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Reposted by Steve Rollett

Confederation of School Trusts @cstvoice.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

We are recruiting for a Professional Communities Manager to lead the development, content curation, and operational delivery of CST’s 11 Professional Communities. Applications close at midday on Tuesday 30 September. Find out more: twp.ai/9PVaJL

Join our team - Professional Communities Manager.

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

We'll continue to discuss this with DfE and Ofqual, and will think hard about what more can be done to identify and respond to this issue and others that require our vigilance. 7/7

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

We've been raising this particular issue with policymakers, and I'm grateful to Duncan Baldwin for putting it on our agenda and to FFT for providing the analysis that needed to be done. 6/7

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

So, while it is important to recognise that grading standards have returned to pre-pandemic levels, the reality is that for some (many?) children, families and schools, things are not 'normal'. 5/7

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

An additional concern is that the system is not particularly well set up to observe this phenomenon. The data we see published on results day in August is blind to this issue: it describes the achievement of pupils entered for qualifications but doesn't say anything about those not entered. 4/7

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

It shows the number of children not being entered for GCSE maths and English is on the rise. This is, unfortunately, not surprising given the attendance and engagement issue described above, but it is deeply worrying. 3/7

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

There is a particular worry about the group of children who are disengaged from school and whose attendance is less than 50%. Meanwhile, in a separate analysis this week, FFT Datalab published an insightful blog: ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2025/09/the-... 2/7

ffteducationdatalab.org.uk

The pupils who leave school without passes in GCSE English and mathematics - FFT Education Datalab

Post-COVID there has been a rise in the percentage of pupils leaving school without a pass (9-1) in GCSE English and a similar figure in maths. Most of these pupils were not entered for examinations.

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

I was pleased to attend the Centre for Social Justice's report launch on Monday, which offered insights and solutions to the attendance challenges many schools face. In his remarks, Sir Kevan Collins was right to describe it as two problems: acute and chronic. 1/7

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

Congratulations to all young people collecting L2 results today, and to the staff, families and communities who have nurtured them.

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

Congratulations from all of us at CST to all young people receiving L3 qualifications today, and the staff who helped them get there. For these young people, today marks a chapter closing but also the start of the next part of their stories. Good luck to them all.

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 19/07/2025

Our 11th case study has landed today on the School Improvement Hub, courtesy of E-ACT. Thank you to all the trusts that have supported this work in 2024/25, from the case studies to the blogs, conferences and podcasts.

schoolimprovementhub.org

Case studies - School Improvement Hub

Case Studies CST and ImpactEd Group are working together to collate examples of school improvement practices from across the system. Here we will publish regular trust spotlights, exploring what is…

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

Piece from me in @tesmagazine.bsky.social arguing why November Ofsted rollout is a bad idea but suggesting some things they’d need to do to make the best of the bad idea, using this scene from Argo www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

media.tenor.com

a man in a suit and tie says " by war " in front of an american flag

ALT: a man in a suit and tie says " by war " in front of an american flag

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Reposted by Steve Rollett

Tes magazine @tesmagazine.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

Ofsted seems to be pressing ahead with its ‘best bad idea’ for inspection, so it needs to do these 7 things to at least transition schools properly to the new ways of working, argues @steverollett.bsky.social

tes.com

7 ways Ofsted could make transition to its ‘best bad idea’ easier

If Ofsted is intent on keeping its November start date for new inspections, it needs to do a lot more to help the sector be ready, argues Steve Rollett

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

Yes I think they acknowledge that. And not been reviewed yet too?

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

Haven’t read it all yet but it seems very interesting. It speaks to a concern I have held too.

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

I’m at CST’s Data and Insights conference listening to Michael Bhaskar talking about the future of AI. Fascinating. He argues the value of education and good schools will go up in an era of AI, not down.

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

Thank you to all the teachers and support staff working in schools: past, present and future. I’m privileged to be a trustee at the Teaching Awards Trust and it’s been wonderful to see all the coverage of Thank a Teacher Day today.

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

MORE great content on trust-led school improvement: 1. New blog from Humber Education Trust community.cstuk.org.uk/topics/38104... 2. Our final community meeting of the year tomorrow (Thurs) 3:30-4:30pm, profiling excellent work in 3 trusts. And more coming soon...

community.cstuk.org.uk

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Loads more great content on school improvement coming, incl. case studies & blogs showcasing great work. It's all anchored by CST's conceptual model for school improvement. The latest blog is by Matt Middlemore at Kernow Learning and is free to CST members : community.cstuk.org.uk/topics/38104...

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 24/05/2025

It was amazing. Wonderful glimpses of what it is to see the world through children’s eyes. Thank you!

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 24/05/2025

Highlight this week was watching incredible ‘My Neighbour Totoro’ with @realgeoffbarton.bsky.social , @andywolfe.bsky.social, Nigel Genders, @juliemcchulloch.bsky.social, Tiff Harris, @jtoop.bsky.social, @garethconyard.bsky.social, @jasonelsom.bsky.social and others. Funny, mesmerizing and moving ❤️

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 10/05/2025

Love that Ruben Dias & City seem upset with Saints’ style of play. How did these billionaire-driven clubs imagine football would change as they siphoned off all the talent, creating huge inequities, over the years? I don’t love the style either but it’s inevitable. Football karma?

