Case Studies

An interactive session introducing you to Insights Discovery Theory in which you will reflect on and discuss your communication preferences. Insights Discovery gives you a brilliant foundation for communicating even more effectively with colleagues,  supports you to further adapt to different communication styles, encourages you to reflect on your own communication style. This speech will give you an idea of how Insights Discovery can support the individual as well as wider teams and full organisations.

Why do we sometimes get overwhelmed with emotions, and do things that we regret later. The body and mind represent two of our greatest assets, a healthy lifestyle can optimise the body, but how do you optimise the mind. The keynote will look at the neuroscience of the mind and the Chimp Model, to offer explanations for these questions and help to develop personal insights to optimise the performance of your mind and how doing so will help you to get the best out of others.

The DfE Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy was first published in April 2022. This session will reflect on:

·           Why – the threats and the opportunities of climate action

·           How – support and emerging best practice in the development of a School or Trust Climate Action Plan 

·           What – practical next steps 

Three Learning Outcomes:

1.           An understanding of Department for Education expectations of schools and Trusts in regards sustainability and climate action. 

2.           An understanding of the support services and networks available to develop an effective Climate Action Plan

3.           Practical actions schools can take to start or progress their Climate Action Plan 

AI has the power to transform education, but alongside those opportunities comes legal risk.   This session will cover off some of the key legal considerations, including developing policies and guidance, deepfake and cyberbullying, data protection, intellectual property, licensing and contracts, employee recruitment and KCSIE and employee engagement.

With increasing challenges in recruiting support staff, it’s time to rethink our approach. This session explores how to break down barriers, shift perceptions, and attract candidates with the right values and emotional intelligence. It’s not just about filling roles — it’s about finding the right fit for your school community.

With an ever changing and challenging landscape, it is becoming increasingly difficult for academies and schools to balance budgets whilst maintaining standards and outcomes. This session, hosted by an experienced academy trust CFOO and an auditor and advisor to many academy trusts, looks at some of the core principles of effective budgeting. It is followed by a discussion with delegates on how financial planning and sustainability works in practices, the challenges we face as a sector, and an opportunity to share experiences and ideas with colleagues.

Whether you’re in a trust or a maintained school, this session will walk through what an
effective estate strategy should actually do, not just what it should look like on paper. I’ll
cover the common gaps, the differences between trust and maintained schools, and how to
ensure your strategy supports the decisions you need to make. You will leave with a simple,
practical tool you can use straight away to assess and strengthen your current approach.
Ideal for anyone involved in estates – from operational leads to senior leaders and
governors.

The Employment Rights Bill is making more changes to employment law than we have seen in decades, and whilst there are still details to be finalised as the bills progress, there are actions schools can take now to prepare.Takeaways: An easy to understand guide to understanding the proposed changes to employment law, how it is relevant to the school sector together with practical advice on steps that schools can take now.

Join this thought-provoking session to explore how building essential skills in the adult workforce can strengthen both professional development and wellbeing.

Cate will speak about how Opencast, a forward-thinking tech consultancy, embeds essential skills—like self-management, communication, and adaptability—into their approach to workforce capability.

You’ll gain insights into:
The evolution of Essential Skills from education to a universal framework for lifelong learning
The evidence linking these skills to improved wellbeing
Why self-management is a game-changer for workforce resilience and AI-readiness
How schools can champion Essential Skills development across their entire staff team—not just students

Ideal for anyone looking to future-proof their teams, support staff wellbeing, and create a culture of continuous, meaningful development.

This session explores practical strategies for developing effective school continuity plans, implementing preventive measures, and establishing recovery protocols to minimise operational disruptions and safeguard your school’s most valuable assets.

Three Key Takeaways for Delegates:

• Effective Recovery Protocols 

• Practical Tools for Continuity Planning 

• Preventive Measures for Risk Reduction

In an increasingly competitive landscape, how can your school truly stand out? This interactive workshop will guide you through the process of building a strong, authentic marketing strategy that captures what makes your school unique—and gets results. You’ll start by identifying what makes your school special, then learn how to turn that into a clear, compelling message that resonates with families and your wider community. We’ll show you how to streamline and speed up the process using AI-powered tools that can help you write sharper copy, generate ideas, and refine your strategy. Using a real-life school as a working example, you’ll explore how to apply these techniques in your own setting. By the end of the session, you’ll leave with practical steps—and powerful tools—to build your school’s brand with confidence and clarity.

Key Takeaways:
– Understand what makes a successful school marketing strategy
– Learn how to define and communicate your school’s unique strengths
– Explore how AI can support faster, more effective marketing
– Walk away with practical ideas you can apply immediately

In today’s digital age, the reputation of educational professionals is more vulnerable than ever, with potential threats emerging unexpectedly and carrying significant financial and emotional consequences. Join us for an insightful session on Education Mutual’s innovative service, “Staff Reputation Legal Protection,” new for 2025, designed to provide essential support for school staff facing defamation challenges.

This session will delve into the critical importance of protecting educators’ reputations and how this new service offers a safety net against the adverse impacts of defamatory statements. Attendees will learn how the service covers initial legal costs, enables swift and effective action to address damaging claims arising from professional duties. Discover how Education Mutual stands by educators, allowing them to focus on their primary missions without the stress of reputation-related issues. This session is a must-attend for school administrators, educators, and anyone invested in the wellbeing and professional integrity of teaching staff.

As AI continues to transform education, the risk to sensitive data grows, requiring schools to stay vigilant in their cybersecurity efforts. This session will explore the unique challenges AI introduces to data protection, focusing on understanding AI-related risks and implementing strategies to safeguard sensitive information within the school environment.

Delegates should come away from this workshop with the ability to:
1.  Identify key AI-related data risks in schools.
2.  Implement practical data protection strategies.
3.  Develop a proactive cybersecurity plan.

Discover how your School or Trust can begin its journey toward operational excellence, focusing on smarter, more efficient ways of working. This session will share early experiences in embedding this approach across a trust, highlighting practical examples including the use of AI-driven tools such as a website audit solution and Microsoft Co-Pilot to streamline processes and enhance productivity. Ideal for those looking to explore how innovation and system thinking can drive meaningful change, even in the early stages.