ASCL Northern Ireland Annual Conference 2025

Futures in leadership

Join us at this year's unmissable ASCL Northern Ireland Annual Conference where we'll be considering what the future of school and college leadership looks like in Northern Ireland. Structured around the TransformED strategy, we will hear from Education Minister, Paul Givan MLA, as he highlights his vision for a world-class education system.

Other key areas we'll be exploring include:

The future of recruitment, retention and professional development with the Education Authority.
CCEA will outline their plans for reform in relation to qualifications, curriculum and statutory key stage assessment.
The Chief Inspector will update delegates on the progress of the new inspection framework and we'll have information on the latest employment law developments impacting education.

We're also delighted that Tara Mills, BBC Northern Ireland correspondent, will share her experiences covering politics in Northern Ireland, and Professor Philip Hanna will provide an update on the latest thinking around AI and educational technology.

Speaker

Gwyneth Evans

ASCL NI President 2025 and Principal, Cookstown High School, Cookstown

Pepe Di'Iasio

ASCL General Secretary

Nicola Connery

ASCL NI Immediate Past President 2025 and Principal, Strathearn School, Belfast

Hilary Woods

ASCL Vice President 2025, and Principal, Belfast Royal Academy

Paul Givan MLA

Minister for the Department of Education, Northern Ireland

Tara Mills

BBC Northern Ireland Correspondent

Richard Pengelly

Chief Executive, Education Authority (EA)

Professor Philip Hanna

Dean of Education, School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Queens University Belfast

Faustina Graham

Chief Inspector, ETI

Seamus McGranaghan

Director, O'Reilly Stewart Solicitors

Fee

Full conference attendance (including dinner and accommodation the night before)
Members: £320 + VAT
Non-members: £345 + VAT

Full conference attendance group rate (two or more delegates)
Member: £288 + VAT
Non-member: £310 + VAT

Day delegate
Member: £110 + VAT
Non-member: £145 + VAT

Day delegate group rate (two or more delegates)
Member: £99 + VAT
Non-member: £130 + VAT

Programme

8.45am			Registration and refreshments

9.30am			Welcome Nicola Connery, ASCL NI Immediate Past President 2025 and Principal, Strathearn High School

9.35am			President's Address Gwyneth Evans, ASCL NI President 2025 and Principal, Cookston High School

9.45am			Futures in Leadship: The TransformED strategy Paul Givan MLA, Education Minister

10.00am			General Secretary's Address Pepe Di'Iasio, ASCL General Secretary

10.15am			Futures in Leadership: ASCL Northern Ireland Michael McAuley, ASCL NI Director

10.30am			Refreshments and exhibition

11.00am			Futures in Leadership: People Richard Pengelly, CEO, Education Authority

11.20am			Futures in Leadership: Curriculum and assessment CCEA Director of Qualifications CCEA Director of Curriculum

11.5oam			Futures in Leadership: Accountability Faustina Graham, Chief Inspector, ETI

12.15pm			Lunch and exhibition

1.15pm			Futures in Leadership: Politics Tara Mills, BBC Northern Ireland Correspondent

2.00pm			Futures in Leadership: Compliance Seamus McGranaghan, Director, O'Reilly Stewart Solicitors

2.30pm			Refreshments and exhibition

2.45pm			Futures in Leadership: AI and technology Professor Philip Hanna, Dean of Education, School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science,Queens University Belfast

3.30pm			Vote of thanks and closing remarks Hilary Woods, ASCL NI Vice President 2025 and Principal, Belfast Royal Academy