Outstanding against the odds Conference:
Courageous heads, tough schools, holistic education
Headship is harder than ever — budgets squeezed, staff stretched, and pressure from all sides.
But some leaders are thriving against the odds. How?
When?
Thursday 19th November 2026
Where?
Delivered online using zoom (save money and time and learn together as a team)
What?
Meet a selection of headteachers who will share their incredible stories, inspiring insights and practical advice with you.
If you aspire to continuous improvement, this is the conference for you.
Join our online conference to hear how headteachers beat the odds to deliver excellence for their children
Sponsored by:
Outdoor play and learning
Amazing play, every day, for every child
OPAL is an award-winning, mentor supported school improvement programme that addresses all the areas that schools must plan for if they want to strategically and sustainably improve the quality of their play opportunities. OPAL is the only programme of its kind that has been independently proven to sustainably improve the quality of play in British primary schools.
Meet heads who are getting above average results, in below average circumstances
This conference is a chance to step back and learn directly from heads who’ve done it.
Practical tips from great schools
We looked at over 100 schools, to bring you 4 that have achieved excellence in tough circumstances. It’s not just theory — it’s practical, inspiring, and grounded in real school experience.
Learn with your SLT
Spend the day discussing great leadership ideas with your SLT so you’re all on the same page and buzzing with great ideas for your school.
Our annual conference is in it's 15th year.
Attendees consistently rate it a 9/10 event 🙂
What to expect
5 brilliant speakers
Including four serving heads and Sonia — all sharing how they achieved excellence in tough contexts.
Reflection time
So if you can’t stay all day, your school still gets the full value.
Recordings of the talks
So you can use them in school with your wider team
1. Book onto ‘Outstanding against the odds: courageous heads, tough schools, holistic education'
One ticket covers your whole SLT (up to 6 people) — making this incredible value for money.
2. Get inspiration and practical ideas
3. Take the best ideas back into your school
2025 speakers
Beth Dyer, Nine Acres Primary School, Newport, Isle of Wight, Outstanding in July 2024
The culture you build is the outcome you get.
From challenge to triumph
Beth Dyer was until recently the Headteacher of Nine Acres Primary School in Newport, Isle of Wight—a school serving many families of white British heritage, where the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals and those needing SEN support is higher than average. Despite these challenges, in July 2024, Nine Acres became the first school on the Isle of Wight in over a decade to achieve Outstanding in all categories.
For more than ten years, Beth has led Nine Acres through a remarkable journey of improvement. From making tough staffing decisions to driving significant school development, she has transformed the school into a place of excellence.
Beth and her team have reshaped the way education is viewed at Nine Acres. Instead of focusing on “disadvantage,” they champion a culture of Excellence for All, using language and expectations to ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed. By prioritizing what truly matters for students’ futures, Beth has also reduced unnecessary workload for staff and introduced practical strategies that drive real improvement. She has mastered the art of turning obstacles into opportunities—even using inspections as a tool for growth rather than a hurdle to overcome.
Beth will share:
- How to prioritize what matters—focusing on teaching, learning, and strategic decisions that have the greatest impact.
- Ways to do more with less—reducing workload while embracing high-impact approaches like “corridor coaching” and “subject leader speed dating” to develop the team.
- The power of a clear vision—how a strong, unwavering vision helped navigate uncertainty and drive progress.
- Building a resilient school community—creating a high-performance culture of resilience, ambition, and continuous improvement.
Nine Acres’ success proves that with the right leadership, vision, and strategy, schools can achieve extraordinary outcomes—no matter the odds. Don’t miss this inspiring session with Beth.
Rob Francksen, OPAL CIC Managing Director
Is there a case for play in schools?
Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) has a vision that every child in every school has an amazing hour of high-quality play every day – with no exceptions.
Rob Francksen is going to share why play is so important, how it benefits your children school and school and how it can have a lasting cultural impact.
