Reconnection: Highlights from the Watergrove Annual Conference 2026
On Friday 9th October, colleagues from across our nine Watergrove Trust schools gathered for our Annual Conference: a dedicated day of shared learning, reflection, and community connection.
Building upon last year’s foundation, this year’s conference theme, ‘Reconnection‘, invited us to pause and consider how we cultivate meaningful balance in our work. As CEO Mark Moorhouse reflected in his opening address;
To be in connection, halfway between ourselves and the world, is to achieve an energising and sustainable balance which creates value for ourselves and others in equal measure.
After a decade in which digital presentations and pandemic restrictions subtly pushed educators away from relational connection, the day offered an important opportunity to accelerate our journey back toward one another and the children in our care.
Inspiration from National Leaders
We were fortunate to welcome a distinguished panel of headline speakers whose insights resonated deeply with our Trust ethos:
- Hywel Roberts delivered an unforgettable keynote exploring his concept of ‘Botheredness’, a warm, deeply human framework that reminds us of the power of care, narrative, and authentic engagement in the classroom, providing a rich framework for our overall theme of Reconnection.
- Professor Dame Alison Peacock, in partnership with the Comino Foundation, shared powerful perspectives on relational leadership and the Flourishing Schools vision. Her session explored how school communities can create environments where both staff and children are supported to thrive authentically, focusing on human-centred education over rigid institutional metrics.
- Chris Such brought invaluable, evidence-informed insights into curriculum design and primary pedagogy. His sessions offered practical strategies for sharpening classroom focus and ensuring high-leverage teaching techniques translate into real impact for every learner.
Collaborative Workshops
Equally vital to the success of the day were the numerous workshop sessions led by guest speakers and Watergrove colleagues from across our central team, primary and secondary sites. From discussing the transformative, life-changing impact of our D6 Saturday peer-coaching programme to exploring practical approaches for SEND and literacy, to dedicated associate workshops on personal wellbeing and high-leverage team operations, the sessions showcased the immense breadth of talent across our nine academies and beyond.
It was a privilege to watch Watergrove (and guest) colleagues learn side by side, coaching, challenging and innovating, in connection with each other.
Flourishing Together
Thank you to our host sites, our organising teams, our speakers, and every single colleague who contributed their energy and enthusiasm to the day. The conversations started on Friday will continue to inform and enrich our practice throughout the academic year ahead.
