Most Able Pupils Conference 2027
Previous Supporters Included
Overview
Recent research suggests that high-attaining pupils are not always sufficiently challenged, while longstanding questions remain about the classroom practices that most effectively support high attainment within inclusive learning environments. Schools also face growing challenges in sustaining high attainment, sufficiently challenging high-attaining pupils, and addressing increasing disengagement during key educational transitions. At the same time, attainment gaps have widened since the pandemic, with disadvantaged pupils estimated to be more than 19 months behind peers by age 16 (Education Policy Institute, 2024). These trends underline the crucial need for evidence-informed approaches that identify, challenge, and support most able learners throughout their educational journey.
Agenda
Online Registration
Chair’s Opening Remarks
Emily Yeomans, Director of Research, Education Endowment Foundation (invited)
Keynote: Identifying Most Able Pupils: Practical Strategies for Schools and Early Intervention
- Gain best practice takeaways on how to identify most able pupils beyond attainment data
- Exploring early intervention strategies to prevent underachievement and disengagement among most able learners
- Identifying barriers that prevent high-potential pupils from being recognised and discussing practical approaches to ensure hidden talent is identified, nurtured and sustained
- Highlighting actionable approaches to improve identification, ensuring no high-potential learner is missed
Andrew Terry, Headteacher, St Edburg’s C E Primary School (invited)
Keynote: The Impact of Oracy and Metacognition to Unlock Higher-Level Thinking and Achievement
- Exploring how oracy and metacognition can be used to deepen thinking, strengthen reasoning and stretch high-attaining pupils beyond surface-level responses
- Embedding oracy in classrooms to develop academic vocabulary, articulate thinking and improved reasoning across subjects
- Analysing the relationship between oracy, metacognitive practice and high attainment across the curriculum
- Gain best practice takeaways for creating a metacognitive classroom and a learning environment where pupils think more deeply, reflect more effectively and achieve at a higher level
Kate Paradine, Chief Executive Officer, Voice21 (invited)
Questions and Answers
Comfort Break
Keynote: Taking the Most Able Further with AI: Supporting Teachers and Students
- Analysing the growing role of AI in education and its importance in supporting high-quality teaching and learning, as recognised within the Every Child Achieving and Thriving White Paper
- Understanding how AI can be used in curriculum design and classroom practice to support high-impact teaching and reduce teacher workload
- Gain insights into how AI tools can extend and accelerate the learning of most able pupils to ensure high attainment is sustained and further developed
Hannah-Beth Clark, AI Quality and Safety Principal, Oak National Academy (invited)
Keynote: Engagement, Motivation and Encouragement: Whole School Approaches to High Attainment in Most Able Pupils
- Examining the importance of an engaging and motivating school culture that prioritises achievement and maximises pupil potential
- Gaining practical takeaways on developing whole-school approaches that embed engagement and motivation to support high attainment outcomes
- Recognising the role of nurturing and supportive learning environments in enabling high-attaining pupils to feel confident, curious and willing to participate
- Highlighting classroom strategies that place engagement, motivation and high expectations at the centre of teaching and learning to improve outcomes for all pupils
Clare Crowther, Leading Teacher for the More Able, Gifted and Talented, Greenbank High School (invited)
Case Study: Delivering Excellence Through Curriculum Design: Building Curriculums That Stretch the Most Able
- Expert-led guidance on designing curricula that provides stretch, depth and enrichment for most able learners
- Identifying the crucial additions and modifications that must be made to curriculums to prioritise equity
- Reviewing successful approaches to curriculum design and the key features that support sustained high attainment, highlighting transferable approaches that can be embedded to strengthen stretch and progression
- Understanding the needs of most able pupils, identifying common gaps in curriculum planning and exploring strategies to avoid ceiling effects in delivery
Christabel Shepherd, Associate and Trustee, National Association for Able Children in Education (NACE), Executive Headteacher, Bradford’s Copthorne Primary and Holy Brook Primary School (invited)
Questions and Answers
Lunch Break
Case Study: Supporting High-Attaining Disadvantaged Pupils
- Reviewing implementation strategies from a NACE Challenge Award institution on providing exceptional outcomes for disadvantaged high-attaining pupils
- Assessing the impact of parental engagement and carer support on attainment and progression to confront challenges faced by disadvantaged students
- Considering how pupil context, disadvantage and home circumstances can influence educational outcomes, and how schools can respond effectively, making educational success accessible for all students
- Implementing equitable classroom approaches that ensure high potential is identified, challenged and supported regardless of background
Simon Elliott, Executive Headteacher, Forest Gate Community School (invited)
Case Study: Moving Beyond Extension Tasks: Pedagogical Approaches to Target Equity and Stretch
- Reviewing the strategy of ‘teaching to the top’, moving beyond approaches that teach to the middle, ensuring all pupils are challenged through ambitious learning
- Prioritising inclusive approaches in the classroom to ensure hidden potential is not missed, and students are challenged to help close hidden achievement gaps
- Examining what high-challenge teaching looks like in practice, reviewing limitations of traditional extension task approaches and providing transferable pedagogical approaches
Laura March, Assistant Headteacher Teaching and Learning, Southend High School for Boys (invited)
Questions and Answers
Breakout Networking
Join our breakout networking session to discuss actionable solutions for identifying, stretching and supporting most able learners. We encourage you to share the strategies and approaches your school, institution or organisation has adopted to help high-attaining pupils engage, thrive and excel throughout their educational journey.
