MORNING SESSIONS
Everyone will be together for the morning sessions in mixed roundtable groups with the opportunity to network and discuss with colleagues from different settings…
Understanding and describing learners and learning for different levels of need (Diane Rochford OBE)
In this session, Diane will spotlight the importance of having a clear picture of what learning looks like for different levels of need in your school. Delegates will be invited to discuss and share how to build a common understanding and language for describing learning for different levels of need.
* How do we place learner need at the heart of curriculum design?
* How do you articulate & define learner pathways in your setting?
* How do you evidence the often unique learning journeys made by your students?
An Inquiry approach to neurodiversity & complex needs (Professor Barry Carpenter CBE)
In this session Professor Carpenter explores the concept of neurodiversity through the lens of Inquiry. Blending latest research and affirming teachers and leaders experience Barry support delegates to define their context and learners through question and discussion.
* How do you create a culture of Inquiry to respond to the shift in complexity threshold and rapidly changing needs of learners in your setting?
Case Studies:
Case Study #1: How a specialist school approaches understanding learner profiles through reflective inquiry’ (Swiss Cottage School DRC / Sunningdale School)
Case Study #2: How a mainstream school approaches understanding learner profiles through reflective inquiry’ (Tollgate Primary School)
AFTERNOON SESSIONS
Following lunch colleagues will be invited to join ONE of the following workshops. Multiple attendees from the same school can join different sessions…
Workshops include….
School is the best medicine’ Improving attendance for learners with the most complex needs (Professor Barry Carpenter CBE)
With attendance figures down and school refusal up in many schools Professor Barry Carpenter will lead discussion as to the reasons why, what the latest research is telling us and crucially ways in which we can respond and remove barriers to attending for all students.
* What approaches can best support improved attendance and engagement for learners, particularly with the most complex of needs?
An evidence led approach to school development including navigating a successful Ofsted Inspection (Vijita Patel, Swiss Cottage School & Martin McKenna, Foxfield School)
This session will explore how experienced school leaders have used evidence and the Evidence for Learning app as a strong foundation for all aspects of school improvement and ways in which robust evidence supported outstanding judgements during recent Ofsted inspections.
* How can your processes for teaching and learning lead an inspection’s evaluation of the quality of education?
* How can enquiry, engagement and reflection transform whole school practice to improve the quality of behaviour, attitudes and personal development?
Using Engagement to support personalised learning & play (James Waller, Sunningdale School)
In this session participants will be talked through an outstanding school’s use of an engagement driven play based approach to supporting personalised learning for those with the most complex needs (Complex Learning Difficulties and Autism).
“…teachers observe pupils carefully. They build up a picture of what each child finds motivating and engaging. This information is then used to create exciting and purposeful learning activities.” – Sunningdale School Ofsted Report (June 2023)
* How is your curriculum designed to develop the tolerance of uncertainty and the functional application of learning for those with complex communication and interaction needs and Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD)?
Preparing for Adulthood… beyond the school gates – Supporting students into aspirational & sustainable long term outcomes (Alistair Crawford, St Martins / St Andrews Schools
In this session we highlight best practice around PfA and the work that post 16 settings (and schools) have developed their pedagogy, curriculum and environment to support learners into a range of positive long term outcomes.
* What do we mean by Preparing for Adulthood from the earliest years?
* What skills, knowledge and behaviours do learners need to be prepared for life byond the school / college gates? How do we teach them?
* What does successful transition look like from school to college and then college to adult services / employment?
Supporting mainstream settings to develop inquiry and evidence-based approaches to successful inclusion (Cheryl Gaughan, JMAT Schools)
In this session we will discuss what successful inclusion looks like and how to develop inquiry approaches that will lead to reflective practice. We will cover how to use engagement profiles to support lesson and curriculum content, the use of Evidence for Learning to create ‘inquiry diaries’ and how this can support reflective practice and curriculum design.
* What does successful inclusion look like in a mainstream setting?
* How do you use an inquiry approach to identify engagement and inform your curriculum?
Roundtable Discussion & Networking
As with all events we’ve run in the past, the emphasis of each day will be on discussion, learning and networking… giving you lots of opportunity to meet and forge relationships with new partners and collaborators for your professional networks. The format of the whole day is roundtable discussion and networking, both structured through our agenda and freeform during lunch and break times.
** This is a very unique opportunity to come together with leaders from across the region and country for a full day of shared learning and networking. **
Bringing together a large, powerful community of specialist schools & practitioners
The EfL and LearningShared community now comprises more than 700 specialist schools, colleges and alternative provisions across the UK, as well as a rapidly growing number of mainstream schools. Consequently these events will provide a unique and brilliant opportunity for us to come together to directly harness and tap into the phenomenal wealth of knowledge and experience that exists across the community.
These networking and development conferences are very much for you, and we sincerely want to make each event one of the most useful and informative professional development and networking events of the year for you.
The precise agendas for each event may vary slightly. Please get in touch with any queries.
