Wesley Davies, Chief Executive Officer, and Derek Hobbs, Executive Headteacher, presented at the East Midlands RISE conference on Thursday 16th October 2025 following an invitation from the Department for Education. This was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the work happening at Wilsthorpe School and across The Two Counties Trust (TTCT) around literacy to raise attainment. The presentation celebrated the power of a share approach to reading and writing and highlighted the importance of schools developing a clear universal offer, targeted approached and wider opportunities to support all students, particularly those at the early stages of reading.
During the presentation, Wesley highlighted the collective work of Team Literacy, including the ‘Word of the Week’ imitative, comprehensive Trust-wide reading lists and the efforts from subject teams in developing high-quality medium-term plans enriched with disciplinary literacy. Derek explored the range of high-quality interventions at Wilsthorpe which have genuinely enhanced life choices of students, allowing them to thrive as a reader, writer and communicator.
Much of this impact at Wilsthorpe has been made possible through the leadership of Kayleigh Meller, whose has been instrumental in embedding deliberate and sustained literacy practice. This collaborative effort reflects the strength of the team and their commitment to the Trust’s vision and values.
Derek and Wesley both thoroughly enjoyed and learned a great deal from engaging with colleagues from across the East Midlands. The conference was fully of lively discussions and a genuine spirit of collaboration as schools came together to share best practice and experiences.
Reflecting on the event, Wesley Davies, Chief Executive Officer, said:
“It was great to be able to share what has worked at TTCT but also to learn from the rich discussion that occurred over the course of the day.”
Derek Hobbs, Executive Headteacher, added:
“It was a privilege to work with leaders from across the region to celebrate what is working well and how to ensure we support every child to become a fluent reader, confident writer and articulate orator.”
By contributing to the RISE conference, TTCT continues to champion the belief that literacy is a strong foundation for success and a key driver in enhancing life choices. This commitment is firmly aligned with our strategic plan for 2024 – 2027 and particularly our focus on crafting and implementing a high-value curriculum. Events like this are a brilliant opportunity to strengthen our collaboration and extend our impact beyond our 12,000 students.
