ASCL ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2027

You can book for the conference via our online booking system (our preferred method) through the dedicated page on the website. However if you have any problems with this process, we also accept bookings by email to annualconference@ascl.org.uk 

If making a booking by email, please provide the details of each delegate (name, job title and school name and address) as well as their attendance requirements. It is also helpful to provide details of an invoice address where we can email the invoice.

Once we have received your booking, you will receive a confirmation by email and an invoice will be sent separately by our accounts team.

We do not accept telephone bookings; all bookings must be in writing. 

No, our accounts team will email you an invoice shortly after you have made your booking. We do not have the facility to take payment at time of booking.

The invoice must be paid within 14 days of receipt and before the event takes place. Payment can be made by BACs (preferred) or by credit card. 

Yes, we would encourage you to bring your colleagues and team members to the conference. You do not have to be an ASCL member to attend. Please note, only one discount can be applied per booking.

We are able to offer group discounts as follows: 

• Small group (2-4 delegates): 10% discount per person
• ​Large group (5+ delegates): 25% discount per person 

If you would like to bring a group of 20 or more, please contact the team to discuss.

Discounts are also available for as ASCL members who serve as local representatives or are elected members of ASCL Council. 

The cost of the conference includes entrance to all conference sessions (keynotes and workshops), entrance to the exhibition, refreshments and lunch, plus access to all resources. In addition, if you are attending on Friday, your ticket also includes entrance to the networking reception on Friday night.

The conference is non-residential and accommodation is not included in the cost. If you require accommodation, this needs to be arranged and paid for separately. We are working with an agent, Reservation Highway, who have negotiated favourable rates for our delegates in nearby hotels. See the FAQ ‘How do I book accommodation?’ for more information.

All communications for the conference will be via email to the delegate’s main ASCL registered email address (this may be a personal address or workplace address). The email will include the confirmation, invoice and important updates about the conference such as joining instructions, how to book workshops, and download the conference app.

Please check your junk and spam filters and ensure that annualconference@ascl.org.uk is marked as “friendly” on your system. If you are still not receiving information, please contact us to check we have your booking and correct contact details for you. 

If you are unable to attend the conference, please advise us as soon as possible. All cancellations must be confirmed in writing. 

By making a booking online or by email you are agreeing to accept our terms and conditions, please refer to these for our cancellation policy and charges.  From this point forward, your booking will be subject to the cancellation charges outlined below: 
 
From confirmation of booking: £50 admin charge 
Within 10 weeks of conference: 25% charge 
Within 6 weeks of conference: 50% charge 
Within 4 weeks of conference: total fee
 
If you need to change your attendance at Annual Conference, please let us know as soon as you can. Please be aware that changes to delegate attendance require some administration to undertake so an administration charge will be applied.

If you have accommodation booked, you will need to update details for your accommodation directly with the provider and you will be liable for any cancellation charges incurred.

If you need to send a substitute delegate, there is no charge to do so. We need their details in writing in order to update our database and communications for the conference. Please be aware that changes to delegate attendance duration require some administration to undertake so an administration charge will be applied. 

Annual Conference is non-residential and accommodation is not included in the conference fee. Accommodation (if required) can be booked through our agent, Reservation Highway. We have several hotels near the ICC in Birmingham to suit all tastes and budgets.
  
Book your accommodation online by visiting www.reservation-highway.co.uk/ascl27 , by email admin@reservation-highway.co.uk or by phone on 01423 525577.  

We encourage delegates to travel by public transport to the venue. The ICC is located in central Birmingham at Centenary Square (B1 2EA). It is a 15-minute walk (0.7 miles approx) from Birmingham New Street station and there is a tram stop outside. Full details are available on the venue website. 

If you choose to drive, the nearest car parks are at the Utilita Arena or Brindley Place. Please also be aware that the venue is within the Birmingham Clean Air Zone. 

The ICC is within a public mall and has step-free access. When moving around the space, the registration area and exhibition area are on the same level. The workshop rooms and the main auditorium are on different levels around the venue, but staff will be present to help with directing delegates and there are escalators and lifts available to access different floors as well as stairs. The venue website provides more information but if you have any questions, please do contact us and we will be happy to help. 

We are working on the conference programme currently and full details will be available in due course.
 
We will include all the latest information on Annual Conference in our regular member email briefings and will also be posting on our social media platforms. Follow us via the links below and use the conference hashtag #ASCL2027  

LinkedIn 
Instagram 
Facebook 
Bluesky 

The workshop programme is a key part of the conference and usually delivered by serving school, college and trust leaders and other stakeholders. There are several sets of workshops during the event.

