ASCL Conference for Pastoral Leaders

Bridgewater Hall Manchester

Sharing good practice to strengthen engagement and participation

This conference invites leaders to explore how re-valuing pastoral leadership can drive improvement through stronger engagement, attendance, and behaviour.

Effective pastoral systems promote a culture of care, consistency, and collaboration, ensuring every learner feels supported to achieve their full potential. Delegates will share good practice and current thinking on building coherent pastoral structures, fostering parental partnerships, and using data to target interventions.

By combining empathy with high expectations, pastoral leaders create inclusive environments that nurture wellbeing, improve attendance, and enhance participation. Together, we’ll examine how strong pastoral leadership underpins a thriving, connected, and successful school community.

Key takeaways

Re-valuing pastoral leadership: highlight the power of pastoral leadership in driving whole-school improvement.
Building connection through collaboration: showcase shared learning and partnership building between staff, families, and learners.
From data to belonging: using insight to drive inclusion: emphasise how evidence-informed pastoral systems translate data into meaningful support.

Speaker

Margaret Mulholland

SEND and Inclusion Specialist

David Whitaker

Chief Education Officer, Wellspring Academy Trust

Professor John Jerrim

Director of Research, ImpactEd Group

Jacqueline Bebbington

Co-Executive Principal and Co-Director of SENDSCOPE Independent School and Consultancy Service

Natalie Walsh

Co-Executive Principal and Co-Director of SENDSCOPE Independent School and Consultancy Service

Graham Moore

Founding Director, humantopia

Maxine O'Neill

Headteacher, Hope School

Andrew Young

Co-Director, Pathfinder Teaching School Hub

Programme

08.30					Registration, refreshments and exhibition
09.20					Welcome and introduction Margaret Mulholland, ASCL SEND and Inclusion Specialist
09.30					Mind the Gap: Engagement research to inform leadership and practice Professor John Jerrim, Director of Research, ImpactEd Group In the session we will explore what pupil engagement really tells us about what is happening in schools today. Drawing on TEP insights from over 100,000 pupils, we will share what national data reveals about patterns of engagement across phases, settings and demographics. The session will examine how changes in engagement often sit beneath challenges with attendance, behaviour and pupils' outcomes, and why engagement should be understood and used as a lead indicator. Attendees will be encouraged to rethink how engagement data can inform more proactive, system-level decision-making.
10.15					Upstream Engagement: Treating the cause, not the symptom Andrew Young, Co-Director, Pathfinder Teaching School Hub Hundreds of schools are now utilising a proactive strategy: measuring staff and pupil engagement as a leading indicator of future challenges. Engagement is defined as how people think, feel, and act. What if schools could leverage this data to locate individuals with a declining community bond and level of agency? Rather than waiting for things to go wrong - manifesting as absence, negative behaviour, or low attainment - what if we channelled resources directly into addressing the root causes, not just the symptoms? Join this session to hear how this approach has been implemented in a range of schools across Yorkshire and what the impact has been so far.
10.50					Refreshment break and exhibition
11.20					How Do We Support Cognitive, Social and Emotional Engagement for Children with SEMH Maxine O’Neill, Headteacher, Hope School
11.50					How Can We Create an Authentic and Empowering School Experience Grounded in Belonging, Purpose, and Connection? Graham Moore, Founding Director, humanutopia This session explores a mentoring model involving pupils in year 10 who, through shared values and identity work, support their younger peers in year 8. We’ll examine how this approach empowers a diverse range of students to become school ambassadors, encouraging leadership and empathy through relational practice. Reflections from mentors, mentees, and school leaders will offer honest insights into the potential and challenges of this work, and the impacts it has had. Together, we’ll consider how these practices can shape more inclusive, purposeful school communities.
12.30					Lunch and exhibition
13.20					The Kindness Principle: Relational practice and the power of unconditional positive regard David Whitaker, Chief Education Officer, Wellspring Academy Trust In this session Dave will explore how the concept of unconditional positive regard can shape relational culture in a school. Drawing on his experience of leading challenging schools, both mainstream and specialist, he will highlight the common misconception of relational practice. He will show how strong relationships aligned with high expectations are possible. He will explore how important it is that schools show empathy, acceptance and genuineness in their approach to school values and cultural positioning - but do this without compromising on standards.
14.05					Belonging, Equity, and Possibility: The SENDSCOPE vision Jacqueline Bebbington, Co-Executive Principal and Co-Director, SENDSCOPE Natalie Walsh, Co-Executive Principal and Co-Director, SENDSCOPE At SENDSCOPE Independent School, we believe every child and young person with SEND deserves more than access - they deserve opportunity without limits. Our keynote will explore how a broad, balanced curriculum can unlock potential and create futures without ceilings. We’ll share why belonging is the heartbeat of success: when students know they are cared for, they know they can achieve. Discover how SENDSCOPE Consultancy Service empowers mainstream schools and organisations through adaptive teaching and inclusive communication strategies, proving that reasonable adjustments aren’t add-ons - they’re embedded in great practice. Join us to feel the passion, see the possibilities, and learn how inclusion transforms lives.
14.35					Refreshment break and exhibition
14.55					Systems and Impact Representative from the DfE Attendance Team
15.30					Learnings from today and close

ASCL reserve the right to amend the programme should circumstances dictate

Fee

ASCL members: £260+VAT
Non-members: £295+VAT

Group discount (2 or more people)
ASCL members: £235+VAT
Non-members: £265+VAT

Suitable for

Suitable for senior teams, heads of year, pastoral leads, behaviour leads, attendance Leads, DSLs, SENCOs, parental engagement leads in primary, secondary, all-through, and post-16 settings, and PRUs and alternative provision.