SCG SEND Leadership Conference 2027

Empowering mainstream schools. Strengthening SEND provision. Free to attend for Headteachers, Assistant/Deputy Headteachers and SENCO’s. Lunch is included. Join us at Ribby Hall in Preston, for a day of thought-provoking talks, expert perspectives and valuable networking opportunities. Designed for Headteachers, Deputy/Assistant Headteachers and SENCOs from across Lancashire, our conference will bring education leaders together to explore the evolving landscape of SEND support in mainstream schools. Taking place nearly a year after the release of the UK government's ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ Schools White Paper, our event provides a timely opportunity to reflect on the progress made and explore what the future holds for SEND provision in mainstream settings. Over the day, expert speakers will examine the challenges and opportunities facing schools, sharing practical insights and experiences. Attendees will also have the chance to connect with colleagues and learn from approaches being taken in other schools. Our conference will feature 5 keynote speakers, including the Head of Inclusion from Lancashire County Council: • Aaron King - The hidden impact of everyday staff communication • Maureen Brettell - Building relationships with SEND families before the crisis hits • Emma Shackleton - Firefighting to forward planning: How leaders can strategically tackle SEMH and behaviour • Simon Currigan - Strategies for understanding and supporting pupils with ADHD traits • Sapphire Murray Aaron King The hidden impact of everyday staff communication What if there’s a communication gap that quietly undermines inclusion and achievement for pupils with SEND? What if the subtleties of your team’s communication are a barrier? Take a journey from Fleetwood beach to EastEnders hardman, Ross Kemp, and on to super-successful inclusion. We’ll walk a mile in the shoes of your pupils with SEND and reflect on how we do (or don’t) effectively communicate with every pupil. In this hands-on session, you will: • Reflect on your own communication and how it supports (and sometimes undermines) inclusion. • Take away two practical ideas for developing your teams. This session will help you to improve inclusion for all pupils in your school, but especially pupils with SEND. Maureen Brettell Building relationships with SEND families before the crisis hits Pressure on time and resources mean that it can feel as though schools only engage properly with SEND families when something has already gone wrong. A complaint has been made. A child is at risk of exclusion. An EHCP review has broken down. By that point, trust is already damaged and every conversation is harder than it needs to be. This session reframes parental engagement as a proactive, relational leadership responsibility, not a reactive damage-limitation exercise. Because schools that focus on building genuine relationships with families before the crisis hits have fewer crises. Emma Shackleton Firefighting to forward planning: How leaders can strategically tackle SEMH and behaviour Bio coming soon Simon Currigan Strategies for understanding and supporting pupils with ADHD traits Bio coming soon Sapphire Murray Bio coming soon Headline sponsor A big thank you to our headline sponsor, Hamish & Milo for their generous support of this year's event. We really appreciate their involvement and contribution to making the event possible. Their work combines evidence-based SEMH programmes, accredited training, parent partnerships and impact reporting to help schools deliver a consistent, whole-school graduated response. hamishandmilo.org