Submissions of workshop proposals are via our online portal which will open during the autumn term. The proposals are then reviewed by the planning committee, and successful applicants will be contacted by the end of December 2026. If you have not heard back from us by 31 January 2027, then please assume you have not been successful.

Workshop sessions are designed to be a chance for colleagues to share good practice, solutions and ideas. They are strictly not a sales opportunity.

We will be compiling the workshop programme over the autumn term, workshops will be open for delegate bookings from late January 2027 until mid-February 2027. Full details and deadlines will be announced in January 2027.

Workshop bookings are made through the ASCL App. Once you have booked your place as a conference delegate, you will receive an email to confirm your attendance.  You will then receive a second email which will contain detailed instructions on your attendance and how to book your workshop sessions.
 
If you did not receive this second email, please contact annualconference@ascl.org.uk and we will resend the instructions.
 
Please note, you can only book your workshop sessions through the ASCL App. If you do not receive an email with instructions on how to download the app, please contact app@ascl.org.uk for support. Please also check your junk/spam folders. 

We encourage delegates to book their workshops before the conference. Entrance to workshops is by ticket only. If you choose not to book in advance, you may not be able to attend your preferred workshop. 

If you do not already have a login to MyASCL (as an ASCL member or if you have booked an event as a non-member), please contact the website team at website@ascl.org.uk and they will provide you with your login details.  

Your ticket/s for your workshop choice/s will be available on the ASCL App. you can view your booked workshops in the 'My Schedule' section.  

There are three separate sets of workshops taking place across the two days. Please choose only one workshop per session for each day you are booked to attend. 
 
Please do not make multiple choices per session as this causes errors.
 
If there are several sessions you would like to attend, don’t worry; where we have permission from the speakers we are collecting resources for all sessions and these will be shared with all delegates after the event. 

It is recommended you make your choices in advance as it allows us to ensure that everyone is allocated the correct tickets for the workshops they wish to attend and are able to attend their preferred choices. Many of our workshop sessions are full before the event. 
 
If you choose not to book in advance, you will be asked to wait outside the session room on the day and if there is capacity in the room, you will be able to attend. If there is no capacity, unfortunately, you will have to find an alternative session to attend. 
 

If you have made an error on a workshop booking or you would like to change your workshop, click on the '+' button used to book onto workshops to unregister.  

Alternatively, go to 'My Schedule', select the workshop you would like to change and click 'Remove session'.

Please book your workshop sessions by Monday 9 March. Workshop bookings made after this date cannot be guaranteed. 

Workshop resources will be shared with delegates once they have been provided to us by the workshop leaders

We recommend all delegates download the ASCL App (kindly sponsored by Pearson). This is free to download with full instructions provided when you book your place at ASCL Annual Conference.

It is also the only way you can book your workshop places prior to the event. Emails will be sent to your registered email address with ASCL (which may be your personal email).  
  
The ASCL App enables you to: 

• book your workshop sessions and view the full conference programme
• ​access your workshop tickets (go to your profile, click on view profile, and then click on your QR code) 
• access the up-to-date delegate list, with a ‘chat’ option to catch up with colleagues 
• view exhibition details 
• participate in the newly created "Annual Conference game" for a chance to win a prize. 

Please contact our exhibitions team in the first instance at exhibitions@ascl.org.uk.  

You can also find out more on the dedicated Exhibition tab on our website.

Our conference is designed for serving school, college and trust leaders and their colleagues. If you are a commercial company, you can be involved in the event through taking exhibition stand or sponsorship. Please contact our exhibitions team in the first instance to discuss.

The conference is designed as an in-person event to maximise networking opportunities and interactive sessions. As a result, we are not streaming or recording the sessions.

Dress code for during the day and evening reception is business casual. 

No, however we will be hosting a drinks reception after the final keynote on Day 1, and from 5.15pm – 6.45pm. Drinks and canapés/light refreshments will be served and there will be many opportunities to network with colleagues and speak with exhibitors, invited guests and members of the ASCL policy and member support teams.

The drinks reception will be held in the Exhibition Hall from 5.15pm – 6.45pm. 

Exhibitors will be available at their stands, and you will also be able to speak with invited guests, ASCL policy specialists and other members of the ASCL team at our exhibition hubs. 

We will be compiling a highlights reel during the event and a photographer and videographer will be present at the conference. At busy events we are not able to request individual consent for all photography but if you do not wish to be included, please let us know. 
 

Please contact the Annual Conference team by email or on 0116 2991122 and they will be happy to help with your enquiry.