009 - Two New Schools, Built from the Ground Up with Sam Compton and Laura Austen

In this episode I’m joined by Sam Compton, CEO of the Creative Learning Partnership Trust, and Laura Austen, the trust’s Chief Operating Officer, to explore what it really takes to open new schools in brand new communities. We dig into how these projects moved from empty sites to fully functioning schools, how identity and belonging were built from the outset, and how decisions were made around design, partnerships and delivery along the way. Drawing on their experience of opening Beacon Fields and Burley Fields, Sam and Laura share what worked, what they learned the hard way and how collaboration, planning and community engagement shaped the journey from start to finish.▶️ This episode at a glance:[2:21] – Sam and Laura introduce their trust and the journey to opening two new schools in Stafford[4:22] – Creating two distinct school identities within one trust[7:14] – Working with local stakeholders and why their role was critical to success[9:26] – Building a sense of belonging from day one and the thinking behind it[16:18] – Collaborating with builders and partners to bring the vision to life[20:47] – Managing major projects alongside day-to-day trust operations and the role of a strong project plan[24:19] – What didn’t go quite to plan and what others should watch out for[28:25] – Sam shares the Headteacher perspective, from pre-opening through to life after day one[31:31] – Standout moments from the journey and what it has meant to them both📚 Related Content:Contact Sam via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-compton-92a1a935b/ Contact Laura via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-austen-a136a/🎙️Be a part of MAT Chat:Want to be a guest? Click here! https://ljbusinessofeducation.co.uk/podcast-guest-application/Enjoyed the episode? Follow, share with a colleague or leave a quick rating so more leaders can find it.🎧 Subscribe:If you haven’t already, make sure you hit subscribe in your podcast player so you don’t miss out on future episodes!📩 Get in touch:This podcast is hosted by me, Laura Williams, and sponsored by the amazing team at Schools Advisory Service who are the UK’s largest provider of staff absence insurance and comprehensive whole school wellbeing services.⭐️ Laura’s website: https://www.ljbusinessofeducation.co.uk⭐️ Schools Advisory Service website: https://schooladvice.co.uk/