‘What does ‘outstanding’ look like and how do we achieve it?’

This one-day intensive conference is designed to learn more about the changes in the new inspection frameworks and other areas while exploring ways to achieve the highest quality of teaching, training and learning in education and training.

Raising the bar on the quality of ‘teaching’ and ‘learning’ remains high on the political agenda and will be fundamental to future progress of learners and Ofsted inspection results. Under the direction of a new Chief Inspector (HMCI), Sir Michael Wilshaw, Ofsted have consulted again on further changes which they believe will improve the system by raising standards and expectations.

From September 2012, the inspection frameworks now require:

• ‘outstanding’ schools to have ‘outstanding’ teaching
• ‘outstanding’ providers to have ‘outstanding’ teaching, learning and assessment

These are not specifically “limiting” grades but institutions failing to achieve “outstanding” in these areas will find it difficult if not impossible to otherwise be considered “outstanding”.

This follows the Ofsted Chief Inspector’s Annual Report 2010/11, which said that, between September 2010 and August 2011, too little outstanding teaching was seen in the schools inspected. In the further education and skills sector that there was not enough outstanding teaching and learning and too many institutions were “coasting” without adequate improvement over a series of inspections. In the new Ofsted 2012 framework 'satisfactory' is no longer good enough; this grade is now described as “requires improvement”.

The primary aim of this conference is to help drive forward the agenda of raising the bar on the quality of teaching, training and learner achievement in education and training in England.  The need to improve the quality of your teaching, training and learning provision to reach the highest standards has never been so important. 

The secondary theme of the conference is ‘What does ‘outstanding’ look like and how do we achieve it’. A wide range of interactive workshops will address the issues that impact on this theme.

We are delighted to welcome Dr Joe Harkin as conference chair. He is a highly experienced education researcher, author and consultant; formerly Reader in Education at Oxford Brookes University. In addition to chairing the conference Joe will also be delivering an inspirational workshop on teachers’ self-directed professional development to target outstanding teacher-learner interaction. 

The programme offers a range of important and relevant Keynote plenary sessions; opportunities to generate questions and discussion and a choice of interactive workshop sessions some of which may be offered three times.

As a delegate you will:

• Hear from an exceptionally high profile range of expert speakers.
• Plan your route through a wide range of “how to” and “what is” workshop sessions.
• Unpick what is needed to work towards 'outstanding' under the new 2012 Framework.
• Learn about exciting new and proven industry products and services.
• Question and challenge high profile speakers and advocates of new approaches.

Note:

This conference is designed to be a high intensity development experience with a large selection of workshops and exhibitors at relatively low cost. This is to enable a wide range of practitioners and managers to attend at some 50% of the fees of comparable events.

Who Should Attend:

Sector representatives from Colleges, Vocational Learning Providers (including ACL and secure establishments), Private Sector Training Companies, Academies, Schools, Local Authorities, HEIs and other organisations, including:-

• Governors
• Principals and Vice Principals
• Headteachers, Deputy and Assistant Headteachers
• Chief Executives
• Directors and Heads
• Chief Education Officers
• Senior Managers
• Classroom Teachers and Subject Specialists
• Assessors, QA Officers, OTL Observers
• Advisors, Co-ordinators and Learning Support Teams
• Quality Development Teams

 

Exhibitor Opportunites

The Conference also offers two Exhibitor Packages. Please visit the exhibitor’s page on this website for further information.