We use cookies to personalize content and to analyze our traffic. Please decide if you are willing to accept cookies from our website.

The Annual Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Conference 2026

CorpAcq Stadium, Greater Manchester 25 March 2026, 9:00am - 4:00pm

CPD accredited by IGPP badge
9:30am
Chair's Welcome Address
Kate Whittlesey, SEND/ School Improvement Consultant
9:40am
A National Perspective on SEND Policy and Provision: Where Are We Headed?
  • Gain an update on national SEND policy reform, funding, and accountability measures 
  • Understand government priorities for building a sustainable SEND system and improving outcomes for children and young people with additional needs
  • Questions and answers
10:00am
Headline Sponsor
  • Questions and answers
Ari Billig, UK Country Lead, Peili Vision
10:20am
Panel Discussion: Tackling Challenges and Driving Inclusion: Strengthening SEND Provision Through Collaboration and Best Practice
  • What are the current issues impacting the SEND system, and what immediate steps can the sector take to address them? 
  • Identifying and overcoming the barriers to ensure provision is truly inclusive and accessible for all learners 
  • How can educational settings work closely with external stakeholders, services and agencies to tackle sector-wide challenges? 
  • Highlighting and utilising the success and positive outcomes we are seeing in the space 
  • Questions and answers


Karen Pilling, Deputy Head & SENCo, Chapel Street Community Primary School 

Click here for panelists
10:50am
Break and Networking
11:20am
Main Stage Sponsor
The Wellbeing Collective Limited
11:40am
Ofsted's New Vision for Inclusive Education
  • Understand how Ofsted's proposed reforms aim to evaluate inclusion as a core pillar across all inspection areas 
  • Gain an overview of the proposed inclusion-specific judgment and what it means for schools, MATs, and local authorities 
  • Discuss how the sector can shape Ofsted's evolving approach through active consultation and what to expect from the rollout of the new framework and report cards 
12:00pm
Panel Discussion: Making Resource Provision Work: Practical Strategies for Inclusive Education in Mainstream and Specialist Settings
  • Embedding specialist expertise within mainstream classrooms to support diverse learner needs 
  • Strategic approaches to funding, staffing, and sustaining resource provisions in the long-term 
  • Innovative inclusion models that offer the right balance between tailored interventions and whole-school access 
  • Overcoming common barriers to scaling provision in both primary and secondary contexts 


Elizabeth Murray, SEND Director for Supporting Education Group 

Sam Strickland, Principal, The Duston School 

12:30pm
Lunch and Networking
1:30pm
Chair's Welcome Back Address
Kate Whittlesey, SEND/ School Improvement Consultant
1:40pm
Main Stage Sponsor
2:00pm
Strengthening Pathways for Learners in Alternative Provision
  • How can alternative provision be designed and delivered to provide high-quality education and life chances 
  • What strategies and partnerships best support smooth transitions between mainstream schools, PRUs, and specialist settings? 
  • How can early intervention and multi-agency collaboration reduce exclusions and address complex needs before they escalate? 
  • Questions and answers 
2:20pm
Panel Discussion - Strategies for Addressing Behaviour that Challenges
  • Understanding the link between behaviour, trauma, and unmet SEND needs 
  • Developing whole-school, trauma-informed approaches to behaviour and regulation 
  • Supporting staff confidence and consistency in managing complex needs 
  • Sharing evidence-based interventions and successful case studies 
  • Questions and answers


Maxine O'Neill, Headteacher, Hope School 


2:50pm
Afternoon Break and Networking 
3:20pm
The SEND Scrutiny Toolkit: Strengthening Local Accountability
  • An introduction to the new SEND Scrutiny Toolkit, supporting councils to evaluate and improve SEND strategy and delivery 
  • Questions and answers 
3:40pm
Panel Discussion: The Local Authority's Role in Driving High-Quality SEND Provision
  • How are local authorities developing and implementing impactful SEND strategies? 
  • How are LAs improving the quality and consistency of EHCPs across boroughs? 
  • What does effective multi-agency working look like in practice? 
  • Questions and answers


Graeme Routledge, School Improvement Advisor (Inclusion and SEND), City of Doncaster Council

4:10pm
Chair's Closing Address
Kate Whittlesey, SEND/ School Improvement Consultant
4:15pm
Close

Unsupported Browser

The web browser you are using to access this website is unsupported, which means certain aspects of the site wont work properly.

To use the website we recommend upgrading to a modern web browser such as Edge, Safari, Chrome, or Firefox if possible.

Proceed anyway (not recommended)