Time

Session

09.00 -09.30

Refreshments with Exhibitors

09:30 – 10.00

Registration

10.00 – 10.10

Welcome and introductions

Speaker: Kate Howell, Director of Education, HMC

Sponsor: TaskSpace

10.15 – 11.00

Keynote 1: Contemporary challenges in the lives of sixth formers and how we can optimally support them

Dr Kathy Weston will draw on research insights from her work supporting schools globally, there will be opportunity for a Q and A and discussion

Speaker: Dr Kathy Weston, TooledUp Education

11.00 – 11.30

Refreshment break with exhibitors

11.30 – 12.15

UCAS Updates - the latest data and developments

Speaker: Kim Eccleston, Head of Strategy and Reform, UCAS

12.15 – 13.05

Keynote 2: Marketing your Sixth Form - strategies for retaining students between Years 11 and 12

In an increasingly competitive post-16 landscape, Sixth Forms must work harder than ever to retain current pupils and attract new ones. This practical session explores proven strategies for securing strong progression from Year 11 to Year 12, alongside effective approaches to recruiting externally. It will also examine the critical role of outstanding customer service in shaping perceptions and decisions. Finally, it will look ahead to what families of 2026 will be seeking from Sixth Forms, and how schools can position themselves to meet those expectations with confidence.

Speaker: Rachel Hadley-Leonard, Founder and Independent Consultant at RHL Consulting

13.05 – 13:50

Buffet Lunch

13.50 - 14.40

Networking session

14.40 – 15.00

Refreshment break with exhibitors

15.00 16.00

Keynote 3: Engaging & Educating Boys to Navigate the Next Stage

Boys today are coming of age in a world that is louder, faster, and more confusing than ever before. From endless distraction, hyper-sexualised content and toxic influencer culture to shifting social expectations around masculinity, relationships and identity, many boys are being shaped long before they have the language, tools or support to make sense of their cultural context or to discern what they should challenge and what they should hold onto if they are to flourish throughout life.

This keynote invites educators and school leaders to move beyond alarm or nostalgia and instead engage boys with clarity, compassion and courage as they navigate this formative stage of their lives.

At the heart of this keynote is a hopeful but realistic message: boys are capable of empathy, respect and leadership — but this doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intentional education, consistent role-modelling, and spaces where boys are invited to reflect seriously on who they are becoming.

Speaker: Daniel Principe, Youth Advocate & Educator

16.00

Closing remarks and depart

Speaker: Kate Howell, Director of Education, HMC