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During his session, Cameron challenged the audience to think beyond surface-level interventions. His message was clear — closing the gap starts with creating the right mindset and environment for young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“Before we look at extra tuition or revision strategies, we have to look at the culture we’re building around these students,” Cameron shared. “If they feel invisible or believe they’re already behind, no intervention is going to land the way we want it to.”
He spoke about the importance of building confidence, clarity, and consistency for Pupil Premium students. Cameron highlighted how small, intentional actions — clear expectations, structured support, and regular check-ins — can lead to long-lasting change when done right.
One of the key points from Cameron’s talk was the balance between high expectations and meaningful support. He encouraged school leaders not to lower the bar for Pupil Premium students but to raise it, backed by the right guidance and belief that those students can meet the challenge.
The session also covered practical systems schools can implement. Drawing from his experience working with schools across the UK, Cameron emphasised the importance of tracking, reviewing, and refining support strategies. He posed questions for school leaders to consider: Are we monitoring engagement closely enough? Are we adjusting our approach based on student feedback? Are we measuring the real impact beyond what simply feels good in the moment?
For Cameron, the goal is always to move from “impact you can feel” to “impact you can measure.”
Throughout the session, there was strong engagement from educators and school leaders, many already implementing similar strategies and looking for ways to sharpen their impact.
Speaking after the event, Cameron said: “Events like Bridging the Gap are about keeping the momentum alive. It’s about reminding ourselves what’s possible when we approach this work with real intent and focus. It’s not easy, but it’s necessary.”
Cameron extended his thanks to E-ACT Trust for hosting and to all the professionals in the room working hard to support young people across their schools.
By sharing practical strategies alongside mindset shifts, Cameron’s session provided both inspiration and actionable ideas — all aimed at helping schools close the gap and unlock potential for every young person, especially those in the Pupil Premium bracket.
For schools looking to take this conversation further, Cameron and the Dreams 2 Reality team are available to support with workshops, staff training, and student programmes designed to make a lasting impact.
