Summer Conference 2025: Better for Everyone
1st July Agenda

To help you navigate the day, we’ve labelled sessions by role: School Leader / SENCO, Local Authority Leader, MAT Leader (SEND/Inclusion), and Trust Leader. These labels are there to highlight relevance, but they’re just a guide, so feel free to join any session that interests you.

8.30am — Registration

9.30am — Opening (taking place in your first Breakout Session room)

9.45am

1st July 2025
AI for All: leveraging AI and other tech to make a difference beyond simple efficiencies and task substitution — Ben Whitaker
SENCO / School Leader
AI for All: leveraging AI and other tech to make a difference beyond simple efficiencies and task substitution — Ben Whitaker
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Creating a culture of relational practice in your setting — Cathy Seal
SENCO / School Leader
Creating a culture of relational practice in your setting — Cathy Seal
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Empowering SENCOs to train teachers on inclusive lesson design — Emma McCrea
SENCO / School Leader
Empowering SENCOs to train teachers on inclusive lesson design — Emma McCrea
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
From Firefighting to Forward Planning: Practical Strategies for supporting dysregulated students — Emma Shackleton
SENCO / School Leader
From Firefighting to Forward Planning: Practical Strategies for supporting dysregulated students — Emma Shackleton
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Inclusive, Adaptive teaching: essential knowledge and practical strategies to support pupils with SEND — Amjad Ali
SENCO / School Leader
Inclusive, Adaptive teaching: essential knowledge and practical strategies to support pupils with SEND — Amjad Ali
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Laying the foundations for learning and using the sensory checklist — Caroline Essame
SENCO / School Leader
Laying the foundations for learning and using the sensory checklist — Caroline Essame
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Moving beyond diagnoses and labels to promote positive changes in practice — Susana Castro-Kemp
SENCO / School Leader
Moving beyond diagnoses and labels to promote positive changes in practice — Susana Castro-Kemp
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Bringing systems together around children — Edwina Grant OBE
Local Authority Leader
Bringing systems together around children — Edwina Grant OBE
Local Authority Leader
Local Authority Leader
Turning a MAT inclusion strategy into impactful practice — David Bartram OBE:
MAT Leader (SEND/Inclusion)
Turning a MAT inclusion strategy into impactful practice — David Bartram OBE:
MAT Leader (SEND/Inclusion)
MAT Leader (SEND/Inclusion)
MAT Organisation Development and Action Learning — Professor Toby Greany & Eleanor Bernades (9.30am-12.15pm)
Trust Leader
MAT Organisation Development and Action Learning — Professor Toby Greany & Eleanor Bernades (9.30am-12.15pm)
Trust Leader
Trust Leader
Trust Network Sharing Session on An Education that is Better for Everyone (9.30am-12.15pm)
Trust Leader
Trust Network Sharing Session on An Education that is Better for Everyone (9.30am-12.15pm)
Trust Leader
Trust Leader

10.45am

1st July 2025
Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) Uncovered: Understand, Identify, Support — Heather Price and Gill Clarke
SENCO / School Leader
Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) Uncovered: Understand, Identify, Support — Heather Price and Gill Clarke
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Having impact in the SENCO role — Gary Aubin
SENCO / School Leader
Having impact in the SENCO role — Gary Aubin
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
How special schools can help us all meet needs better — Rhian Warner and Amy Baxter
SENCO / School Leader
How special schools can help us all meet needs better — Rhian Warner and Amy Baxter
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Improving the school experience for neurodivergent pupils — Pete Wharmby
Improving the school experience for neurodivergent pupils — Pete Wharmby
Making the most of the TA workforce to support rising complex needs — Jude Macdonald
SENCO / School Leader
Making the most of the TA workforce to support rising complex needs — Jude Macdonald
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Practical strategies for meeting needs — Georgina Durrant
SENCO / School Leader
Practical strategies for meeting needs — Georgina Durrant
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Romance is not Dead: Botheredness Solutions, Making Learning Matter, and Rediscovering Joy — Hywel Roberts
SENCO / School Leader
Romance is not Dead: Botheredness Solutions, Making Learning Matter, and Rediscovering Joy — Hywel Roberts
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Why Kids Say NO! and What to Do About It: Navigating Challenging Behaviour Creatively — Phil Richards
SENCO / School Leader
Why Kids Say NO! and What to Do About It: Navigating Challenging Behaviour Creatively — Phil Richards
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Successful system leadership of SEND is complex: so what works around the world? — Susana Castro Kemp
Local Authority Leader
Successful system leadership of SEND is complex: so what works around the world? — Susana Castro Kemp
Local Authority Leader
Local Authority Leader
Our children, our responsibility: new leadership practices for inclusion — Margaret Mulholland
MAT Leader (SEND/Inclusion)
Our children, our responsibility: new leadership practices for inclusion — Margaret Mulholland
MAT Leader (SEND/Inclusion)
MAT Leader (SEND/Inclusion)
MAT Organisation Development and Action Learning — Professor Toby Greany & Eleanor Bernades (9.30am-12.15pm)
Trust Leader
MAT Organisation Development and Action Learning — Professor Toby Greany & Eleanor Bernades (9.30am-12.15pm)
Trust Leader
Trust Leader
Trust Network Sharing Session on An Education that is Better for Everyone (9.30am-12.15pm)
Trust Leader
Trust Network Sharing Session on An Education that is Better for Everyone (9.30am-12.15pm)
Trust Leader
Trust Leader

