Westminster Education Forum

Next steps for England’s school system

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, Wednesday, 5^th November 2025
Online

Keynote Speakers: Paul Cohen, Deputy Director, Regulation and Quality Division, Schools Group, Department for Education; Lucy Scott, CEO, Eastern Learning Alliance; and Advisor, Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence, Department for Education and Professor Anne West, Professor, Education Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science

The future for T Levels in England

rollout & delivery | student recruitment, retention & outcomes | equity across regions & learner groups | resourcing, staffing & readiness | curriculum design | employer engagement & aligning with sector needs | placements & partnerships

Morning, Tuesday, 11^th November 2025
Online

Keynote Speakers: Emma Willson, Director, Education Value for Money, National Audit Office and Catherine Sezen, Director, Education Policy, Association of Colleges

Next steps for literacy and numeracy in England’s schools

Curriculum & Assessment Review | curriculum content & breadth | early years workforce & capacity | English & maths hubs | assessment & progression | Key Stage 3 & post-16 pathways | reading for enjoyment & home support

Morning, Monday, 1^st December 2025
Online

Keynote Speakers: Jon Hutchinson, Director, Teacher Development and Curriculum, Reach Foundation; and Member, Curriculum and Assessment Review Group; Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive, National Literacy Trust and Charlie Stripp, Chief Executive, Mathematics and Education in Industry; and, Director, National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics

The future for the PE curriculum and sports provision for children and young people in England

Curriculum & Assessment Review | consistency, quality & equity in delivery | participation & inclusive access | infrastructure | long-term funding models | school workforce & skills | mental health & active travel

Morning, Thursday, 4^th December 2025
Online

Keynote Speakers: Jeanette Bain-Burnett, Executive Director, Policy and Integrity, Sport England; Alison Oliver, CEO, Youth Sport Trust and Kate Thornton-Bousfield, CEO, Association for Physical Education

Next steps for teacher recruitment and retention in England

policy priorities & national targets | subject shortages & geographical disparities | addressing workload & utilising digital tools | staff wellbeing & mental health | pay, incentives & funding arrangements | training routes & widening access

Morning, Wednesday, 10^th December 2025
Online

Keynote Speakers: Emma Willson, Director, Education Value for Money, National Audit Office and Jack Worth, Education Workforce Lead, National Foundation for Educational Research

Next steps for reform of Level 3 qualifications and the design and implementation of V Levels

Morning, Thursday, 8^th January 2026
Online

current conditions, policy & use of funding | School Rebuilding Programme | progress & delivery priorities | rebuilding & estate planning | retrofitting & decarbonisation | community needs | cross-sector collaboration | tech & modernisation

Morning, Thursday, 15^th January 2026
Online

Keynote Speakers: Dr Jonathan Dewsbury, Director, Education Estates and Net Zero, Department for Education; Lara Newman, Chief Executive, LocatED and Eamon Grimes, Managing Director, Energy and Carbon Division, Laser Energy

Next steps for SEND provision in England

Morning, Friday, 27^th February 2026
Online

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

Core Sponsors

The core sponsors of the Westminster Education Forum are Cambridge 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

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.