We’ve listened to your feedback and are excited to share that the HFL Hub is being upgraded. It will still look and feel like the Hub you know, but with a fresh, modern design and some long-awaited improvements. 

One of the biggest changes is the search function. Many of you have said this has been a challenge in recent years, so we’ve completely rebuilt it. You’ll now be able to search easily by title, keyword, subject or phase, helping you find the right training or product faster. 

We’ve also made it simpler for administrators to manage bookings and assign courses, and once they are in the system, they’ll see a much clearer dashboard where all their bookings and products sit neatly in one place. 

Our aim is that the Hub will feel more intuitive and easier to navigate but the training and events team will still be available to support you, especially in the early weeks as everyone gets used to the improvements. 

You will need to reset your password the first time you log in after 23rd March 2026, but this should only take a moment. 

We’d love to hear what you think once you’ve explored. Please email any feedback to training@hfleducation.org, and happy browsing!

We are delighted to share the summer edition of our Term Times magazine with you and hope you’ll find it’s packed full of interesting articles and the CPD we have running over the next term. 

Printed copies are making their way to schools across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and beyond (and will be available at all in person events or from your SEA) and our email arrives in inboxes across the country this week. There’s an additional treat this term for Hertfordshire schools as we’re also sharing our Early Years training brochure and contacts poster with you. 

If you can’t wait for your copy to arrive download a PDF version or view the email browser version.

Please leave the printed copies in your staffrooms and share the above browser links to the email with your colleagues and Governors.

We are committed to providing a high-quality service and working in an open and accountable way. If you have any feedback, queries or require any support with anything covered in Term Times please call us on 01438 544464 or email info@hfleducation.org

To receive the next edition direct to your inbox or in the post sign up here.  

HFL Education is proud to have been awarded CST Recognised Supplier status, marking a significant milestone in our work supporting multi academy trusts.

This status is granted by the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) to organisations that demonstrate a proven track record of working successfully with academy trusts; recognition reserved for suppliers that are reputable, experienced, and have a clear understanding of the operational and strategic needs of trusts.

This reflects our long standing partnerships and commitment to delivering high-quality support to schools and trusts nationwide while providing additional assurance to trusts seeking partnerships with suppliers with established credibility and sector expertise.

CST Recognised Supplier status is designed to help trusts identify organisations that meet robust standards of reliability and understanding, supporting informed decision-making when commissioning external services.

If you’re interested in learning how HFL Education can support your trust get in touch

If you are interested in relational practice and how you might be able to embed it in your school or setting, why not take advantage of an HFL discount on tickets for the Positive Regard Conference 2026 on 24th April at Royal Armouries, Leeds? 

Positive Regard have kindly shared a discount code with us which allows our customers to take advantage of a reduced. ticket price of £120 + VAT when booking here and using the code HFL.

In an era marked by increasing exclusions and suspensions, Positive Regard takes it as their mission to unite like-minded professionals to author a better future in our schools, and for our communities. 

This year's conference aims to bring thirteen-hundred guests, leaders and practitioners together to celebrate the power of inclusive and relational practice, and to present a strongdetermined voice to policy makers about the change they believe is necessary.

Held in parallel with The Next Decade education conference, a ticket to the conference provides access to four other full day stages packed with national experts speaking on all aspectsof an education for tomorrow.

There are limited tickets available at this price, please purchase early to ensure you don’t miss out.

The Government’s White Paper sets out an ambitious and aspirational vision for the future of education, which we warmly welcome.

For more than a decade, HFL Education has played a central role in supporting school improvement, strengthening leadership and ensuring that the needs of our schools shape our solutions. 

As an area-based Education Partnership our focus has been on sharing and developing best practice to ensure all schools – whether maintained or academies - have the tools and resources they need to succeed and that every child gets the education they deserve.

We are pleased to see the contribution of Local Education Partnerships like HFL Education recognised for the first time in a national policy document, and we welcome the White Paper’s acknowledgement of the impact that partnership‑led approaches are already delivering.

We remain committed to our collaborative, school-led approach and working with local partners, our colleagues in the national Area-based Education Partnerships Association (AEPA) and policymakers and stakeholders at every level to continue to improve educational outcomes for all children and young people.

The White Paper introduces a number of high‑level strategic proposals, including potential developments around local authority trusts and local partnership trusts.

These ideas suggest how the system might evolve in the coming years, but they remain at an early stage and will be subject to a consultation period. 

We look forward to working closely with the Department for Education, RISE, HCC, our school communities and wider policy teams to explore the practical implications of the White Paper during this consultation period. 

Our priority is to ensure that any future arrangements build on the strengths of existing local partnerships, maintain coherence for schools and continue to deliver strong educational outcomes for children.

As with any early‑stage vision document, further detail will be required before schools, trusts, local authorities and organisations like ours can make informed decisions.

