Looking to the future as we celebrate our first decade

This year we celebrate 10 years of improving life chances and reducing educational disadvantage through Challenge Partners’ unique brand of challenge, collaboration and professional development. With our flagship Network of Excellence now encompassing 500 schools (the most ever) and more than 260,000 pupils from Cornwall to County Durham, we are looking forward to a second decade in which we further enhance our reach and impact.

Last week we brought together Senior Partners, Hub Managers, our Education Advisory Group and Trustees past and present, along with our founder Sir George Berwick and Honorary President Sir Jon Coles, and our new Chair of Trustees, Chris Davison. It was a great evening at the House of Commons, with beautiful music provided by two talented soloists from Lampton School and St Mary’s Catholic Primary School Chamber Choir.

While celebrating past achievements, we are firmly focused on future work to challenge inequalities and push for greater inclusion. As new trustee Vijita Patel, Principal of Swiss Cottage Special School, said: “I don’t know many other organisations where the practitioner-led voice is defining the vision, the mission and the aims. Through a common goal we are creating a stronger society because that is what education can do.”