Capability Conference
Tackle under-performance quickly, kindly and legally
When?
Thurs 19th March 2026
Where?
Delivered online using zoom (save money and time and learn together as a team)
What?
You’ll learn the key aspects of employment law in just one day, so you can manage your team with confidence and within the law
You’re expected to know the legal aspects of managing people, but have you been trained to?
Meet your expert guides for becoming confident in the key aspects of employment law you need to know
Clare Fowler, Employment Solicitor
At YESS law they believe ‘life’s too short to litigate’. She uses her wealth of experience to support many Educationalists’ navigate capability without going to court.
Sonia Gill, Founder & Director of Heads Up
Education leadership specialist and author of #1 Amazon ranked books ‘Successful Difficult Conversations in School’ and ‘Journey to Outstanding’.
Maria Brosnan, Wellbeing Specialist
Maria is a specialist in educational leadership, health, and wellbeing, with over three decades of experience as a counsellor, coach, author, and public speaker.
This one day conference is designed to help you resolve current issues with capability and sickness
- and avoid future ones
You’ll receive expert advice on:
- A step by step employment law guide to what you must (and must not) do during a capability process.
- Common mistakes to avoid when handling a formal capability management procedure.
- How to avoid capability in the first place.
- What the unions are looking for you to do (and what will trip you up).
Managing Sickness
- How to handle long term sickness absence.
- The stages to follow when assessing sickness related absence.
- What defines reasonable adjustments and your obligations.
- Current employment law issues to be aware of.
Managing Wellbeing
- The impact of stress on you and your team.
- Proven and practical methods that make measurable improvements to your health and wellbeing.
And you'll receive:
Best selling book for each of your team
A copy of #1 ranked book: Successful Difficult Conversations in School
Q&A session
Your opportunity to ask experts for advice about real life challenges you're facing in confidence
Recordings of the talks
So you can use them with your team
The conference is rated on average 9.1/10
by all delegates since 2017
FAQs
Lol! We get it, but school leaders love our training because we’ve made it better by being on zoom. It’s very interactive, you don’t have any travel costs and it means more of your SLT can be part of the training which means it has great impact. This day always gets great feedback and attendees are pleasantly surprised by how well it works online.
Yes, and you’ll be given access via our online portal.
Yes, they’ll be available for you in our online portal.
One ticket gives access to all members of your SLT.
Please contact [email protected] if you require any assistance regarding your booking.
2026 Schedule
| 09:30 – 09:40 | Introduction to the day |
| 09:40 – 10:40 | Clare Fowler: “Managing capability: avoiding the pitfalls and working with Unions” |
| 10:40 – 10:50 | Break |
| 10:50 – 11:50 | Clare Fowler: “Managing sickness” |
| 11:50 – 12:10 | Clare Fowler: “Key headlines from the 2025 Employment Rights Act” |
| 12:10 – 12:40 | Lunch break |
| 12:40 – 13:10 | Sonia Gill: “Sickness, lateness and under-performance are quietly costing schools £50k+ a year” |
| 13:10 – 13:40 | Maria Brosnan: “Managing Wellbeing” |
| 13:40 – 13:50 | Break |
| 13:50 – 14:50 | Q&A with Clare Fowler, Maria Brosnan and Sonia Gill |
| 14:50 – 15:00 | Conference wrap up |