Building Stronger Schools through Leadership: HEP Senior Leaders’ Conference 2024

This year’s HEP Senior Leaders’ Conference provided a much-needed space for reflection, connection, and professional growth. Bringing together senior leaders from Haringey, Enfield, and Waltham Forest, the two-day event addressed some of the most pressing challenges facing our schools.

Set against the stunning backdrop of Hanbury Manor, the conference offered a blend of thought-provoking discussions, practical strategies, and powerful insights from some of the best thinkers and leaders in the sector. From confronting systemic racism to implementing evidence-based teaching practices, the sessions were designed to equip leaders with the tools and inspiration to drive meaningful change in their schools.

Our first speaker was Laura McInerney, Education Journalist and Co-Founder of Teacher Tapp. Laura covered key topics like falling pupil rolls, SEND, attendance, and behaviour, while also addressing the stress levels and wellbeing of senior leaders. Her points were expertly supported by data from Teacher Tapp, providing a clear picture of the current landscape.

Sufian Sadiq, Director of Talent and Teaching at Chiltern Learning Trust, took to the stage next. He delivered a powerful and challenging session on how educators can foster diverse leadership within their schools. Sufian tackled the ‘elephant in the room’ – systemic racism – urging everyone in attendance to confront it head-on. He emphasised the importance of fostering values of community and belonging, challenging senior leaders to actively engage with their communities and ensure that everyone feels included. He also highlighted the need to create clear pathways into leadership roles from the very beginning, recognising the unique challenges many face in reaching those positions.

Jade Pearce, Head of Education at The de Ferrers Trust, offered senior leaders a framework for establishing evidence informed principles of teaching and learning. She gave informative and well-structured guidance on how to implement change as part of a coherent vision of evidence-based teaching and learning in school.

Matt Stone, Director of Education and Operations at Teaching WalkThrus wrapped up an unforgettable first day with a dynamic, hands-on session. He gave a captivating introduced to the basics of teaching, starting with Daniel Willingham’s cognitive model of learning, discussing how working memory translates into long-term memory and provided pedagogical steps to make sure teaching is intentional, precise, focused and inclusive of all pupils within the classroom. His practical insights left everyone feeling inspired and ready to act.

Day two got off to a hot start with the inspirational Lucy Pearson, former England cricketer turned director of FA Education, who kept the crowd laughing while simultaneously driving home leadership tips and parallels between the sporting and education worlds – both of which she knows exceptionally well.

Sonia Thompson, Head and Director at St Matthew’s Research School and former member of the Oracy Commission, then took us in a different direction by speaking about oracy and how it can be woven into the curriculum to great effect for pupils. She offered many brilliant practical examples from her own school and emphasised the importance of weaving high quality oracy into the fabric of the curriculum – not building new oracy add-ons.

Leadership Consultant Steve Wilks brought the conference to a close, leaving attendees with not only jokes, but also a glimpse into headship and both its privileges and challenges.

As the conference ended, it was evident that it had ignited fresh ideas, reflections, and meaningful connections among attendees. The wealth of knowledge shared by each speaker — from tackling systemic issues in education to providing actionable strategies for teaching and leadership — left senior leaders not only better equipped to face the challenges ahead but also energised heading back to school.

Jonathan is the interim Lead for Digital and Communications at HEP. He has a passion for storytelling and has previously worked as a journalist and communications advisor in New Zealand.