Agenda

25th November 2020

9:10 am
Chair's Opening Remarks
9:15 am
Opening Keynote Address: Independent Schools - 2020 Vision
  • What we learned this year through Covid-19 , from the January ISC Census to the Autumn pupil numbers survey
  • Why it is important to connect with other schools and our wider communities
9:35 am
Panel: Managing Uncertainty & Navigating the Biggest Challenge of the Century
  • Analysing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on operations, and fees and what schools will need to do to adapt to this new world in the short, medium and long term  
  • Reviewing the spatial and behavioural challenges of a phased return. What can be done to protect the school day and boarding community  
  • Prioritising staff and pupil wellbeing, self-care and continuing pastoral support, while maintaining blended teaching provision. How are schools, staff, parents, and pupils adapting to the new model?  
  • The New ISI Framework: The way ahead
10:10 am
Winds of Change in the Independent Sector
  • Covid 19 and TPS as catalysts for change
  • Threats around the corner
  • Future proofing our schools to address those threats and to thrive in a changed world
10:35 am
Virtual Break, Exhibition Networking and Live Delegate Meet Ups

Your opportunity to make the most of the virtual Conference, meet up with fellow delegates and exhibitors, make connections, tour our real-time resources and content and take part on discussions via the tailored channels.

11:00 am
Case Study: How developing an education of 21st century relevance has improved pupils’ creativity and learning, pupil attainment and the culture and reputation of a Surrey Prep School
  • Curriculum Development to Future-Proof Children
  • Fostering Parent Buy-in
  • Affecting Change – Empowering Middle Leaders
11:25 am
Freedom to flourish in restricted times: lifting students out of the everyday with Lyfta

One of the many benefits of an independent school education is the emphasis given to expanding student horizon’s through activities like school trips, exchange programmes, volunteering and external speakers. But how do we continue to ensure young people experience a range of valuable enrichment activities when such opportunities are severely restricted?

Join Lyfta, an immersive learning platform from Finland, on an exciting journey to discover
powerful stories of people, places and perspectives from around the world.

11:50 am
Reinventing Boarding and Recovering from the Impact of Covid-19
  • How have boarding schools managed the Covid experience, the return of boarders, maintaining pupil numbers, managing cases, lockdown, staffing etc?
  • How does the UK boarding sector look for the remainder of the 20/21 academic year?
  • Meeting the demands of the modern-day boarder: prioritising holistic development through carefully curated academic, pastoral and support initiatives 
  • Maintaining a multicultural mix of students which reflects the modern world outside  
12:15 pm
Keeping the lights on in 2021 – and beyond. Is it possible to do more, with less?

Sponsor address from SaveMoneyCutCarbon

12:25 pm
Secure Digital Learning
Education Technology
D2L
Seminar Session: Secure digital learning - coming, ready or not!

The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital learning and forced independent schools to quickly adapt to delivering courses, classes and activities online. Regardless of where independent schools were in their digital transformation journey prior to the pandemic, online learning has become the new norm and is here to stay. In this session we will explore how to deliver a secure digital learning experience while saving the costs, time and stress associated with traditional cyber security deployments. Experts will also discuss the data protection implications of online learning and how to safeguard the privacy students, parents and staff.

Join this session, hosted by Norm Cyber, to hear practical examples and useful advice which you can put use today!

 

Seminar Session: Education Technology and making it work for you
  • Learn about CCS frameworks: Who CCS are and what we can offer you 
  • What is the Education Technology: Overview of the agreement and what you can purchase 
  • Approved by DfE: How CCS worked with DfE to design the agreement 
  • Templates to help you run your procurement: How CCS can help you run your procurement 
The West Bridgford School Story: Maintaining learning during the COVID-19 crisis

In the spring of 2020, schools in the UK transitioned to distance learning as the COVID-19 pandemic forced full or partial building closures and confined students to home. For West Bridgford School (WBS), rapidly adjusting to the change meant expanding its existing use of D2L’s Brightspace to deliver virtual classrooms, online assessments and interactive discussion forums. Join Mark Deans, Deputy Headteacher at WBS to explore how the school:

  • Quickly transformed to 100% online learning
  • Engaged students using a range of tools, including videos to submit assignments
  • Helped staff expand their technology skills via training sessions delivered through the platform
  • Received overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents about school’s transition towards virtual learning.
1:10 pm
Lunch, Exhibition and Networking
1:30 pm
2021 – is it feasible to set priorities?

