As the education landscape shifts beneath our feet, one truth remains steady: real change doesn鈥檛 wait for permission. It doesn鈥檛 always come from the top. Often, it emerges from the middle 鈥� from the everyday influencers quietly shaping the future of our schools. That鈥檚 the focus of : Leadership from the Middle. In schools across the UK 鈥� and beyond 鈥� the demand is growing for high-quality, independent support and challenge that isn鈥檛 tied to political cycles or narrow frameworks. Instead, schools are calling for something more enduring: professional advice focused on outcomes, grounded in evidence, and delivered with integrity. This is the work of the education adviser 鈥� a role we believe must be redefined. For too long, we鈥檝e judged educational impact by titles held and positions occupied. But what if we flipped that? What if we focused instead on what people actually do 鈥� how they translate their experience to adapt, influence and transform learning communities? That鈥檚 why the Association of Education Advisers (AoEA) has built a rigorous accreditation standard 鈥� shaped by research, rooted in practice, and tested across systems. It鈥檚 a standard not for instruction, but for influence. Crucially, it transcends sector boundaries: it applies as much to advisers in local authorities and academy trusts as it does to independent consultants, MAT central teams, or curriculum hubs. This approach is not just theoretical. It鈥檚 built around a 鈥渃ontinuous improvement circle鈥� 鈥� one that supports professional learning and reflection, rather than compliance and judgement. It distinguishes clearly between targeted intervention, and universal support and challenge 鈥� each playing a vital role in school improvement. But standards alone won鈥檛 transform the system. We want to move away from performance snapshots and towards capacity-building That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e investing in critical connections, not just critical mass. Inspired by Grace Lee Boggs’ observation that 鈥渕ovements are born of critical connections,鈥� our work this year is about bringing together a network of regional, national and international partners including Wales and Northern Ireland 鈥� each playing their part in testing a new model for education support. In England we are building from the middle. From curriculum hubs to colleges, from multi-academy trusts to local government, we鈥檙e building a coalition that spans systems. Our network includes the Association of Colleges, the National Governance Association, Research Schools, Chartered College of Teaching, NAHT, ASCL,NASS, SSAT, and many others. Together, we鈥檒l explore a model for an equitable, adviser-led support system that is truly national in its reach 鈥� and tailored to local needs. This isn鈥檛 a top-down reform, nor a patchwork of good intentions. It鈥檚 a deliberate act of collaboration, driven by a shared belief that all schools 鈥� whatever their type, size, or setting 鈥� deserve access to professional challenge and high-quality support. The goal? To measure less, and enable more. We want to move away from the tyranny of performance snapshots and towards a culture of capacity-building. A system that values learning as much as outcomes. That enables people to lead not because of their job title, but because of their expertise and impact. It was Peter Drucker who said that the task of leadership is to 鈥渃reate an alignment of strengths, making a system鈥檚 weaknesses irrelevant.鈥� That鈥檚 the journey we鈥檙e on 鈥� and it starts by recognising the power of professional dialogue, trust, and shared purpose. So today, as we gather at this summit, we are not just holding another event. We are building a movement. One that recognises the real levers of change in education sit with those who make it happen 鈥� quietly, consistently, and courageously. Welcome to the start of something bigger.