It is important that we all take the time to fully consider the proposals contained in the White Paper and do not rush into early decisions. The political process still has some time to run and partnerships can play an important role in shaping the policy debate and determining its final outcome.

Born out of the reforms to the education sector in the mid-2010s, Local Education Partnerships have a proven track record of guiding schools and trusts through periods of change in a measured, prioritised and evidence‑led way. We will continue to provide that stability, clarity and local intelligence as the policy landscape develops.

We recognise that the White Paper has prompted questions about future structures, including the potential role of MATs.

For some areas, MAT development may become a relevant option; for others, it may not.

At this stage, nothing in the White Paper requires schools to pursue academisation, and the DfE has been clear that there is no intention to introduce forced academisation beyond schools causing concern. 

It is therefore important that schools and trusts do not feel pressured into rapid or speculative decisions based on early interpretations of the White Paper or commentary around it.

HFL stands ready to contribute constructively to the next phase of national policy development.

From our experience of bringing school communities together, we know that there is real strength in collaboration and that this can take many forms.

We are committed to working collaboratively with the DfE to shape a system that is coherent, sustainable and responsive to local and national needs, while providing schools and trusts with the reassurance and practical guidance they need during a period of potential change.

We reiterate our strong welcome for the White Paper’s aspirations. Its emphasis on ambition, coherence and high‑quality provision aligns closely with the values and purpose that have guided us since our inception. 

We share the Government’s desire to build a system that delivers excellence for every child and we look forward to helping translate that vision into practical, locally informed action.

As an organisation we exist to support all schools regardless of their status and we are proud to be able to sponsor the CST School Improvement conference this year.

Taking place on 26 March 2026 at the Eastside Rooms in Birmingham the conference will explore “School improvement: Stewardship at scale.”

As a supporter of over 100 multi academy trusts we’re looking forward to meeting with trust leaders from across the country to discuss collaboration, evidence‑informed practice, and sector‑wide learning — all of which align closely with our mission to support and strengthen schools and trusts nationwide.

We’re proud to play a part in an event that champions meaningful professional dialogue and shared improvement across the education community.

If you’re interested in how HFL Education can support school improvement across your trust get in touch.

We are delighted to announce that ESSENTIALWRITING has been shortlisted for the Education Business Award for Primary Resource. 

The awards celebrate innovative educational products and services that support teaching and strengthen pupil engagement across the primary sector – recognition that reflects the transformative impact ESSENTIALWRITING is having in classrooms nationally.

Developed by our English team, ESSENTIALWRITING is a researchin formed writing curriculum that places authentic purpose and audience at the heart of every unit. More than a scheme of work, it offers a fully sequenced, schoolwide approach that builds pupils’ confidence, independence and writer identity. Teachers benefit from clear, carefully structured guidance that strengthens subject knowledge and reduces planning workload, while pupils experience high quality modelling, meaningful composition opportunities and rich discussion woven throughout.

Schools using ESSENTIALWRITING report significant improvements in pupils’ confidence and outcomes, alongside greater consistency and clarity in teaching. Leaders also praise its dual function as embedded professional development, supporting both experienced practitioners and those new to teaching writing.

We are proud that the impact of ESSENTIALWRITING has been recognised at a national level and extend our congratulations to all schools, teachers and pupils whose work with the resource has contributed to this achievement.

The winners of the Education Business Awards will be announced later this year.

We were fortunate to be able to invite Sir Kevan Collins to talk through the rationale and approach of the Schools' White Paper, which was published last week.

Thank you to all of you who were able to come at short notice.  However, we also know that there were many school leaders who were already committed at that time and were unable to join us.  Please be assured that our teams will incorporate key messaging from this briefing into our guidance and training, where appropriate, as we move forwards.

Sir Kevan was able to provide some reassurance to concerns raised by the audience in the question-and-answer session, including:

• an understanding that there is a capacity issue in specialist provision and the availability of specialist advice.  He noted that the DfE are working on supply routes for specialists and planning to develop the use of this support in new and more efficient ways
• confirmation that whilst the White Paper notes that school groupings and trusts are key structures moving forwards, there is not a plan to introduce compulsory changes to structure or propose directed academisation (with the continuing exception of schools in difficulty)
• a commitment to provide stronger support for complaints processes, including ensuring that multiple avenues are not used concurrently.  He noted the DFE's commitment to getting the balance right between hearing concerns from parents and supporting educational professionals
• a reminder that this White Paper is at the consultation stage, and that the DfE welcomed all responses from the sector

As ever, HFL is committed to supporting schools, settings and trusts through any changes, ensuring that you have the right support, advice and guidance to make the right decisions for your school and your community.

Find out more about our work with AEPA: HFL Education and The Area based Education Partnerships Association