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 10/05/2025

Here we go Saints. Expect the unexpected…

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

Grateful to @johndickenssw.bsky.social for letting me share this perspective on trust finances. It’s an area full of myth and misconception so I hope this piece is helpful in shining a light. schoolsweek.co.uk/narrow-conve...

schoolsweek.co.uk

Our conversations about school finance miss the big picture

We're missing crucial parts of the story as well as the production credits

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Reposted by Steve Rollett

John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

Super piece from @steverollett.bsky.social on calls for a narrative shift on academy funding models Follows several Schools Week pieces delving into how different trusts operate schoolsweek.co.uk/narrow-conve...

schoolsweek.co.uk

Our conversations about school finance miss the big picture

We're missing crucial parts of the story as well as the production credits

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Reposted by Steve Rollett

Alex Quigley @alexjquigley.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

“We’re looking for 4 MATs to take part in bespoke, collaborative projects in the 2025 – 26 academic year. These partnerships will centre on supporting trusts to implement practical, scalable changes in primary science and/or secondary literacy.” educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/working...

educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk

Multi-academy trusts can get support from the EEF to embed…

Opportunity for MATs to take part in bespoke and collaborative projects

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Reposted by Steve Rollett

John Roberts @johngroberts.bsky.social · 22/04/2025

Writing for @tesmagazine.bsky.social today @steverollett.bsky.social, the deputy CEO of the @cstvoice.bsky.social outlines concerns it has around the proposed grading, toolkits and the number of evaluation areas Ofsted is proposing to inspect schools on. www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

tes.com

CST: 5 ways Ofsted should rethink its inspection plans

The deputy CEO of the Confederation of School Trusts reveals the key recommendations in its response to Ofsted's consultation on proposed changes to inspections

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Reposted by Steve Rollett

Tes magazine @tesmagazine.bsky.social · 22/04/2025

‘The proposed inspection framework has emerged from the policy machine more bloated and complex than it needs to be’: @steverollett.bsky.social explains the changes to Ofsted plans that trust leaders want to see

tes.com

CST: 5 ways Ofsted should rethink its inspection plans

The deputy CEO of the Confederation of School Trusts reveals the key recommendations in its response to Ofsted’s consultation on proposed changes to inspections

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 22/04/2025

1. Simplify and clarify the approach to grading 2. Review toolkits to address imprecise/ unnecessary criteria 3. Merge 'developing teaching' and 'curriculum' 4. Make inclusion evaluation area an aggregation 5. Ensure the post-Deep Dive methodology supports consistent evaluations 2/4

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 22/04/2025

Ofsted's framework, currently out for consultation, is bloated and too complicated, but there are things that can be done to improve it. In my piece for @tesmagazine.bsky.social today I describe 5 tangible improvements Ofsted should make. www.tes.com/magazine/ana... 1/4

tes.com

CST: 5 ways Ofsted should rethink its inspection plans

The deputy CEO of the Confederation of School Trusts reveals the key recommendations in its response to Ofsted’s consultation on proposed changes to inspections

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Reposted by Steve Rollett

Confederation of School Trusts @cstvoice.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

In our first session this morning, CST’s Deputy Chief Executive @steverollett.bsky.social will join us for his keynote: Keynote: Call for evidence synthesis – what have we found out? #SchoolImprovement

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Reposted by Steve Rollett

Tes magazine @tesmagazine.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

The government wants to promote collaboration in education – the good news is that trusts are already doing it, sharing knowledge and expertise to drive school improvement, writes @steverollett.bsky.social

tes.com

The quiet revolution in school improvement

'Collaboration' is a buzzword of the moment. Confederation of School Trusts deputy chief executive Steve Rollett says it’s good to see the policymakers catching up with practice

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Thanks Liz. Sufian was great! A good egg indeed. I’m glad you had a good day. Thank you for your support.

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Love listening to @profkime.bsky.social. Delighted to have him leading a workshop today on using the development cycle to drive implementation.

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

The inimitable Tom Campbell talking about the potential power of the wisdom of crowds in trust-led school improvement 👏

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

A theme of the day - collaboration - being explored here by Emma at Black Pear Trust

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

We’re in Birmingham today with over 300 trust leaders, sharing learning and practice about how to improve schools. This is sector-led collaboration in action. As I write about in this piece for @tesmagazine.bsky.social today www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

tes.com

The quiet revolution in school improvement

‘Collaboration’ is a buzzword of the moment. Confederation of School Trusts deputy chief executive Steve Rollett says it’s good to see the policymakers catching up with practice

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Great listening to Rowena talk about organisational learning from school improvement initiatives.

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Great to have you here with us Richard. Hope you have a good day.

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Steve Rollett @steverollett.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Nicole and Nimish from Creative Education Trust talking powerfully about co-constructing aligned practices across the trust 👏 😀

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Reposted by Steve Rollett

Dr Richard Kueh @thewayofkueh.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Great to be here at CST school improvement 2025. @steverollett.bsky.social gave an insightful opening. Now listening to @unleashingme.bsky.social on teacher progression

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Reposted by Steve Rollett

Confederation of School Trusts @cstvoice.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

🗨️"By adopting a structured yet flexible framework, leveraging the collective expertise of our staff, and fostering a culture of reflection and professional honesty, we ensure that our schools continue to thrive." - Michael Rowland, Focus-Trust.

New school improvement blog series. ‘Focus-Trust: Build capability and capacity and implement improvement initiatives' by Michael Rowland, Education Director (Deputy CEO) at Focus-Trust.

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