Rupinder Ahluwalia, Headteacher, Yeading Infant and Nursery School in Middlesex, Outstanding in December 2024
Magic in the everyday: Balancing academic success with joyful growth
Rupinder Ahluwalia, Headteacher of Yeading Infant and Nursery School in Hayes, Middlesex, leads with heart, purpose, and a deep commitment to developing the whole child. Yeading serves a richly diverse community, with a high proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language and a greater-than-average number eligible for free school meals. Despite these challenges, the school has maintained a track record of excellence—consistently rated ‘Good’ between 2005 and 2018, and recognised as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in both March 2019 and December 2024.
What sets Yeading apart is its unwavering belief that academic success and joyful, creative growth are not mutually exclusive. Under Rupinder’s leadership, high standards are matched by vibrant learning experiences. The curriculum goes beyond the classroom: children care for animals in a mini zoo, learn life skills in a custom-built cooking kitchen, and run the student-led YINS Café. Forest School and outdoor learning, led by trained staff, are central to school life—offering children meaningful, real-world contexts to explore, discover, and thrive.
In this dynamic environment, parental engagement isn’t just welcomed—it’s celebrated. Whether through popular workshops or weekly coffee mornings that regularly run out of chairs, Yeading builds strong, trusting relationships with families. These connections foster shared aspirations and genuine community partnership.
One of the school’s standout strengths is early writing. In Reception, children flourish in a nurturing yet high-expectation environment—producing impressive writing that reflects both creativity and confidence. Visitors are often struck not by rigid discipline, but by the school’s calm, purposeful atmosphere and its clearly communicated expectations.
In her talk, Rupinder will share:
- Developing the whole child
How balancing academic rigour with creativity and joy allows every child to flourish. - Enriching curriculum experiences
How Forest School, the mini zoo, cooking kitchen, and the YINS Café support real-life learning, language development, and confidence. - Parental engagement in a diverse community
How deep relationships with families build trust, boost aspirations, and lead to shared success. - High-quality early writing
How a supportive, aspirational environment leads to outstanding outcomes from the very start.
For Rupinder, education is about more than results—it’s about creating joyful, lasting experiences that help every child discover who they are and what they can become.
Rachel Ford, Headteacher, Bannockburn Primary School, Greenwich, Outstanding in June 2025
Culture first: How values, language and leadership transformed a school
Bannockburn Primary School, in the London Borough of Greenwich, serves a richly diverse community with higher-than-average numbers of pupils with SEN and those who speak English as an additional language. Since becoming Headteacher in 2014, Rachel Ford has led the school with a clear and consistent focus on putting children first. Under her leadership, Bannockburn has been recognised as Outstanding in all areas (Ofsted, June 2025).
At the heart of Bannockburn’s success is a simple but powerful principle: respectful relationships come first. Rachel and her team have built an environment where values, language and leadership intertwine and where respect, wellbeing and belonging are nurtured for pupils, staff and families alike. This shared ethos has ensured staff consistency, collective responsibility and a flourishing behaviour culture across the school.
Teachers lead a wide range of clubs and enrichment activities that reflect the interests and identities of their pupils, creating a vibrant community where every child feels valued and inspired. The curriculum is broad, balanced and purposeful designed around the question of how the school can do the best for all children.
With a zero-shout policy, strong safeguarding practice and clear codes of conduct for everyone (including parents), the school has been described as an “Oasis of Calm”; a place where respect, wellbeing and aspiration are shared priorities. This has supported both high staff retention and a deep sense of professional trust and pride.
Drawing on her background in social anthropology, Rachel leads through the lens of culture and community. Her belief in reflective practice and shared accountability has helped the school navigate complex social issues while maintaining a strong sense of safety, inclusion and purpose. She now supports other leaders to develop similarly values-led schools grounded in respect, integrity and belonging.
In her session, Rachel will share:
Culture and curriculum in harmony
How a broad, balanced and inclusive curriculum shaped by the school’s diverse demographic enables every child to thrive.
Leading with values and language
How prioritising wellbeing, trust and emotional literacy across staff and pupils has built consistency and a flourishing behaviour culture.
