Education Conferences & Events | Schools North East

Ofsted Annual Update 2026

Newton Aycliffe & Newcastle

Book your place

Thu 12 November 2026

09:00 - 12:30

Newton Aycliffe & Newcastle

Join school and trust leaders from across the North East for the annual Schools North East Ofsted Update 2026, with Lee Elliott, Assistant Regional Director for the North East, Yorkshire & Humber at Ofsted.

Choose the session that works for you: Thursday 12 November (South) or Friday 13 November (North).

Schools and trusts are continuing to adapt to a significantly changed inspection landscape, with greater emphasis on inclusion, context and how schools demonstrate the experiences of different groups of pupils. As the new approach moves into its second year, leaders now have an opportunity to move beyond understanding the framework itself and learn from how it is being applied in practice.

This event is your opportunity to hear directly from Ofsted about what is emerging from inspections so far, what leaders need to know for the year ahead and what the evolving approach means specifically for North East schools and trusts.

Hear directly from Ofsted

Lee Elliott will explore Ofsted’s current approach to school inspection, experiences under the new framework so far and the key areas of focus for schools and trusts going forward.

Drawing on his experience as a former Head Teacher, teacher and inspector, Lee will provide practical insight into what leaders should be considering as they prepare for inspection and continue to evaluate and improve their schools.

The session will also provide an important North East perspective, creating an opportunity to consider how the national inspection and accountability landscape is being experienced by schools across our region.

Hear from schools that have experienced the new approach

Alongside Ofsted’s perspective, you’ll hear directly from North East school leaders who have recently been inspected, sharing their experiences of the new approach and practical learning from the process.

Bringing together the regulator and the leaders experiencing inspection on the ground reflects Schools North East’s wider role: connecting our schools with those shaping national policy and practice, while ensuring the experiences of the North East are part of the conversation.

Ask Ofsted your questions

A live Q&A with Lee Elliott will give you the opportunity to put your questions directly to Ofsted and explore the issues that matter most to you and your school.

Questions can be asked in person or submitted anonymously through Slido or the booking form, giving every delegate the opportunity to contribute to the discussion.

Who should attend?

Head Teachers and school leaders
Trust CEOs and executive leaders
Deputy and Assistant Heads
Trust school improvement teams
Governors and Trustees
Leaders responsible for quality of education and school improvement

As we approach Schools North East’s 20th anniversary, we’re proud to continue bringing our region’s school leaders together with those shaping national education policy and practice.

Join colleagues from across the North East to hear directly from Ofsted, learn from schools that have experienced the new inspection approach and make sure you are prepared for what comes next for your school or trust.

Book your place

Event Organiser

Event Costs

SNE Partner School£50 +VAT

Non-Partner School£70 +VAT

Non School£150 +VAT

Book your place

Lessons Learned from the First Year of Inspections Under the Renewed Framework – ASCL

This session will analyse data from inspections that have taken place on the renewed Ofsted framework. We will also reflect upon the changes that have been introduced in September 2027 and share some early views on how these are impacting on inspection activities and outcomes.

Lee Elliott

Assistant Regional Director, North East, Yorkshire & Humber, Ofsted

Lee is assistant regional director for the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber region and manages a team of Senior HMI. HE is a qualified teacher and worked as an inspector and head teacher prior to joining Ofsted. He holds the National Professional Qualification for Headship and has held several senior leadership positions in a wide range of schools across the region. Lee has expertise in leading and managing curriculum development and improving pupil outcomes. Lee has extensive experience of designing and implementing school assessment systems and leadership of teaching and learning. Lee has been a nursery school governor and is currently a member of the Ofsted Academy delivery leadership group.

James Duncan

Assistant Regional Director, Ofsted

James Duncan is an Assistant Regional Director at Ofsted, working across the North West and North East, Yorkshire and Humber delivery unit. He has specific responsibility for the delivery of Ofsted’s school inspections, whilst line managing a number of Senior HMI and HMI. James is a qualified teacher with extensive experience of inspecting maintained schools and academies, including primary schools, secondary schools, special schools, pupil referral units and independent schools. James also inspects initial teaching training providers and local authorities. James has post-graduate degrees in Education Studies and also in Informatics.

Chris Zarraga

Director, Schools North East

Chris is the Director of School North East. He has been part of the Schools North East team since its operational inception in 2008 and in 2019 he was appointed Director. Chris works with senior leaders across the North East and nationally in the education and charity sectors, to represent the voice of North East schools. A central part of his work is to lobby politicians, policy makers, and the media to put a strong ‘regional accent’ on the education debate, so that North East schools are not left behind when it comes to education policy.

Under Chris, Schools North East launched the ‘Manifesto for North East Education’. The manifesto sets out the perennial challenges that impact educational opportunities in the North East and the principles needed to inform any educational policy wanting to address them.

Chris works with hundreds of schools across the North East and various organisations including Ofsted, the DfE, the North East’s universities, Local Authorities and various regional/ national businesses. Prior to joining Schools North East, he led a £1.4 million culture change project in education across the North East for the Treasury and DfE and was responsible for setting up a multi-million pound Enterprise Education Network.

Chris sits on various advisory boards including the NHS Integrated Care Boards, various Combined Authority advisory boards, and was a member of the DfE’s Opportunity North East strategic board. He has also sat on various boards for North East Universities. As well as being a Director of two North East multi academy trusts, Chris has been Chair of a 3 school Trust, Vice Chair of a large maintained secondary school and Vice Chair of a primary foundation school.

In a variety of roles from Regional Manager to Chief Executive to Board member, Chris has led large scale change management projects in education and has over 20 years’ experience of strategic management, consultancy, and client development experience at a ‘Big Four’ firm and various financial institutions.

Chris holds an MBA with distinction from Durham University Business School.