The Power of Belonging: Delta’s 10th Annual Conference

Delta’s 10th Annual Conference took place on Thursday 15th and Friday 16th October 2026. Under the theme ‘The Power of Belonging’, the event marked a decade of collaboration and Trust growth.

Over two days, colleagues, experts and guests spoke about what belonging has meant in their own lives and shared advice for the pupils and students in our academies and beyond.

Day One

Welcome and Introduction

Andy Barnett (CEO) & Steve Hodsman (Chair of Board)

The conference opened with Andy Barnett, CEO, and Steve Hodsman, Chair of the Board, setting out how Delta makes sure everyone feels they belong. Sport Pathways, the Inclusion Strategy and Leadership Pathways show that commitment in action.

Andy went on to share how the Trust is growing, with a clear focus on welcoming academies where we can make a real difference. He celebrated the impact colleagues make every day and underlined Delta’s belief in growing and promoting its own talent.

“Belonging is an important and special part of what we do”

Overcoming Barriers

Rachael Mackenzie (Award winning mentor, health and wellbeing specialist, & Former British Boxing Champion)

Our first speaker of the day was Rachael Mackenzie, who spoke openly about how sport has changed her life and opened doors for her. Growing up with a difficult home life, Rachael lost access to sport, and with it her sense of control and purpose, which made her teenage years challenging.

An opportunity at university changed her career path. Trying a new and unexpected sport made her “feel alive”, and she was determined to stick with Thai boxing even though she was told it “wasn’t for girls”. Hearing that “girls do not fight” only spurred her on to succeed. Rachael shared that “effort brings reward” is the lesson she sees most clearly through sport.

“Energy changes when you encourage movement-based play”

Creating a Culture of Belonging

Anna Heaton (Director of Education – Inclusion)

Anna led a discussion on promoting inclusivity across the Trust, including how we identify the groups of students who are more likely to feel excluded and what we can do to change that.

We heard from colleagues about individual students and how they have been supported to thrive, whatever their circumstances. Anna also highlighted the importance of community relationships and strong support within our academies for pupils facing difficult home lives and trauma.

The impact our staff make is not always seen in academic outcomes. It is often in the emotional support and stability they provide. Understanding each child and creating an environment where everyone feels safe and supported is at the heart of what we do.

Sustained Success

Alistair Brownlee OBE (Double Olympic Champion, World Champion & Endurance Sport Legend)

Alistair spoke about the lessons and challenges of competing at a high level, and how mindset, resilience and leadership help you perform at your best.

Consistency is key if you want to be good at something. He encouraged us to make it easier to say “yes” to training by having everything prepared and available, removing the barriers that get in the way. He also cautioned against aiming to be at 100% all the time. It isn’t realistic, and missing that target can leave you feeling demotivated.

Alistair reminded us that growth happens during periods of rest and recovery. Success doesn’t happen automatically, but you should always carry the belief that it will.

“The first step is the hardest one to take”

Dom Sagar (Director of Learning – Thrive)

Dom spoke about upskilling adults in the neuroscience of child development, encouraging curiosity and self-reflection. She explained that movement is wired into our biology and is one of the key ways humans regulate.

Dom also explored how relationships and experiences shape our nervous system and our sense of belonging, and shared practical ways of responding to dysregulation. She highlighted how important it is to provide safe environments where children can feel they belong.

Matilda Medley

Norbridge Academy (Primary Academy based in Worksop, Nottinghamshire)

We had a special surprise from Norbridge Primary Academy, whose pupil cast of ‘Matilda’ performed a medley for all colleagues. It was an incredible performance, and there were not many dry eyes in the room. It showed what can be achieved when we invest time and effort in children, and it was a brilliant opportunity for the pupils. Moments like this make it all worthwhile and show what is possible in our academies.

Schools Where Children Matter

Steve Baker OBE(Chief Executive Officer – Everton Multi Academy Trust)

Steve opened his session by asking the room to reflect on who made an impact on them when they were at school.

He spoke about how school policies can be changed to positively influence student behaviour. He asked, “Why do you do what you do?” His answer was to impact children’s lives, drawing on the science of belonging, wellbeing, relationships and collective action.

