Nearly 300 pupils from across Matrix Academy Trust came together at Villa Park for our very first Trust Pupil Conference – a day of inspiration, celebration and, above all, taking pride in who we are and what we can achieve. Bringing together pupils from all of our schools, the conference was centred around the theme ‘Pride in Place’, encouraging pupils to think about the things they are proud of, the communities they belong to and the difference they can make through their actions.
The day got off to an energetic start with a ‘Get Out of Your Seat’ body percussion session, getting pupils involved from the very beginning and setting the tone for a day full of energy, participation and fun.
Throughout the conference, pupils heard from a fantastic line-up of guest speakers, each sharing their own experiences and exploring what it means to take pride in yourself, your achievements and the people and places around you.
We were particularly delighted to welcome Musharaf Asghar, who spoke about the importance of finding your voiceand having the confidence to use it. His story encouraged pupils to recognise their own potential and not allow barriers to define what they can achieve.
A special thank you also goes to Panni and Patrik, who have recently left Matrix Academy Trust and are now preparing to study at Oxford and Cambridge. They returned to speak to our pupils about their own journeys, the importance of determination and how breaking through barriers can open up new opportunities.
The conference also gave us the opportunity to celebrate some of our pupils’ fantastic achievements, with the Trust Spelling Bee finals taking place during the day.
A huge well done to our primary and secondary Spelling Bee winners, as well as everyone who took part. The confidence, determination and skill shown by all of our finalists was fantastic to see.
Most importantly, the conference was about bringing our pupils together – giving them the opportunity to meet young people from across the Trust, hear different perspectives, celebrate achievement and be inspired by what is possible.
A huge thank you to all of our pupils, staff, speakers and everyone involved in making our first Trust Pupil Conference such a memorable day.
Nearly 300 pupils. All our schools. One Trust. A day to take pride in.
