Save the Date for EducationScape’s South West Inclusion and Belonging Summit
Following the success of our previous summit, don’t miss your opportunity to join us for this flagship event designed for school and college leaders, educators, support staff, and apprenticeship providers.
Designed to help you translate inclusive vision into measurable impact, this summit is closely aligned with current regulatory guidance. It focuses on meeting the needs of all learners and embedding a culture of true belonging across primary, secondary, post-16, and apprenticeship provision.
It offers an opportunity to learn directly from practitioners, specialists, and national experts. You will gain evidence-informed, practical insights that ensure your delivery across both classroom and workplace settings provides high-quality education, strong personal development, and positive outcomes for every learner.
Why this summit matters now
Meeting regulatory requirements and national guidance is vital, but true impact goes far beyond compliance. Today’s providers must demonstrate how inclusion, culture, and learner wellbeing are embedded across every level of delivery.
This summit offers a dedicated space to reflect, collaborate, and address key challenges:
- Defining Belonging: What does a genuinely inclusive setting look like across classroom and work-based environments?
- Driving Outcomes: How do inclusive cultures systematically improve attendance, behaviour, and academic achievement?
- Sustaining Engagement: How do we protect vulnerable learners during key transition points?
By focusing on belonging as a driver of success, this event supports you in creating spaces where all learners can build confidence, stay engaged, and achieve their full potential.
A joined-up conversation across education and training
One of the defining strengths of this summit is its cross-phase perspective. Inclusion does not reset when a learner moves between schools, transitions to college, or starts an apprenticeship, and neither should our approach.
Throughout the day, you will hear from:
- School leaders and inclusion specialists
- College and post-16 practitioners
- Apprenticeship providers and workplace learning specialists
- Researchers, sector experts, and national charities
With dedicated time for delegates to consider, discuss, and contribute, together we will explore how consistent approaches to culture, empathy, and purpose can support learners across all key stages and post-16 provision, particularly at critical transition points where vulnerability and disengagement are most likely.
What you’ll gain from attending
Designed to drive real change, this practical, thought-provoking event equips you to:
- Gain clear, evidence-informed strategies you can apply immediately
- Develop a deeper understanding of how belonging underpins behaviour, attendance and wellbeing
- Strengthen your confidence in responding to meeting broader regulatory and quality assurance expectations
- Learn how to better support disadvantaged learners and those with additional needs
- Connect with peers across primary, secondary, post-16, and apprenticeship settings facing similar challenges.
You will leave not only inspired, but equipped with impactful tools, language and strategies that can be shared across your teams.
A whole-community approach to inclusion
A central theme of the summit is that belonging cannot be created by one role or department alone. Sessions will explore inclusion through a multi-faceted lens, recognising the vital contribution of:
- Educators and leaders
- Parents and carers
- Learners themselves
- Communities, employers and external partners.
We will also dedicate time to examining the power of parental engagement, particularly for learners navigating transition, disadvantage or disengagement.
What to expect on the day
This event will focus on real-world insights from experts and providers, with a particular focus the importance of positive transitions, social mobility and current challenges. There will be multiple opportunities to ask questions, as well as time to collaborate, discuss and network with your peers.
We are currently finalising the full programme for the day. Chaired by FE Week Editor Shane Chowen, the event already features several key sessions, including:
- An opening address from Marc Rowland, Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Learners Adviser, Unity Schools Partnership
- Guidance and direction from The Reach Foundation’s Regional Director for the South West, Mohamed Abdallah
- An update on current strategic direction from Emma Mills, Head of Teaching and Learning Development, Truro and Penwith College.
More speakers will be announced over the coming weeks, so watch this space for more information.
This is not just about understanding the problem, it’s about acting on it.
What our previous attendees have said:
‘Thank you for the opportunity to have time out at a great event.’
‘The Inclusion and Belonging summit was a seamless event, with sector specialists openly sharing their experiences and successes.’
‘The summit provided timely insights that will directly inform our upcoming supported internship programme.’
‘ I now have a better understanding of the challenges across the different sectors in education and the good practice that is happening’
Don’t miss out. save 20% with our early booking discount, available until Friday 30 October 2026.
Group booking discounts are also available, please email a member of the team for more information.