Safeguarding through shared accountability
How clear expectations, collective responsibility and strong safeguarding practice create a safe, values-led environment built on trust and collaboration.
Bannockburn’s story shows that when a school puts culture, care and community first, excellence naturally follows; for every child, every day.
Sonia Gill, Founder & Director of Heads Up
The company you keep: How exposure shapes excellence
You’re the sum of the five schools you spend the most time with.
In this eye-opening and energising session, we’ll explore the quiet but powerful influence your professional circle has on your school’s culture, ambition and direction.
We’ll explore:
- Are the schools around you stretching your thinking — or keeping you stuck? And what can you do about it?
- How the right peer group can lift your leadership, your confidence — and your school.
Whether you’re pushing on from an already high level or feeling “good but stuck,” this session will help you reimagine what’s possible — and take one bold step closer to it.
Phil Palmer, Executive Headteacher, The Oaks Primary School in Ipswich, Outstanding October 2024
The quiet power of relentless improvement
The Oaks Primary School has a higher than average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, those who speak English as an additional language and pupils needing SEN support.
Since becoming Headteacher in 2013, Phil has led The Oaks through a powerful journey of transformation, in the face of deep-rooted challenges. Formed from two struggling schools, The Oaks narrowly avoided special measures in 2009, was rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted in 2012, achieved ‘Outstanding’ in October 2018, and successfully sustained its ‘Outstanding’ judgement in the most recent inspection in October 2024.
The Oaks was a founder member of an academy trust in 2015, which opened up new opportunities for growth and improvement. Phil’s clear vision — “striving for excellence” — now drives everything. The introduction of the school’s Language of Learning (independence, resilience, self-belief, reflectiveness, and articulacy) has helped shift pupils from passive recipients to active learners, which has been particularly vital in a community facing high levels of disadvantage, including high levels of crime and county lines.
The Oaks staff grow professionally in a culture of high support and high challenge. Many have stayed long-term because they are so aligned to its shared purpose. Phil does not deny The Oaks is a demanding place to work, but for those who believe in the vision, it’s a place to thrive.
Phil will share:
- How the school has moved from survival to striving
- How the school implements a ‘language of learning’ to shape confident, and articulate pupils
- How the school has turned its vision into a daily practice: embedding ‘striving for excellence’
- How the school anchors itself to the needs of families and the community
2025 Conference Schedule
| 09:30 – 09:40 | Welcome |
| 09:40 – 10:25 | From challenge to triumph – Beth Dyer |
| 10:25 – 10:40 | Reflection & Break |
| 10:40 – 11:00 | Is there a case for play in schools? – Rob Francksen |
| 11:00 – 11:15 | Reflection & Break |
| 11:15 – 12:00 | Magic in the everyday – Rupinder Ahluwalia |
| 12:00 – 12:40 | Reflection & Lunch Break |
| 12:40 – 13:25 | Culture first – Rachel Ford |
| 13:25 – 13:35 | Reflection & Break |
| 13:35 – 14:20 | The Company you keep – Sonia Gill |
| 14:20 – 14:30 | Reflection & Break |
| 14:30 – 15:15 | Quiet power – Phil Palmer |
| 15:15 – 15:25 | Reflection & Break |
| 15:25 – 15:55 | Ideas Exchange |
| 15:55 – 16:00 | Reflection & Close |
FAQs
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 you and all of your SLT.
I understand, a lot of online training sucks! But not ours. How do we know? We’re consistently rated 9/10 by headteachers and school leaders like you. We also ask what people prefer and th e majority opt for online, as this way you don’t have to pay for trains and you can attend with your SLT. You save time and money.
The conference will be take place online using zoom. We’ll email the joining instructions to you a couple of weeks before the event and send reminders.
If you have any questions please contact [email protected]
Whilst anyone is welcome, the conference is primarily focussed on primary schools, so we don’t recommend the conference to secondary schools.
What’s my investment?
£360+VAT
1 day of inspirational learning
Your entire SLT can attend
Only 60 tickets available
Registration opens in 2026 🙂