Be part of the conversation on how schools can make plans for the future despite surrounding uncertainty in this interactive lunchtime breakout session.

2:00 pm
Student Safeguarding
Nutrition & Wellbeing
Transforming Pastoral Care at St Benedict’s; the move from reactive to pro-active strategies

Join this presentation to learn:

· How this has enabled St Benedict’s to spot potential issues that otherwise might have gone unnoticed, and deal with them before they become more serious.

· How using the statistical reporting and data has enabled them to spot trends in behaviour and use that to inform where they channel their resources and pre-empt issues before they arise.

Ensuring good nutrition at lunchtime

At apetito, we believe that nutritionally balanced meals not only support your pupils’ growth, but also encourages them to try new meals with exciting flavours and develop their taste palate. Meals at school need to provide sufficient nutrition to nourish and fuel the young minds as well as being varied and delicious! We know that this can sometimes be time consuming and complex.

This session aims to give you some tips on how to ensure you are providing your pupils with the best meals to hit their nutritional goals whilst at school, and the key indicators to look out for when devising a menu.

2:35 pm
Afternoon Chair
2:35 pm
Panel Session: Opportunities of Going Digital- Anywhere, Anytime Learning
  • Reviewing the direction of digital learning will take in independent schools, sharing best practice and lessons learned  
  • Reflecting on the best options to engage students virtually, which are personal and also improve learning outcomes  
  • Learning how extensive digital learning and teaching will become integral to the overall curriculum development and strategy 
3:05 pm
Virtual Roundtable Sessions

Our virtual roundtable sessions are open to all attendees. The sessions will allow attendees to drive their own learning and share experiences with others on a number of different subject areas. 

3:05 pm
Data Protection
Teacher Trainees
High Achievers
Getting to know your MP
Roundtable: How best practice data protection can boost student intake and retention

Facilitated by Robert Wassall, NormCyber

Roundtable: Update from IStip on teacher trainee numbers and developments

Facilitated by Tamazin Steele, Independent Schools Teacher Induction Panel (IStip)

Roundtable: Achieving a Better Society Through Change!

Facilitated by Yemisi Akindele, The High Achievers Academy

 

Change needs to happen and it needs to happen now!

If our independent schools are to remain amongst some of the best in the world and surpass others to become the leading schools, then we want to create within our education community an awareness agenda that gives us that unique competitive advantage.

The Black Lives Matter campaign that received public worldwide traction following the racially motivated killing of George Floyd in May 2020, had brought to light some of the unfortunate experiences of BAME students who had been and are currently being educated in our independent schools.

This can be done via adopting:

  • Guided and well thought out policies for implementation.
    • Cultural intelligent schools.
    • Awareness of self through training.
    • Who is in the mirror
Roundtable: Getting to know your MP

Facilitated by Simon Nathan, Independent Schools Council 

Schools are often best placed to develop relationships with their local MP and spread good news about the sector. Local politicians will have an ear for local schools and what is happening in the constituency.

But how do you make the approach? Come and listen to ISC’s policy and public affairs team explain the best way to build those relationships.

3:25 pm
Afternoon Break, Virtual Exhibition Networking and Live Delegate Meet Ups
3:50 pm
The Future of Independent Schools: Debating the Next Steps

In this live panel discussion we will discuss and forecast the future of independent schools, debating the next steps. The top 5 issues selected from our audience through our virtual chat function will be selected and brought to the table for debate among our panel of experts.

4:25 pm
End of Conference for 2020