In this Golden Talk episode, we hear from long-serving colleagues and headteachers Leon Dawson (Temple Hill) and Rajinder Kaur-Gill (Oakfield), who share their journeys and what Kindness and Courage mean within The Golden Thread Alliance.  

Both leaders have grown within the organisation over 17 years, starting as young teachers and progressing to headship. They emphasise that the Trust's unique characteristic is its values-led approach, where decision-making is fundamentally rooted in core values like kindness, integrity, and passion.  

For them, kindness means showing care for others, understanding that everyone faces their own battles, and creating an environment where children and adults alike feel supported. Courage, they explain, is about making difficult decisions with children’s best interests at heart and standing up for what’s right, even when it’s not easy.  

Leon and Rajinder share inspiring examples of their teams showing these values, from staff calmly supporting children through challenging moments to whole teams going the extra mile to make sure every child feels wanted and included. They also suggest simple ways to help children recognise and live out these values every day, like celebrating specific acts of kindness or creating courage challenges.  

Their conversation shows how kindness and courage make their schools special places to learn and work. They believe these values attract and retain staff who genuinely embody them, ultimately creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment.  

For more information about The Golden Thread Alliance, please visit https://golden-thread.org/ 

In this episode, Alice Harrington (Headteacher at Fleetdown Primary Academy) and Charlotte Casey (School Improvement Partner for SEND) talk about what Respect really means within The Golden Thread Alliance.   

They share how respect is at the heart of the Trust’s culture, showing kindness, listening carefully, and understanding each other’s pressures, whether we’re working with colleagues, children or families. Both highlight how respectful relationships make schools happier places where staff feel supported, and children feel safe.  

Alice and Charlotte emphasise the importance of respecting parents’ voices and working in partnership with families to support children’s needs. They share examples of how respectful, sensitive approaches lead to greater trust and collaboration, especially when working with vulnerable pupils or during difficult conversations.  

Ultimately, they agree that respect helps create a positive, inclusive atmosphere where staff can rely on each other and where children can thrive. For Alice and Charlotte, respect is something they see lived out in the Trust’s schools every day. 

For more information about The Golden Thread Alliance, please visit https://golden-thread.org/ 

This episode of Golden Talks features Michele Sowden-Meta, Senior School Improvement Lead, and Toniann Braniff, Acting Head Teacher at Fleetdown Primary Academy, where they discuss the value of Ambition within The Golden Thread Alliance.  

They define ambition as striving for excellence, providing opportunities, and supporting individuals to reach their full potential. They explore the value from multiple perspectives: for children, staff, and the community.   

For children, ambition means providing a curriculum that is broad, balanced, and accessible to all, while creating opportunities that help them see beyond their current circumstances. For staff, the Trust focuses on creating career development pathways, from early career teachers to potential leadership roles. They discussed supporting staff's professional growth through training programs and encouraging individual aspirations.   

Michele highlights how ambition drives the Trust’s commitment to high standards and inclusivity, ensuring that all pupils, including the most vulnerable, are supported to succeed. Toniann shared her personal experience as a former pupil premium child, highlighting how role models and supportive environments can inspire ambition.  

The conversation shows how ambition is central to the Trust’s culture, creating meaningful opportunities and empowering individuals to chase their dreams. 

For more information about The Golden Thread Alliance, please visit https://golden-thread.org/ 

This episode focused on Integrity, another core value of The Golden Thread Alliance, with insights from featuring James Kendall (Director of Education) and Sue Kirby (Executive Assistant to the CEO).   

Both speakers share how integrity means doing the right thing, being honest, staying true to your principles, and making the right decisions even when no one is watching. They talked about how this guides daily decisions and interactions, helping staff work together with openness, fairness, and respect. Whether in leadership or the classroom, integrity is something that’s shown through actions, not just words.  

James highlights that the organisation's values are fundamental pillars that guide decisions affecting 700 employees, ensuring choices are made with respect and integrity. Sue notes that the values are consistently "woven into everything" and that the organisation truly delivers on its promised culture.  

The discussion wrapped up with the speakers underscoring The Golden Thread Alliance's commitment to a values-led approach, where integrity is not just a concept that’s taught but a lived practice that defines the organisation's culture and interactions. 

For more information about The Golden Thread Alliance, please visit https://golden-thread.org/ 

The second Golden Talk episode explored the value of Responsibility, with insights from Dan Range, an Assistant Professor and Chair of the Local Governing Committee at Temple Hill Primary Academy, and Philip Vander Gucht, Chair of Trustees. They reflected on what responsibility looks like across the nine schools in the Trust, and how it’s something that’s shared by everyone.  

They spoke about responsibility as both a role and a choice: it is about actively stepping forward to support others, giving time selflessly, and setting an example for all. Whether that’s helping schools prepare for inspections or empowering staff at all levels, both Dan and Philip showed how responsibility runs through the Trust’s culture.  

They shared examples, including governors helping to introduce new data systems to improve pupil outcomes, and staff across the Trust showing collective responsibility for safeguarding and wellbeing. The episode concluded with both speakers agreeing that responsibility is not just something that one’s accountable for, but how one shows up, every day.  

For more information about The Golden Thread Alliance, please visit https://golden-thread.org/ 

In this first Golden Talk episode, the conversation focused on Equality—a value at the heart of The Golden Thread Alliance. Headteacher Nicole Galinis from Wrotham Road Primary School and Jaya Dillon from Temple Hill Primary shared some inspiring reflections on what equality means to them and how it's reflected across the Trust. 

Both described equality as making sure every child and adult is treated with respect, with differences valued and no one is left behind, no matter their background, gender, race, or ability. Their schools bring this to life through food-sharing events, cultural assemblies, and a welcoming approach that helps children from all walks of life feel valued. They also shared how their staff work tirelessly to remove barriers, particularly for pupils with special needs or those settling into a new country.  

They spoke honestly about the challenges and criticisms they sometimes face—and why they believe their focus on equality helps nurture good humans, not just good students. The episode concluded with both leaders' visions for the future: more opportunities for children’s voices to be heard and making sure all pupils benefit equally from everything the Trust has to offer. 

For more information about The Golden Thread Alliance, please visit https://golden-thread.org/