Deputy Junior Heads' Conference - Wednesday 4 March 2026 (St Paul’s Prep School, London)

Time

Session

Room

09:30 – 09.50

Registration

9:50 – 10.00

Welcome and introductions

Speakers:

Becca Barnett, Education Officer, HMC

Nick Arnold, Senior Deputy Head at St Paul’s Junior School

10.00 – 11.00

Keynote 1: Making customer service everyone’s business - The Deputy Head’s influence on recruitment, retention, and staff culture.

Deputy Heads play a pivotal role in turning strategic intent into everyday practice. This session explores how they can bring the staffroom with them, embedding consistent customer service behaviours that strengthen recruitment, retention and parental confidence. It offers practical leadership approaches to making every touchpoint count, without adding to workload!

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

11.00 – 11.15

Refreshment break

11:15 – 11.20

Sponsor 1 presentation

11.20 – 12.05

Keynote 2: Turning Mirrors into Windows - A focus on EDI

Is your school’s EDI strategy a bolt on? Or is it already part of its DNA?

This session is designed specifically for Deputy Heads who want to move beyond tokenistic ‘diversity weeks’ and ‘festival celebrations’ towards an embedded and robust, pupil-led EDI culture. The session will explore pupil empowerment and gaining whole school confidence in EDI and will provide Deputy Heads with audit tools to assess the effectiveness of changes they may choose to make in their own school communities.

Speaker: Claire Lyons, Head at Oswestry School

12.15 – 12.45

Case Study Sessions (Academic/ Pastoral)

Session 1:

Developing a Collaborative Professional Learning School Culture

During this session, we will explore how developing a culture of collaborative professional learning can be the driving force behind whole school development; positively impacting on both pupil outcomes and staff well-being. Jill will share the journey her school has been on to significantly develop the structure of their professional learning programme. At its core, it aims to empower staff to take ownership of their own professional development through collaboration and coaching conversations. Additionally, Jill will discuss ideas for overcoming barriers that can occur because of the competing demands of a busy school day!

Speaker: Jill Pawluk: Professional learning leading development in school

Supporting girls’ friendships

Speaker: Andrea Evans, Deputy Head (GSAL)Managing friendship issues amongst girls

12.45 – 12.50

Move to Next Session

12.50 - 13.20

Case Study Sessions (Academic/ Pastoral)

Session 2:

How should our curriculum adapt for the future in prep schools?

How technology is shaping the experiences of future generations, how school curricula are adapting to forthcoming changes inside and outside of the classroom with a particular on Prep Schools, and how we can ensure that the skills taught in schools align with an ever-evolving job market.

Speaker: Pippa Sutcliffe Culford: Creating a 21^st c Curriculum (oracy)

Pastoral: Rosie Ferris, Character Education by the Team at St Paul’s (bringing in resilience) and belonging

13.20 – 14:00

Lunch

14:00 – 14:05

Sponsor 2 presentation

14:05 - 14.50

Networking and problem-solving sessions topics:

• Attendance and school avoidance (linked with SEMH provision and managing emotionally based school avoidance - EBSA) 
• Pupil welfare and pastoral care including challenges such as mobile phone use, AI and online safety 
• Parental expectations and parental engagement
• Tracking and assessment cycles/ products used by schools
• Curriculum development and balancing the curriculum for the mid-21st century 

14.50 – 15.10

Refreshment break

15.10 16.10

Keynote 4: Strategies and tips for staff self-care & wellbeing in schools

The latest survey of staff wellbeing from Education Support stated that staff who report helping their pupils or students manage their emotional responses claim they are doing so 30% more than they were before the pandemic. Pupils, it seems, are therefore receiving more support than ever...but what about the staff themselves?

In schools where staff wellbeing is a focus, absence rates are lower, job satisfaction increases, pupil outcomes are enhanced and this focus, above all, fosters a positive culture for everyone. This session will look at ways in which we can all improve self care, recognise the signs of poor mental health in ourselves and others and also consider what the school might be doing to support its staff

Speaker: Mike Crossley, Educational Leadership, Wellbeing & Mental Health Speaker, Trainer & Instructor

16.10 - 16:15

Closing remarks and depart

Speakers:

Becca Barnett, Education Officer, HMC

Nick Arnold, Senior Deputy Head at St Paul’s Junior School

16.15

Optional School Tour