I was in a meeting the other day, talking about how the schools bill is transforming the education sector. When I was asked to explain how, the first thing that popped into my head was the language of Love Island.
It wasn’t an obvious comparison, but the more I thought about it, the more it resonated. Perhaps it’s because, after a summer of being forced to watch the reality show with my children, it has ingrained itself in my mind forever. Or perhaps we all need a bit of fun and it’s an accessible and jargon-free way of explaining the complex transition that’s happening in our sector.
As we welcome our fifth education secretary in a year and wait to learn the new prime minister’s priorities and plans, the impact of the schools bill is already being felt – even in spite of uncertainty surrounding it. With all schools expected to be part of an academy trust by 2030, I’ve never been pulled for so many chats by headteachers and leaders of smaller trusts who are open to getting to know us.
