Westminster Education Forum

Next steps for creative education in England - creative subjects in schools, FE and HEIs, progression, and career development

Morning, Tuesday, 24^th June 2025
Online

Keynote Speakers: Dr Vanessa Ogden, CEO, Mulberry Schools Trust; and Member, Curriculum and Assessment Review Group; Jill Cowley, Pro Vice-Chancellor Skills and Training and Dean, Faculty of Arts, Design and Humanities, De Montfort University; Stuart Worden, Principal, The BRIT School and John Yarham, Interim Chief Executive, Careers & Enterprise Company

Next steps for apprenticeship quality and funding in England

policy priorities | increasing student participation | improving outcomes & completion rates | enhancing apprenticeship structures | Levy reform | employer flexibility & incentivising engagement | channelling resources to essential skills

Morning, Thursday, 26^th June 2025
Online

From the Westminster Employment Forum

Keynote Speakers: Claire Barker, Senior Policy Manager, Skills and Industry, Association of Colleges; Mandy Crawford-Lee, Chief Executive, University Vocational Awards Council and Robert Nitsch, CEO, Federation of Awarding Bodies

Next steps for England’s school system

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

Morning, Monday, 30^th June 2025
Online

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

Michael Tunks

Next steps for child protection policy in England

Morning, Wednesday, 16^th July 2025
Online

From the Westminster Legal Policy Forum

Keynote Speaker: Michael Tunks, Principal, Online Safety, Ofcom

Next steps for SEND provision in England

policy priorities | quality & equity in provision | inclusion, accountability & oversight | investment & resource allocation | enhancing staff expertise & capacity | multi-agency coordination | inspection & assessment

Morning, Friday, 18^th July 2025
Online

Keynote Speakers: Dame Christine Lenehan, Strategic Advisor, SEND, Department for Education; Gary Aubin, Member, Curriculum and Assessment Review Group; Consultant, SEND; and Author, SEND Matters UK blog and Annamarie Hassall, Chief Executive, Nasen

Professor Christine Pascal

Next steps for early years and childcare in England

Morning, Monday, 15^th September 2025
Online

Keynote Speaker: Professor Christine Pascal, Director, Centre for Research in Early Childhood

Core Sponsors

The core sponsors of the Westminster Education Forum are OCR and Twinkl.

In Production

The Westminster Education Forum is planning a very full programme for the next 12 months.

Please give us a ring on 01344 864796 or email email info@forumsupport.co.uk to discuss future conferences.

We'd be happy to share ideas on areas to focus on, speaker suggestions, and other ways of getting involved.

Parliamentary Patrons of the Forum

The parliamentary patrons of the Westminster Education Forum are:

Lord Aberdare

Rt Hon Lord Baker of Dorking

Baroness Benjamin

Lord Black of Brentwood

Bob Blackman MP

Rt Hon Lord Blunkett

Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury

Lord Boswell of Aynho

Rt Hon Suella Braverman MP

Baroness Brinton

Baroness Buscombe

Rt Hon Baroness Butler-Sloss

Sir Christopher Chope MP

Lord Crathorne

Tim Farron MP

Rt Hon Baroness Garden of Frognal

Baroness Greenfield

Lord Griffiths of Burry Port

Lord Hampton

Rt Hon Sir John Hayes MP

Wera Hobhouse MP

Sharon Hodgson MP

Rt Hon Baroness Hughes of Stretford

Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson MP

Rt Hon Lord Knight of Weymouth

Rt Hon Lord Laming

Rt Hon David Lammy MP

Kate Osamor MP

Baroness Prosser

Rt Hon Baroness Quin

Baroness Sater

Baroness Seccombe

Mark Sewards MP

Lord Storey

Lord Tope

Baroness Tyler of Enfield

Baroness Walmsley

Lord Walney

Lord Watson of Invergowrie

Note: parliamentary patrons take no financial interest in the Forum.