Below is the opening address from the Schools and Academies Show that took place on 7 May 2026 in London, delivered by Stephen Morales, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Education Operational Excellence.
Good morning, everyone. It’s a real pleasure to be here with you today at the Schools and Academies Show.
At the heart of this event—and indeed at the heart of everything we do—is a fundamental commitment: a commitment to knowledge transfer, to collaboration, and to continuous improvement across our sector. Because we know something to be true. When systems invest in professional growth—at both an individual level and an organisational level—they don’t just improve… they thrive. They become more resilient. More adaptive. More confident in navigating complexity. And, importantly, they become better equipped to serve the communities that rely on them.
But the opposite is also true. Where investment in people, capability, and learning is limited, systems can stagnate. They can become reactive rather than proactive. Focused on short-term pressures rather than long-term impact.
And I think many of us in this room will recognise another tension. We are operating in an environment of high-stakes accountability. An environment where scrutiny is intense, expectations are high, and the consequences of getting things wrong can feel significant. And in that environment, it is very easy to find ourselves constrained by the demands placed upon us. Constrained by regulators. Constrained by frameworks. Constrained by performance measures. Trapped, if you like, in what could be described as an iron cage of compliance. Where the focus shifts from what truly makes a difference… to what is required to demonstrate compliance.
Now, let me be clear—accountability matters. Standards matter. Transparency matters. But compliance alone does not drive excellence. Outcomes do. And achieving meaningful, sustainable outcomes requires something more. It requires professional judgement. It requires courage. And, at times, it requires us to be brave. Brave in how we prioritise. Brave in how we allocate time, energy, and resource. And brave in staying focused on what genuinely makes a difference to our learners, our staff, and our communities—even when that doesn’t perfectly align with every external demand placed upon us.
Because ultimately, the question we should always be asking is: What will have the greatest impact? Not just what will be measured. Not just what will be inspected. But what will truly improve the lived experience and outcomes of those we serve? And this is where capability becomes critical. Because bravery without capability is risky. But capability enables confident, informed decision-making. It enables innovation. It enables improvement. And it enables leadership at every level of the system.
And that brings me to why we are here today. Today marks an important moment for the Institute of School Business Leadership. We are proud to be launching an expanded portfolio of services—building on our strong heritage of professional development and our long-standing commitment to improving capability across the sector.
For many years, ISBL has played a key role in supporting school business professionals—developing skills, strengthening leadership, and helping individuals and organisations operate more effectively. But we also recognise that the challenges facing the sector are evolving. They are becoming more complex. More interconnected. And, in many cases, more demanding. Which means our response must evolve too.
We need to think more holistically. More systemically. And more strategically about how we support improvement. And so, alongside ISBL, we are introducing three new, complementary hubs—each designed to address a different dimension of system capability.
First, the Solutions Hub.
This hub is focused on delivering a more holistic approach to operational improvement. Because operations are not just about efficiency. They are about enabling education to happen. They are about creating the conditions in which teaching and learning can flourish.
Through the Solutions Hub, we will support organisations in reviewing, strengthening, and improving their operational practices—ensuring that systems, processes, and structures are aligned with strategic priorities and delivering real value.
Second, the Research Hub.
Because if we are serious about improvement, we must also be serious about evidence. This hub represents an intentional commitment to study, investigation, and insight. It will bring together research, data, and sector expertise to deepen our understanding of what works—and, just as importantly, why it works. Helping leaders make informed decisions grounded in evidence rather than assumption.
And third, the International Hub.
Because the challenges we face are not unique to one system or one country. There is enormous value in sharing knowledge, learning from others, and exporting the expertise that exists within our sector. This hub will focus on building international partnerships—both learning from global best practice and contributing our own insights to a wider audience.
Now, while each of these hubs has a distinct purpose, their real strength lies in how they come together. Because they are not standalone initiatives. They form an interconnected ecosystem. An ecosystem that sits under a new umbrella:
The Centre for Educational Operational Excellence—CEOE.
The CEOE represents a step forward in how we think about capability and improvement across the sector. It is designed to help organisations better understand themselves. To understand their strengths. Their areas for development. And their potential for improvement. Because you cannot improve what you do not understand. And you cannot lead improvement effectively without clarity about where you are starting from.
In a system characterised by constant flux—policy change, financial pressure, workforce challenges, and technological advancement—this kind of clarity is more important than ever.
But the CEOE is about more than just understanding. It is about enabling action. It is about supporting organisations to move from insight… to implementation… to impact. And perhaps most importantly, it is about supporting the development of a self-improving system. A system that is not overly dependent on central direction. But one that is confident in its own ability to learn, to adapt, and to improve. A system where expertise is recognised and shared. Where innovation is encouraged. And where leadership exists at every level. Because sustainable improvement does not come from the top down alone. It comes from within us. From professionals who are empowered, equipped, and supported to make a difference.
And that is ultimately what this is about. It is about people. It is about enabling the people within our system to be the very best they can be. To lead effectively. To operate effectively. And to deliver the outcomes that truly matter.
So today, we are not just launching a new structure. We are setting out an ambition. An ambition to strengthen capability across the sector. To support meaningful, evidence-informed improvement. And to help create a system that is resilient, adaptive, and future-ready. And we would love for you to be part of that journey. So I warmly invite you to join us in celebrating this launch. Come and speak to us. Explore what the CEOE has to offer. And consider how you and your organisation can engage with this growing ecosystem.
We look forward to welcoming you. Thank you very much.