Inclusion is central to our vision
At Three Spires Trust, inclusion is not a sideline initiative, it is central to our vision. The Inclusion Team is committed to looking both outward and inward: reflecting on our own practice while building purposeful partnerships beyond our schools. Why? Because our mission demands it. If we are to offer the very best for the children in our care, we must constantly evolve, adapt, and collaborate.
This ethos is embodied in our growing partnership with the Central Co-operative Learning Trust, where we now provide a significant share of central safeguarding support to trust leaders. Together, we are safeguarding 7,360 children across Staffordshire, Stoke, Walsall, and Wolverhampton – a clear demonstration of what can be achieved when trusts unite around shared responsibility.
But our commitment doesn’t stop at compliance, we are reshaping what inclusive practice can look like in action.
As part of our ongoing work, the Inclusion Team partnered St Thomas’ C of E Primary Academy with Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust (MPFT) to host the innovative #mpftWhoseShoes roadshow. This was more than an event, it was a lived expression of co-production. Under one roof, parents and carers, educators, health professionals, the third sector, and social care services gathered to reflect, connect, and reimagine support for our children.
Delegates engaged in three distinct experiences:
- A guided school tour, offering a window into our universal, targeted, and specialist provision — not just the practice, but the physical fabric of a building designed to enable every child to thrive.
- A co-production conversation, translating assessment into APDR cycles that are meaningful, dynamic, and learner focused.
- A marketplace, where ten organisations shared the support they offer, strengthening the connective tissue between services and families.
At the heart of the day was the powerful facilitation of Lyse Edwards (MPFT Head of Operations), who led a game of Whose Shoes? An award-winning tool that places the voices of parents, carers, children, professionals, and policy-makers side-by-side in shared reflection. Real stories. Real challenges. Real hope. For some, it was the first time they had truly heard the voice behind the need. For others, it was the first time they had been heard. The experience unlocked deep and honest conversations; the kind that change systems, not just sentiment.
The Trust is now in regular dialogue with Gill Phillips, the game’s creator, exploring the potential for wider staff development grounded in the values of co-production. Because when we listen well, we lead better.
This work gained recognition at the Staffordshire LA and NHS partnership celebration event, where the Trust proudly shared the story of our Whose Shoes journey. And it didn’t stop there.
Whose Shoes made a cameo at ‘Children in Education: The Bigger Picture’, the Trust’s inaugural conference held on 9 July. With over 80 delegates and 15 organisations present, this was a gathering defined by purpose — uniting voices across education, local authority, and the third sector.
Maureen McKenna, former Director of Education in Glasgow, set the tone. Her keynote walked us through a city’s transformation, from knife crime to nurture and reminded us that bold, values-driven leadership can reshape lives. The room left inspired.
Charlotte Clarke brought focus to relational practice, not as a soft alternative, but as a courageous, accountable approach that puts boundaries and belonging side by side. Her mantra? Strong on boundaries, big on heart.
Jamie Rogers and Irene Ogunseitan, from The Difference, reframed inclusion through a framework of belonging and mattering, offering metrics for impact and methods for sustainability. Their message resonated with our Trust’s focus on measuring the legacy of lost learning.
Steven Russell, care-experienced and now a leading professional voice, challenged us to think deeply about the power of language. What we say, how we say it, and the authenticity of our delivery, it all matters. For many, his message struck a chord that won’t soon fade.
Finally, Mike Nicholson, from Progressive Masculinity, brought necessary provocation. He urged us to see beyond the behaviour to safeguard the identity of boys in a world that still tells them “boys don’t cry.” His words carried weight. His challenge was clear.
This was not just a conference, it was a call to action.
By bringing together school staff, local authority teams, charities, and community leaders, Three Spires Trust is doing more than talking about inclusion. We are building a movement. A movement that says children matter. Their identities matter. Their futures matter. And when we work together, across systems, sectors, and silos, we are far more likely to build a world in which every child can flourish.
Because inclusion isn’t optional. It’s foundational. And the future depends on it.
