ASCL to create 'safe space' for trust CEOs to 'amplify' their voice

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) is launching a network for academy trust CEOs to “amplify” their voices to government and discuss challenges in a “safe space”.

The union, which has traditionally represented secondary school headteachers, also has more than 1,000 trust leaders, including around 500 CEOs, general secretary Pepe Di’Iasio told Tes.

He said: “Many CEOs have been saying to us that they don’t feel that they’re heard, they don’t think they’ve got a voice or that the government are aware of the challenges they’re facing.

“They feel that all too often the government haven’t got an avenue to talk to them, or a way in which their voice can be heard and amplified.”

Last year the Department for Education set up an advisory group made up of 20 multi-academy trust leaders - the majority of whom run at least 30 schools - supported by the Confederation of School Trusts (CST).

Giving MAT CEOs ‘individual’ voices

Asked how ASCL’s new network would differentiate itself from groups such as CST, which says it represents 80 per cent of the sector, Mr Di’Iasio said CST represented “employers”, whereas ASCL also wanted to give CEOs “a voice as an individual”.

Ahead of launching its network in September, the union has organised three events over the summer to hear how members in different regions want it to work and which topics they think it should focus on.

The network is likely to cover issues such as union challenges, professional development, best practice, mergers, funding and reforms to the special educational needs and disabilities system, Mr Di’Iasio said.

Leaders wanted “a safe space” where they could “share their hopes and fears, share best practice, learn from one another, but also make sure that we’re able to hear from them, so we can represent them with government better”, he added.

Trust system ‘changing quite dramatically’

Mr Di’Iasio said: “The trust system is changing quite dramatically, and we need to help CEOs navigate that, so that it can be done strategically rather than in a more ad hoc way, which has perhaps happened in the first five years.”

Anyone would be able to come along to network events, whether or not they belonged to ASCL, and the move was not about growing the union’s membership, he said.

ASCL had 24,778 members, according to its 2024-25 annual report, slightly down from the year before, although numbers have risen steadily over the past five years, and surged after the Covid pandemic.

Three “pilot” events being held over this summer in Leeds, London and the West Midlands aim to help determine the cost model and final shape of the network.

CST chief executive Leora Cruddas said ASCL brought “an important employee-led perspective”, whereas CST was the sector body for school trusts.

“Different organisations play different and complementary roles in the school system architecture,” she added.

“We advocate for, connect and support trusts as organisations across all they do. CEOs, as system and trust leaders, will always be a core part of that as we represent the voice of school trusts to government and others.”