15 years of Bright Futures

Bright Futures Educational Trust is celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2026, marking 15 years since the Trust was established on 17 August 2011 and began its journey of delivering its vision of ‘the best for everyone, the best from everyone’.

This milestone year has provided an opportunity to reflect on the Trust’s achievements, celebrate the people who make its success possible, and look ahead to the next chapter in its story. Throughout 2026, pupils, colleagues, governors, families and communities have come together through a series of events, projects and initiatives designed to strengthen connections across schools and celebrate the values, relationships and shared sense of belonging that define Bright Futures.

A number of special events have taken place as part of the anniversary celebrations, including the Trust’s Festival of Sport, Performing Arts Celebration, the inaugural Colleague Values Awards and Pupil Values Awards, and a special anniversary lunch menu delivered in partnership with Sodexo. Together, these events have showcased the talent, creativity, commitment and achievements of children, young people and colleagues from across the Trust, while creating moments of joy, connection and celebration for our school communities.

One of the standout projects was Rushbrook Primary Academy’s Walking Art Gallery. Chosen by pupils themselves, the initiative saw children create artwork reflecting their experiences and memories of school life before proudly sharing their work with neighbouring Bright Futures schools, Cedar Mount Academy and Melland High School. The project celebrated creativity, confidence and community spirit while bringing together pupils and colleagues from across the Trust in a shared display of joy, pride and belonging.

The anniversary year has also included a range of collaborative initiatives designed to strengthen relationships, learning and belonging across the Trust. These have included a Pen Pal project, a joint local history project between Altrincham Grammar School for Girls and Elmridge Primary School, and the launch of the Trust’s 15 for 15 CPD programme, enabling colleagues to share expertise and learn from one another through a series of professional development opportunities.

Lisa Fathers, Chief Executive Officer of Bright Futures Educational Trust, said:

“This year is particularly special for us as we celebrate 15 years of Bright Futures. While we officially mark our anniversary on 17 August 2026, the celebrations throughout this year have provided an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come, celebrate the achievements of our schools, and look ahead to what we will accomplish together in the future.

Our anniversary events have showcased the incredible talent of our children and young people, the dedication and passion of our colleagues, and the strength of the relationships that exist across our schools and communities. Every colleague plays a vital role in shaping the next stage of our story and strengthening our culture of belonging.

As we celebrate this important milestone, we remain committed to ensuring every child and young person feels they belong, can succeed and can thrive. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to our journey over the past 15 years and those who continue to help make Bright Futures such a special place to learn, work and grow.”

As Bright Futures celebrates this landmark anniversary, the Trust looks forward to continuing its mission of transforming lives through education, fostering collaboration across its family of schools and creating opportunities that enable children and young people to thrive for many years to come.

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