TO BE PUBLISHED November 2025
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This conference will examine next steps for England’s school system, focusing on implementation and key issues for 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 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 - with concerns from some that proposals have the potential to stifle innovation and reduce the flexibility of academies. Discussion will also consider recent consultations from the Department for Education and Ofsted, including the proposed introduction of a school report system, also looking ahead to proposals in the forthcoming Schools White Paper expected in the autumn.
Qualified Teacher Status and workforce implications
With government proposals to require all teachers to hold or be working towards Qualified Teacher Status, 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 Qualified Teacher Status 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 multi-academy trusts, including for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities provision and locally tailored learning, and consider how national alignment can best be balanced with the need for innovation and responsiveness.
Local authority powers and capacity
Sessions will examine the Bill’s proposals to grant local authorities increased powers in areas such as admissions, safeguarding, and school improvement, looking to reduce perceived disparities between local authority schools and academies. 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.
Discretionary intervention and multi-academy trust 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 multi-academy trust autonomy, consistency in school improvement, and trust-level accountability will also be explored.
Inspection frameworks and accountability across trusts
Sessions will look at priorities for Ofsted and the inspection framework in light of proposals for trust-level inspection, including next steps for transparency and consistency in oversight. Delegates will assess approaches to managing variations in governance, leadership structures and funding within and between multi-academy trusts, and implications for standards and public confidence.
The role of Regional Improvement and Standards Enhancement teams and coordination of responsibilities
Further discussion will focus on the planned introduction of Regional Improvement and Standards Enhancement teams, assessing their expected role in supporting underperforming schools, and how these new bodies will coordinate with local authorities, multi-academy trusts and central government. The conference will also explore the potential for overlap or misalignment of responsibilities, considering how clear lines of accountability can be maintained.
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. As well as key stakeholders, those due to attend include officials from the Home Office, and the Department for Education, NI
