Westminster Education Forum

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Next steps for England’s school system

impact of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill | local authority oversight | school improvement & MATs | inspection, capacity & governance | home education proposals | selective & faith schools

Morning, Wednesday, 5th November 2025

Online


This conference will examine next steps for England’s school system, focusing on the implementation of current government proposals around accountability, improvement and oversight. Delegates will consider how changes may affect system leadership, educational outcomes, and the relationship between schools, trusts and local authorities.


It will bring together key stakeholders and policymakers to discuss proposals in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill as it progresses through Parliament, looking at implications for autonomy, governance and support across the school system. Discussion will also consider recent consultations from the Department for Education and Ofsted, including the proposed introduction of a school report card system, also looking ahead to proposals in the forthcoming Schools White Paper expected in the autumn.


Local authority powers and capacity
Sessions will examine the Bill’s proposals to give local authorities increased powers in areas such as admissions, safeguarding, and school improvement. Delegates will assess priorities for building local authority capacity to support these new responsibilities, and discuss strategies for improving oversight and delivery while avoiding inconsistency and duplication with existing frameworks.


The role of RISE teams and coordination of responsibilities
Further discussion will focus on the planned introduction of Regional Improvement and Standards Enhancement (RISE) teams, assessing their expected role in supporting underperforming schools, and how these new bodies will coordinate with local authorities, MATs and central government. The conference will also explore the potential for overlap or misalignment of responsibilities, considering how clear lines of accountability might be maintained.


Qualified Teacher Status and workforce implications
With government proposals to require all teachers to hold or be working towards QTS, delegates will consider the impact on staffing and workforce development - particularly in high-need areas and hard-to-fill subjects - as well as support measures for those currently working outside the QTS framework.


Curriculum requirements and flexibility
The agenda includes a session on the Government’s proposal to mandate the national curriculum across all schools, including academies. Attendees will assess implications of reduced curriculum flexibility for MATs, including for SEND provision and locally tailored learning, and consider how national alignment can best be balanced with the need for innovation and responsiveness.


Discretionary intervention and MAT autonomy
There will be discussion on the shift away from automatic academisation, with delegates examining how discretionary intervention will work in practice, including decision-making responsibilities, timelines, and legal risks. Broader implications for MAT autonomy, consistency in school improvement, and trust-level accountability will also be explored.


Inspection frameworks and accountability across trusts
Sessions will look at the role of Ofsted and the inspection framework in light of proposals for trust-level inspection, including priorities for transparency and consistency in oversight. Delegates will assess approaches to managing variations in governance, leadership structures and funding within and between MATs, and implications for standards and public confidence.


Home education, registration and responsibilities
The conference will also explore implications of proposed registration and suitability requirements for home-educated children, and how these may affect families and local authorities. Attendees will consider how oversight can be improved without compromising educational diversity or parental rights, and assess the broader role of community collaboration and local engagement in improving outcomes across different school settings.


Admissions and the future for selective and faith schools
Further sessions will consider future priorities for selective and faith schools, particularly in relation to proposed admissions changes, and how these proposals align with wider objectives on fairness, cohesion and quality across the system. 


All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates.



Keynote Speakers

Paul Cohen

Deputy Director, Regulation and Quality Division, Schools Group, Department for Education

Councillor Arooj Shah

Leader, Oldham Council; and Chair, Children and Young People Board, Local Government Association

Professor Anne West

Professor, Education Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science

Keynote Speakers

Paul Cohen

Deputy Director, Regulation and Quality Division, Schools Group, Department for Education

Councillor Arooj Shah

Leader, Oldham Council; and Chair, Children and Young People Board, Local Government Association

Professor Anne West

Professor, Education Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science

Chair

Lord Watson of Invergowrie

Speakers

Julian Scholefield

Chief Executive, Esteem Multi-Academy Trust

Elizabeth Funge

Assistant Director, Education, East Sussex County Council

Professor Mark Boylan

Professor of Education, Sheffield Institute of Education, Sheffield Hallam University

Mark Blackman

Director, Leadership Together

Professor Stephen Gorard

Director, Durham University Evidence Centre for Education; and Professor, Education and Public Policy, Durham University

Rachel Barrett

Head, Academies and Business Services Director, Duncan & Toplis

Professor Jonathan Glazzard

Professor, Education for Social Justice, University of Hull

Julie McCulloch

Senior Director, Strategy, Policy and Professional Development, Association of School and College Leaders

Louise Stevenson

Headteacher, St Mary’s C of E School, Cornwall

Wendy Charles-Warner

Co-Chair, Education Otherwise