Make a Difference - for all classroom-facing staff
Nurturing Ambition, Inspiring Excellence
09.00 – 15.00 on Friday 4th July at Temple Learning Academy (TLA), Leeds
As we continue our journey to further develop and embed inclusion, accessibility and belonging across our Trust, our aim is to not only provide inspiration, but practical ideas through a series of thought-provoking talks and workshops. Each session aims to enhance our understanding of accessibility, inclusion and belonging. By bringing colleagues together from all our schools, we hope to strengthen networks and relationships whilst building collective approaches and strategies to support inclusion.
Our intention is to create a legacy beyond the useful practical strategies. Throughout the day, work will take place on our Difference Pledge that will become a key focus for our day-to-day work with children. We want to make a difference.
Speakers
Margaret Mulholland
Margaret is a specialist in inclusivity and Special Educational Needs. She is advisor on SEND policy for the Association of School and College Leaders and Whole School SEND Project Director leading an evaluation for the Education Endowment Foundation. Margaret sits on the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers, is an advisor to the UK Government on ITT curriculum development and works with local authorities as an external advisor for NQTs, ITT and leadership development. She also writes a column on research and inclusivity for the Times Educational Supplement.
Fintan O’Regan
Fintan is one of the leading Behaviour and Learning specialists in the UK. He is currently an ADHD, Neurodiversity and Behaviour Consultant for number of schools and organisations and an associate lecturer for Leicester University, the National Association of Special Needs, The Helen Arkell Charity and the Institute of Education. He is the former Vice Chairman of UKAP and the European ADHD Alliance. He has been the chairperson of the European ADHD Taskforce and is a current member of the Special Education Consortium, the SpLD Assessment Standards Committee, a full council member of the Council of Registered Schools for the Teaching of Dyslexia (CReSTeD) and the London Child and Development Centre.
Alex Yates
Alex has over 15 years’ experience as a school leader, most recently as Headteacher at the Royal Free Hospital Children’s School in Camden, North London which in 2023 opened new provision designed to support children with EBSA. Take a look as this article from The Guardian. Alex was a founding Director of the National Association for Hospital Education. He has also been a regional committee member for ACAMH; chair of a Trust Member’s committee and a regular contributing writer to the TES. He now takes a special interest in solution focused approaches and training and continues to work through Camden Learning.
Workshops
Colleagues will be able to select from a series of workshops, designed to help in our day-to-day work and contribute to the Difference Pledge. The workshops include a range of options promoting inclusive practice:
- across all phases
- in different areas of the curriculum
- in the distributed leadership of inclusion
- in the different areas of need: cognition and learning, communication and interaction, speech & language, sensory & physical and SEMH
- in adaptive approaches for supporting behaviour
- in the use of AI to support accessibility.
Workshops will be led by a mix of external organisations such as Project Resilience, Huntington Research School, HFL Education, and by our very own talented RKLT staff and specialist colleagues from across the Alliance, including Lighthouse and Breckenbrough Schools.
Logistics & Next Steps
To Register your place
Headteachers and Trust Leaders are collating a return for each school/department. Once your details are logged with us, we will contact you directly to gather your workshop preferences and to share further details about the conference you will attend.
Refreshments
Lunch and refreshments will be provided. If you have any special dietary requirements, please let your Headteacher or Trust Team Leader know.
Mobility Requirements
If you have any mobility requirements, please inform your Headteacher or Trust Team Leader.
Photo/Film Footage
Consent for photos/film footage to be used for Red Kite Learning Trust and schools on websites and/or social media will be assumed, unless you choose to opt out. Please inform your Headteacher or Trust Team Leader if you wish to opt out.
Transport options
- For those colleagues going to Temple Learning Academy (TLA) and attending all day, coach pick-up will be available from Harrogate (Rossett School) and West Leeds (Crawshaw Academy) to/from TLA (departing circa 08:00 and returning around 15:45). Any colleagues living in Harrogate or West Leeds and going to TLA are encouraged to use the coach option from these pick-up points.
- For those travelling by car to either TLA or Harrogate Grammar School, please car-share where possible as parking will be limited at both venues. For car drivers, in accordance with pre-published guidance, a reminder that drivers must ensure they have business insurance if using their own vehicle to go to a different place of work than usual.
- For those based at schools close to TLA (Meadowfield, TNHPS, TMHS, Whitkirk) we are exploring the potential for you to park at your usual place of work and either walk to TLA or take a minibus. More information to follow if this applies to you.
Arrival &/or Departure time for any part-time staff
If you will only be able to attend the conference for part of the day, please let your Headteacher or Trust Team Leader know your expected arrival and departure times.