11.35am — Break

11.55am

12.45pm — Lunch or Breakout Sessions

1.25 — Lunch or Breakout Sessions

2.05pm

1st July 2025
Belonging Schools: lessons for leaders in developing Schools everyone wants to be in — Professor Toby Greany & Eleanor Bernades
SENCO / School Leader
Belonging Schools: lessons for leaders in developing Schools everyone wants to be in — Professor Toby Greany & Eleanor Bernades
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Daring to Direct Effective Leadership of SEND: Engaging Those Beyond the SENDCo — Simon Tanner
SENCO / School Leader
Daring to Direct Effective Leadership of SEND: Engaging Those Beyond the SENDCo — Simon Tanner
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Kindness and Empathy in Context: Links Among Social Relationships, Mental Health, and Attainment at School — Professor Robin Banerjee
SENCO / School Leader
Kindness and Empathy in Context: Links Among Social Relationships, Mental Health, and Attainment at School — Professor Robin Banerjee
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Smashing ableism: building a better society for children and young people — Mary Lavender
SENCO / School Leader
Smashing ableism: building a better society for children and young people — Mary Lavender
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Supporting Pupils as They Transition In and Out of Early Years — Clio Brown
SENCO / School Leader
Supporting Pupils as They Transition In and Out of Early Years — Clio Brown
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
SEND Leadership in Motion: Driving Inclusion Through Strategic Action — David Bartram OBE and Cassie Young
SENCO / School Leader
SEND Leadership in Motion: Driving Inclusion Through Strategic Action — David Bartram OBE and Cassie Young
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Working together across localities to improve children & young people’s speech, language and communication skills — Beth Devereux
Local Authority Leader
Working together across localities to improve children & young people’s speech, language and communication skills — Beth Devereux
Local Authority Leader
Local Authority Leader
Come and discuss: Inclusive Trust leadership that makes school better for pupils with SEND
MAT Leader (SEND/Inclusion)
Come and discuss: Inclusive Trust leadership that makes school better for pupils with SEND
MAT Leader (SEND/Inclusion)
MAT Leader (SEND/Inclusion)
Leaders of their own learning — Ron Berger and Friends (12.45-3.45pm)
Trust Leader
Leaders of their own learning — Ron Berger and Friends (12.45-3.45pm)
Trust Leader
Trust Leader
Systems Leadership: a practical toolkit to help you create positive schools and MATs — Angela O’Brien OBE and Ian MacDonald  (12.45-3.45pm)
Trust Leader
Systems Leadership: a practical toolkit to help you create positive schools and MATs — Angela O’Brien OBE and Ian MacDonald  (12.45-3.45pm)
Trust Leader
Trust Leader

3.00pm

1st July 2025
Demand avoidance: leading the change in education settings — Jo Kendrick
SENCO / School Leader
Demand avoidance: leading the change in education settings — Jo Kendrick
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Nature matters: ‘Green prescribing’ in schools — Bringing nature into classrooms for wellbeing and learning — Caroline Essame
SENCO / School Leader
Nature matters: ‘Green prescribing’ in schools — Bringing nature into classrooms for wellbeing and learning — Caroline Essame
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Putting Unconditional Positive Regard at the Centre of Your School — Dave Whitaker
SENCO / School Leader
Putting Unconditional Positive Regard at the Centre of Your School — Dave Whitaker
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Practical Strategies for Executive Function and Reducing Dysregulation — Sarah Quinn
SENCO / School Leader
Practical Strategies for Executive Function and Reducing Dysregulation — Sarah Quinn
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Transitions That Build Trust: Rethinking Year 6–7 Through Neuroscience, Relationships and Readiness — Melissa Farnham
SENCO / School Leader
Transitions That Build Trust: Rethinking Year 6–7 Through Neuroscience, Relationships and Readiness — Melissa Farnham
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Using technology to increase access and support belonging — Esther Messinger and George Barlow
SENCO / School Leader
Using technology to increase access and support belonging — Esther Messinger and George Barlow
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
What we now know about setting up successful resource provisions — Natalie Packer
SENCO / School Leader
What we now know about setting up successful resource provisions — Natalie Packer
SENCO / School Leader
SENCO / School Leader
Belonging Trusts: Lessons for Leaders in Developing Trusts Everyone Wants to Be In — Professor Toby Greany & Eleanor Bernades
MAT Leader (SEND/Inclusion)
Belonging Trusts: Lessons for Leaders in Developing Trusts Everyone Wants to Be In — Professor Toby Greany & Eleanor Bernades
MAT Leader (SEND/Inclusion)
MAT Leader (SEND/Inclusion)
Leaders of their own learning — Ron Berger and Friends (12.45-3.45pm)
Trust Leader
Leaders of their own learning — Ron Berger and Friends (12.45-3.45pm)
Trust Leader
Trust Leader
Systems Leadership: a practical toolkit to help you create positive schools and MATs — Angela O’Brien OBE and Ian MacDonald  (12.45-3.45pm)
Trust Leader
Systems Leadership: a practical toolkit to help you create positive schools and MATs — Angela O’Brien OBE and Ian MacDonald  (12.45-3.45pm)
Trust Leader
Trust Leader

3.50pm — Closing reflections

4.00pm — Conference Close