Steve also talked about sport, and how providing a uniform kit creates a sense of belonging for students and opens up opportunities for all. He went on to explore why it’s so important to understand child behaviour and how children react, and how we can help regulate their emotional states by being “human” and encouraging positive relationships. He also discussed how social life, habits and interests can affect cognitive ability, and closed by looking at how we can improve belonging in our schools.

“Do something positive and instil value in young people”

Ofsted Update with Q&A

Jonathan Smart (Ofsted Regional Director – North West)

Jonathan gave an Ofsted update, sharing how the new inspection framework has already helped schools improve and how work continues to make inspections feel less pressured for staff, with inspectors working alongside schools and leaders rather than against them.

He took us through what the inspection toolkit looks at and why it matters. He also discussed how inspectors are now able to apply professional judgement and gain a real understanding of each school and its environment, looking at “what’s typical and what’s usual”. Jonathan closed his session by highlighting the importance of understanding context and the journey each school is on.

Planning for Success with Q&A

Sir Steve Redgrave CBE (Five-time Olympic Gold Medallist and British Sporting Legend)

It was an incredible honour to welcome a true British sporting legend, five-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Steve, to our conference. He was a huge inspiration to all colleagues and strengthened our reason for developing a unique and exceptional sporting offer across all our academies, for all children.

Sir Steve led the session by sharing his life story and how the opportunities and decisions along the way have shaped his life and career. He believed he could do it, and he did.

He also took questions and spoke about the support he has received from his family throughout the years. He talked about why teamwork is crucial when everyone shares a goal, and how pressure and consistency mean that even your bad days can still lead to a good outcome.

“If you do the same things, you’ll get the same results”

Day Two

Hiraeth

Simon Weston CBE (Veteran, Author and Broadcaster)

It was another great honour to welcome Simon Weston CBE to open day two. He shared his story and how it has changed his life, choosing to title his session ‘Hiraeth’: the longing for something you can no longer return to.

Drawing on his own experiences, Simon explained that things don’t happen instantly. You have to do them over and over again, consistently. He spoke about the importance of giving people purpose, relevance and identity, and how we all need to feel a sense of belonging. Losing all of that in the war was, he said, the hardest battle.

Simon also spoke about believing in yourself and your ability, and how the right people in your life help you to improve your own life and the lives of others.

His session concluded with a standing ovation from the entire room, a true reflection of how inspiring and memorable it was.

“You’ll learn stuff from things that don’t work – failure is only making no attempt”

Education Landscape with Q&A

Alison Wilson OBE (Department of Education Regional Director – Yorkshire and the Humber)

Alison gave an overview of education policy and data, including the areas that need improving and a closer look at why issues such as dips in attendance are happening. She also shared an update on the RISE programme and how it is developing to support young people.

Alison highlighted the areas that need more focus, including improving inclusivity and different provisions, and working with Trusts to gather data that informs policy. There was a strong focus on SEND provision and need, and on what the planning process could look like, including KS2-3.

She also spoke about the Trust landscape and how Trusts can increase partnerships with MATs to support all children, regardless of locality. The session concluded with a look at transforming children’s social care services, working in partnership with schools to transform children’s earliest years.

Political Landscape

Sam Freedman (Institute for Government, Senior Fellow)

Sam Freedman, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, shared his view that the UK’s curriculum models are working. He also noted that generative technology is likely to have less impact in the UK than elsewhere, as we tend to be more sceptical of new technology.

Sam explored how the current government is shaping the education landscape and what that means for the years ahead, including the case for stronger relationships between schools and mayors. He also covered vocational education, including the MBacc currently in development, the subject areas likely to see the most change, and what future changes to SEND funding could look like.

Delta’s 10th Annual Conference brought colleagues, experts and guests together for two days of honest conversation, inspiring stories and shared purpose. We heard how sport, belief and the right people can change a life. From our own colleagues and speakers, we explored how understanding each child, building safe and supportive environments and promoting inclusivity help every young person feel they belong. We looked ahead at how our Trust can keep growing, developing talent from within and making a real difference in the communities we serve.

Thank you to everyone who spoke, took part and joined us across the two days. We leave the conference with fresh ideas, renewed energy and a shared commitment to making sure that every child and colleague at Delta feels they belong.