Ely College was proud to host the first in a series of one-day, multi-school regional conferences, attended by ten partner schools. This first conference on attendance and behaviour forms part of the Department of Education’s (DfE) statutory reforms and the regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) Attendance and Behaviour Hubs programme.

The conference is part of Meridian Trust’s role as a ‘Regional Support’ hub for local schools and includes structured CPD, professional networking, and sharing of best practice. Working together with schools within local authorities, Meridian Trust is committed to delivering high quality education provision for all pupils.

The event focused on how schools can build excellent attendance using data, systems and processes, and culture and leadership. Over the course of the day delegates toured the school, heard from staff on current practices, and had sessions on leadership, vision and data use.

Simon Warburton, Principal at Ely College said:

“We are proud to host the first of our regional conferences on attendance and behaviour, here at Ely College. This event brings educators together and builds on the ongoing support Meridian Trust is committed to delivering for partner schools in our area. By working together, we hope that we can share ideas and practices that make a lasting difference for children and young people.”

Earlier this year, Meridian Trust and Ely College received major sector-wide recognition at the Education Property Awards for ‘School Project of the Year’ for the Bishop Laney Sixth Form refurbishment at Ely College.

The refurbishment transformed an ageing tower block into a modern, accessible Post-16 learning environment, delivered on time, on budget, and aligned with Meridian Trust’s sustainable design ambitions. Following a £5 million investment supported by the Department for Education, the project reimagined Needham Tower as a high-quality sixth form hub serving more than 300 students, with state-of-the-art classrooms, collaborative study areas, social spaces, and inclusive design throughout.