*Conference Round-up*
It was wonderful to see so many TTN members at the TTN National Conference 2023 on 15th March! The event, which was hosted at Corby Technical School, shares information and best practice about estate management in the education sector, attracting delegates from across the country. We hope everyone who attended found the day useful and informative.
TTN was established in 2014 and now represents over 600 MATs and Trusts responsible for more than 4000 academies collectively. This was our sixth national conference, and we saw the best turnout yet, including many new members who were attending for the first time.
Good Estate Management – Key Presentations
The day kicked off with our TTN Coordinator James Miller giving an overview of some of the challenges faced by the sector and what we need to strive for to achieve ‘good estate management’ and to leave a legacy of fit-for-purpose schools buildings for future generations. James then handed over to our expert speakers Dr Sharon Wright (the-learning-crowd) to deliver a keynote on ‘why is the school estate important’, Scott Tacchi (Sir Robert McAlpline) presenting on ‘What do new schools look like?’, and Victoria Fleming (SFG20), talking delegates through ‘How to optimise your maintenance strategy and focus your resource’.
Conference Workshops
Delegates then went on to attend their chosen workshops on a range of topics from Building Compliance; Green Tech Retrofit; Skills and Competencies for Good Estate Management; Sufficiency and Capacity, and Sustainability.
Procurement Street & Discussion Panel
Following a well-earned lunch break and a chance to visit our ‘Procurement Street’ exhibition floor of 19 exhibitors, delegates then returned to the main theatre for an interactive panel discussion featuring many of our key speakers from throughout the day. In addition, we welcomed Crawford Wright (Head of Architecture and Design, DfE) to contribute to the panel, and Mike Lea (Head of Planning, DfE), who expertly chaired the session and invited questions from the floor.
Attendee quotes:
One of our newer members of TTN said of his experience of the day:
“It was my first experience of a TTN event, and I have to say that I was thoroughly impressed. The whole day was an example of what can be achieved when like-minded professionals give their time and experience to help other like-minded professionals. I went in with an open mind about what to expect, and left at the end of the day with renewed optimism about what we could achieve. I can’t wait for the next one!”
Other delegates said:
“There was a good range of speakers, with clear messages and thought-provoking topics.“
“The panel session was well rounded, offering a good range of perspectives and an excellent debate. It enabled shared experiences to be voiced from the floor – I felt heard! TTN always have an interesting panel“
We are now busy making plans to resume our programme of webinars and regional conferences, so watch this space for news on further dates for your diary for 2023!
TTN Team
About The Trust Network
Established in 2014, The Trust Network is an independently run peer network, dedicated to good school estates management. We are managed by our members and for our members and share best practice and knowledge through regular events and webinars. We provide a single voice to discuss issues at a national level with the DofE and other national agencies.
Members will receive TTN News and Updates via our regular newsletters, opportunities to network and access to free resources, events and webinars. Not a member yet? Join The Trust Network today!