tips for teachers such as: striving to be a better version of yourself tomorrow than you were today; recognising that children feel safer when they know the teacher is the authority in the room; judging the success of your teaching by the bottom performing students rather than the top; and recognising the importance of providing knowledge to children before asking them questions.

This approach helps to equalise opportunities for students, as some may have home environments that support learning with books and resources. In contrast, others do not have such access, ensuring all students feel capable and equal. Following the keynote, attendees participated in facilitated discussions at their tables, reflecting on the profound messages from Katharine’s session. Teachers also took home copies of the speaker's books, and further learning resources were provided.

The afternoon was dedicated to subject-specific breakout sessions covering a wide range of subjects and examination boards, including OCR Computing, Pearson Maths, and various AQA subjects such as Science, English, and History. These sessions offered practical strategies for fostering independent learning.

Primary School PD Day: Cultivating Excellence from the Start

The Primary School Professional Development Day at Gateacre School also proved to be a highly enriching experience for primary educators. The day commenced with an introduction from Nigel Ward, our CEO.

A unique aspect of the Primary School event was the showcasing of best practices by several schools within the Trust. Four Oaks Primary School, New Park Primary School, Roscoe Primary School, and Thomas Gray Primary School all presented on areas of excellence in their respective schools, offering practical takeaways for attendees.

The keynote speaker for the Primary School event was Janella Ajeigbe, an MPhil candidate in Mathematics Education at the University of Cambridge. Her session, "Creating Excellence and Aspiration in Primary School", focused on pupil achievement in academics, sports, and music. Janella's keynote speech was interactive and very useful for the primary school teachers.

A Shared Commitment to Developing Independent Learners

Both professional development days underscored the Northern Schools Trust's commitment to "Developing Independent Learners" across all educational stages. These events were a testament to the collaborative spirit and dedication to educational excellence within the Northern Schools Trust.

More About Michaela Community School: Michaela Community School, located in Wembley, is led by Headmistress Katharine Birbalsingh and with its Progress 8 score, it is a top-performing, non-selective school in the country. OFSTED has also graded the school as "Outstanding" in every category. The school is a popular destination for educators, with up to 1000 guests visiting Michaela every year to learn from its practices. Katharine Birbalsingh herself studied Philosophy & Modern Languages at the University of Oxford and has consistently taught in inner London. Her contributions to education have been recognised with her appointment as an Honorary Fellow of New College, Oxford in 2021, and she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2024. Those interested in learning more about Michaela's instructional philosophy and culture can learn more in the books "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Teachers: The Michaela Way" (2016) and "Michaela: The Power of Culture" (2020). You can also follow Katharine on Twitter: @Miss_Snuffy43.

More about Janella Ajeigbe: Janella qualified as a teacher in 2001 and has worked as a senior leader and headteacher since 2010. She is passionate about pupil achievement in three areas: academic, sports and music.  She is currently completing an MPhil in Education with a focus on mathematics at the University of Cambridge and volunteers with the Sea Cadets in her free time.