Comfort Break
Case Study: Identifying and Supporting Twice-Exceptional Learners: Maximising Potential
- Discussing how to identify twice-exceptional learners within the classroom and determine appropriate next steps to ensure equitable and effective provision
- Examining the profile of twice-exceptional learners and how this impacts engagement, accessibility and classroom practice
- Highlighting actionable strategies to balance support and stretch, ensuring both additional support needs and high potential are appropriately addressed
- Assessing approaches to ensure high potential is not masked by additional learning needs, and that learners are consistently challenged and supported
Alison Skyes, Headteacher, Bishopston Comprehensive School (invited)
Case Study: Sustaining High Attainment Through Classroom: Progression, Transitions and Long-Term Outcomes
- Understanding how transition gaps can affect the progress of high-attaining pupils, and exploring strategies to ensure sustained challenge and progression across all educational stages
- Gaining practical insights into preventing plateauing and maintaining engagement among most able learners throughout their educational journey
- Identifying the benefit of partnerships with feeder and neighbouring schools in supporting progression
- Discussing strategies and programmes to strengthen pathways to universities, further study and future careers, ensuring high-potential pupils are equipped to achieve long-term success
Matt Robinson, Headteacher, Upton House School (invited)
Questions and Answers
Chair’s Closing Remarks
Emily Yeomans, Director of Research, Education Endowment Foundation (invited)
Conference Close
Get in Touch
Previous Speakers
Rob Lightfoot
CEO
National Association for Able Children in Education
Chris Guénault
Senior Relationship Manager
Future Talent
Dr Abby Russell
Senior Lecturer in Child and Adolescent Mental Health
University of Exeter
Erica Holt-White
Research and Policy Manager
Sutton Trust
Jonathan Ferstenberg
School Improvement Partner and Leadership Coach
Bespoke School and Leadership Development
Nick Mills
Reading Development Consultant
Daisy Education
Isobel Waite
Senior Researcher
Futures for All
Natalie Jenson
Advice Service Manager, Specialist in High Ability & Care
Potential Plus UK
Katie Simpson
Head of Research and Learning
Bright Sparks CIC
Testimonials
An informative conference which has given me inspiration on ways to improve the progress and opportunities for the high attaining pupils in my school. It was a fantastic opportunity hear from experts and policy-makers, and to talk with fellow educators and more able coordinators to share strategies and event ideas.
A very informative and well structured conference that has genuinely provided some food for thought as to how we may move forward, in relation to the focus topic area, within my own school.
The speakers engaged well with the complex and subtle issues of multi-exceptional and ADHD learners as well as trauma-informed practice. A thought-provoking event backed by a great deal of research.Thank you!
Attending the most able learners conference has been invaluable for my school. The dissemination of information has enabled opportunities for all of our students to raise their achievements and aspirations.
An informative and thought-provoking conference which has inspired me to improve the progress and opportunities for High Achieving students in my school.
A fantastic opportunity to engage with experts, policy-makers, and fellow educators to share innovative strategies and gain insights into the latest developments in educating our most able.
Why You Should Attend
✓ Hear from leading education professionals, including NACE Challenge Ambassadors and representatives from NACE Challenge Award-accredited schools
✓ Classroom-ready approaches to stretch, challenge and support high-attaining learners
✓ Networking opportunities with speakers and senior colleagues across the education sector to exchange ideas, share challenges and discuss effective approaches to supporting most able learners
✓ 8 hours of CPD points towards your yearly quota
Who Should Attend
| Job Title | Organisation Type |
|---|---|
| Headteacher | Secondary or Primary Schools |
| Pupil Premium Coordinator | Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) or Local Authority School |
| Director of Inclusion or SENDCo | Academy Trust or Local Authority |
| Gifted and Talented Lead | Independent or State Schools |
| Education Policy Advisor | Department for Education / Local Education Authority |
| Outreach or Widening Participation Officer | University or Higher Education Institution |
Pricing Options
PUBLIC SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
VOLUNTARY SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
PRIVATE SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
Sponsorship
Raise Your Profile, Showcase Your Solutions, Generate New Business
If your products, services, and solutions can support our audiences in their roles, and you want to make connections and generate new business with key stakeholders, decision makers, and influencers, then please contact us using the form below.
IMPORTANT: There are only a small number of sponsorship opportunities available to ensure maximum exposure and ROI – contact us today to secure your place.
Virtual vs F2F
Whilst F2F provide better options for networking, there are many distinct advantages of sponsoring our online conferences including:
- Wider geographical reach of delegates and a different audience who prefer online to f2f
- Lower sponsorship package costs
- No travel/accommodation
- Less time out of the office
- No stand materials required (lower costs)
- 1 of only 2 sponsors involved – less competition on the day
- Prime speaking slot in the morning of the conference including Q&A – less distractions and easier for delegates to hear/absorb information
- Receive all delegate data after the conference to follow-up directly with those who attend and don’t attend (small % but still key stakeholders)
- Ongoing exposure via OnDemand access
To find out more and discuss your specific objectives, please contact us below:
