Let’s chat about what happens when a school becomes more than just a school…
In September 2025, I began my journey as a trustee for E-ACT. It was my first venture into the world of trusteeship and, honestly, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.
When the opportunity first came about, I wrestled with whether I could genuinely offer value to a trust of that scale. E-ACT supports more than 30 schools across the country, and from the outside looking in, it felt like a huge responsibility to step into.
What drew me in was the work I had already seen happening across the trust, led by CEO Tom Campbell. I was intrigued by how such a large trust could operate with the structure and systems needed at scale, while still maintaining the sense of community that schools so desperately need.
Because I firmly believe this:
Schools are the bedrock of a community.
At the same time, they are also a microcosm of that community.
Every school I visit feels different because every community is different. Each one is shaped by its own realities, challenges, cultures and circumstances. Political landscapes shift. Media narratives influence perspectives. Global events filter into local conversations. Families experience different pressures. Communities evolve.
Nothing sits in a vacuum.
And when a school truly works with its community, rather than simply existing within it, something incredibly powerful can happen.
As part of my role as a link trustee, I’ve had the privilege of visiting a number of schools across the trust. One of those visits was to E-ACT Blackley Academy, and it genuinely left a lasting impression on me.
Walking through classrooms, speaking to teachers and seeing teaching and learning in action reminded me just how much care exists within education. The commitment from staff was visible everywhere — not just in outcomes or displays, but in relationships, conversations and the atmosphere throughout the school itself.
But what stood out most wasn’t confined to the classroom.
It was the story of the Blackley Community Hub.
What began within the school has now grown into something far bigger than the school gates themselves. The hub has become a vital support system for local families and the wider community, providing practical help, connection and opportunities for people who need it most.
Reading about its journey, what becomes clear very quickly is that this wasn’t built overnight. It came from groundwork. From trust. From relationships. From staff and leaders who wanted to be of service not only to children, but to the families and communities around them as well.
And that matters.
Outsiders to the education ecosystem, speak about education as though it only exists between 8:30am and 3:30pm. Those really in the know understand that schools often carry far more than academic responsibility. They become places of safety, consistency, belonging and hope.
To work in service of education is to work in the business of hope.
The Blackley Community Hub is a reminder of what can happen when education understands itself as part of a wider ecosystem. When schools, families, organisations and communities collaborate together, the impact extends far beyond attainment measures or inspection frameworks.
It becomes human-centred education in action.
And this is one of the reasons why Value for Schools was created in the first place.
There is so much incredible work happening across the education ecosystem every single day, often at a granular level and often without recognition. Initiatives inside classrooms. Quiet acts of care. Powerful partnerships. Creative collaborations. Stories from children and families. Community projects that start small and slowly transform lives.
These stories deserve to be celebrated.
Motivation, inspiration and celebration matter because they remind us what is possible.
Too often, education conversations become dominated by crisis, negativity or division. While challenges absolutely exist, there is also extraordinary work happening in schools and communities across the country that deserves light being shone upon it.
And sometimes, simply telling those stories matters more than we realise.
Potential is everywhere, but opportunity is not.
That’s why places like the Blackley Community Hub matter so much. They help bridge that gap. They create access. They provide support. They remind people that community still matters.
And perhaps most importantly, they show young people what it looks like when adults come together in service of others.
Something to think about…
When we think about the role of schools, maybe the question shouldn’t simply be, “How do we improve education?”
Maybe it should also be:
“How do we strengthen the communities around our schools so that young people have the best possible chance to thrive?”
Because when schools and communities grow together, everybody benefits.
The story of the Blackley Community hub is one that shows that the most powerful thing a school can become… is a place that reminds people they are not alone.
