Regional Director of Learning Centres, Witherslack Group
John began his career in teaching in 1983 at a community college in East Sussex, followed by a post in London. John returned to the North East to work at a residential school in County Durham where he worked for fourteen years, before joining a special needs school in Darlington, where he worked for eleven years. For the past five years, he has worked for the Witherslack Group, the UK’s leading specialist education provider, initially as a Head Teacher, then Executive Headteacher and more recently as a Regional Director overseeing the Integrated Learning Centres in North East and Yorkshire.
Referral Gateway Coordinator, Reducing Parental Conflict Programme North East
Kim has worked for Gateshead MBC for the past 10 years in a variety of posts including, youth & community worker, family support worker and is now leading the regional response to supporting parents experiencing conflict. This entails partnership working with both the DWP and with Local Authorities and other organisations. Kim has a particular interest in the interface between Domestic Abuse provision and the specialist interventions being offered to Reduce Parental Conflict.
Regional Integration Lead, Reducing Parental Conflict Programme, DWP
Di has worked in her current position for the last 2 years, brokering relationships between the national programme and local strategic leaders. Di is seconded from Newcastle City Council where she was managing a Family Support Team. Previously she has also worked as a substance misuse commissioning manager and a secondary school teacher.
Behaviour and Learning Specialist
He was the Head teacher of the Centre Academy from 1996 -2002, which was the first specialist school in the UK for students between the ages of 7-19 specialising issues related to ADHD, ASD and ODD.
He is an associate lecturer for Leicester University, the National Association of Special Needs, the Institute of Education, the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre and the former Vice Chairman of the UK ADHD Network and of the European ADHD Alliance.
He has written a number of books and published articles on the subject of ADHD, ODD and a range of Learning, Behaviour and Socialisation issues.
Fin now works as trainer and consultant both nationally and internationally with regards to supporting schools, children and families with SEND and behaviour issues.
Founder and Lead Consultant, Future Behaviour Ltd
Greg Perry from Future Behaviour Ltd has worked with over 500 schools nationwide over the last 10 years, supporting both primary and secondary schools with behaviour management. His simple, research-driven, multi-tiered approach improves behaviour for all, using universal, whole-school approaches, alongside targeted and intensive behaviour interventions.
Deputy Head Teacher, Kingsmeadow Community School
Mark Barrett is deputy headteacher at Kingsmeadow School in Gateshead. He has 10 years of whole-school and senior leadership experience at three different schools across the Northeast. He has only ever worked at schools in catchment areas with high levels of deprivation. His background is in the leadership of Teaching and Learning, and he is passionate about the power that education can have in increasing the opportunities of our most needy and vulnerable children.