Conferences
Active Reading: Primary English Conference
Tuesday 7 November
Ashford International Hotel
This year the focus of our conference will be 'Active Reading' and we are pleased to be able to confirm our keynote speakers as Tony Whatmuff and the author Nick Butterworth. Tony is a National Trainer for Inference Training.
Tony’s opening keynote - Work in Progress: what research and best practice tell us about teaching reading comprehension strategies in 2017 - will examine a range of teaching and learning strategies which will support and improve reading comprehension in the classroom.
Nick Butterworth is the author of many internationally acclaimed children’s books including Jingle Bells, QPootle5, Tiger and The Whisperer which won the Gold Award at the Nestle Book Awards. He is best known for his stories about Percy the Park Keeper. Nick has also presented children’s stories on television, created a cartoon strip for The Sunday Express Magazine and worked for major graphic design consultancies.
Delegates will have the opportunity to attend a number of workshops led by school practitioners as well as workshops led by the key speakers.
Primary NQT Conference
Wednesday 7 February 2018
Ashford International Hotel
We value all of our newly qualified teachers in Kent and this is a great opportunity for Primary NQTs to come together at our annual conference.
The conference will focus on key issues in the classroom and beyond. As well as keynote speakers there will be an opportunity for you to attend workshops on a range of key areas the details of which will be available nearer the time. There will also be time for you to meet and network with other colleagues and obtain useful information from some of our stall holders.
This is a very popular conference, with more than 95% of delegates rating it as it as good or excellent and helpful to their role in school. We have subsidised this event so that more of you will be able to join us, we look forward to seeing you there
Early Years Conference: Transition
Thursday 8 February 2018, Ashford International Hotel
Don’t miss this years’ Annual Conference - the highlight of our EY CPD calendar. With over 200 delegates joining us at last years ‘Creativity in the Early Years Conference’ this year promises to be just as exciting and informative.
Lee Owston, Her Majesty’s Inspector and Ofsted’s Specialist Adviser for early education will be our opening keynote speaker and delegates will then have a range of practical workshops to choose from.
The afternoon session will be led by Alistair Bryce Clegg. Alistair enjoyed a successful career as the Headteacher of three-form entry Infant School and Early Years Unit in Cheshire. Alongside his headship he established a successful consultancy career specialising in the education of children in the Early Years.
Further details will be announced once finalised.
Leading in Times of Change: Deputy and Assistant Headteacher Conference
Thursday 8 March 2018, Ashford International Hotel
The world is changing faster than it has done for over 200 years. School leaders are under a spotlight unlike ever before. Politicians and press are quick to tell schools what they should do. Never have Brave leaders been needed more than they are now. Our opening key note from Dave Harris will focus on understanding the changes faced and help the leaders to decide what is right for their pupils and staff. Dave is the Business Director at Independent Thinking, author of a number of books including Leadership Dialogues with Professor John West Burnham and a regular speaker at national conferences.
Nurturing the Nurturers - Protecting and promoting staff mental health and well being will be our second keynote from Dr Tina Rae. Wellbeing in schools is a fundamental prerequisite for healthy, constructive and productive quality teaching and learning. Both students and teachers need to be supported, fit and well to be inspired and inspiring. This does not happen without the right support mechanisms and mindsets for all involved in the teaching and learning process. Tina will highlight key concepts and strategies from Positive Psychology and relevant therapeutic approaches such as CBT and Mindfulness which will help the nurturers maintain and further develop their own wellbeing.
There will be a range of workshops for delegates to attend including from both key speakers as well as Schools Personnel, Preparing for Headship and Schools Finance. Full workshop details will be made available once finalised.
Responsive Teaching: Effective Assessment Conference
Thursday 15 March 2018, Ashford International Hotel
We are delighted to announce that three eminent and highly sought-after speakers will be presenting at our 2018 Kent Conference Responsive Teaching: Effective Assessment: Daisy Christodoulou, Director of Education at No More Marking; Tim Oates CBE, Group Director of Assessment Research and Development at Cambridge Assessment and Stephen Anwyll, Education consultant and former Head of the National Assessment team at Ofqual.
Daisy and Stephen are sponsored by Oxford University Press on a not for profit basis.
This conference will answer questions about what effective assessment looks like in the classroom, as well as providing delegates with realistic and practical solutions to take back to school.
As well as listening to our key speakers, delegates will have the opportunity to attend workshops during the course of the day, led by both school practitioners and key speakers. Details of the workshops will be announced once finalised.
This conference is open to all staff with a keen interest in assessment
Save the date - details will be published once finalised:
- Primary Maths Conference: Thursday 28 June 2018 - with keynotes and workshops from Debbie Morgan, Johnny Ball and Mike Askew
- Secondary Maths Conference: Thursday 5 July 2018
- Maintained Nurseries Conference: Friday 6 July 2018 (am)