SESSIONS
Sessions
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Join Penguin PR for a relaxed chance to catch up with fellow school, MAT and EdTech colleagues. We'll be chatting about how we help education organisations share their stories with confidence - from celebrating pupil success to building stronger relationships with parents, staff and the wider community.
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Doors will open at 8:30am for all delegates, please visit our registration table to collect your delegate badge.
Light morning refreshments will be available in the Cafe Area.
Please use this time connect with other delagates or visit our exhibition stands and enjoy the lovely refreshments available.
Exhibitors
Altodigital | Aristotal | Ativion | Busy Things | Canva | ClassVR | ClickView | Daisy Education | Digit Music | Elementary Technology| Just2easy | Kahoot| L.E.A.D. IT Services | Magma Maths | Renaissance | Skolon
Location: Cafe & Main Hall
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We will be hearing from:
Lee Jepson, Director of IT, L.E.A.D. IT Services and L.E.A.D. Academy Trust
Kathy Hardy, CEO at Affinity Learning Partnership.
Location: Main Hall
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Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith will inform and inspire us with a keynote in which she shares the ideas, experiences and research that informed her development of the PedTech approach to the use of digital tools within schools.
Location: Main Hall
Duration: 30 Minutes
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Session Leader: Paul Heery, DfE RISE Advisor
Location: Main Hall
Duration: 30 Minutes
10:15am M.E.E.T. Sessions:
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![L.E.A.D. IT Services logo with three colored circles above and the tagline "Lead · Empower · Achieve · Drive" below.]()
Explore the use of 3D printers within school
L.E.A.D. IT Services
This practical workshop will provide you with hands-on activities designed to enable you to create 3D printed models and explore how you might use this within your school.
Using a free, online 3D modelling application, attendees will create a simple, 3D model and then print it on one of the 3D Printers that L.E.A.D. IT loans to schools who we support.
Session Type: Practical Workshop
Duration: 45 minutes
Location: Butler Suite
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![Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith. A woman with long brown hair smiling, wearing a pink top and pearl earrings, against a plain light gray background.]()
Pedagogy and practice of a digitally enabled school *
Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith
In the first of three immersive workshops, Dr. Fiona Aubrey-Smith will guide you in shaping and confidently expressing a vision rooted in strong pedagogical principles.
This session lays the groundwork for developing your own pedagogy-first approach to using digital tools, one that is firmly aligned to the unique context, needs, and ambitions of your school.
Session Type: Leaders Workshop
Duration: 45 minutes
Location: TBA
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![Jenny Parkinson-Mills. A woman with shoulder-length dark hair wearing a red button-up shirt, standing against a plain white background.]()
Practical uses of AI tools in schools
Jenny Parkinson-Mills
Jenny Parkinson-Mills will lead a practical workshop designed to help you explore how a range of free AI tools including Notebook LM, Canva, School AI, Copilot (and more) can be used to support teaching and learning in the classroom.
Go away with a host of immediately actionable ways in which you can use the tools to support you in your role, no matter how much or little experience you have with AI.
Session Type: Practical Workshop
Audience: Primary and Secondary
Duration: 45 minutes
Location: TBA
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![Logo for MEET with the words MEET, ENGAGE, EDUCATE, TEACH underneath, and the graphic design of the word MEET with stylized interlocking e's in blue, orange, and red colors.]()
Enhancing the use of online tools for learning
Reducing staff workload is essential for schools and Trusts. That includes simplifying access to quality online resources and gathering clear data on how those resources are being used as part of a wider digital strategy.
L.E.A.D. IT have chose Skolon to deliver these services to the schools across our trust and this session will provide an overview of how to access online resources using Skolon and how their tools and technologies make using online tools easier and more secure.
Session Type: Core Tech Workshop
Duration: 45 minutes
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![MAT Digital logo featuring hexagonal pattern and network lines on a blue background.]()
Challenges of developing IT support for a growing Trust
MAT Digital Workshop
A discussion about the things that need to be considered when growing your Trust and a sharing of experiences from Trusts, like L.E.A.D. where the IT support grew from a few local schools in Derby to our current 27.
Session Type: MAT Digital Workshop
Audience: MAT Senior Leaders
Duration: 45 minutes
Location: TBA
*Please note, Fiona’s three sessions are designed as a coherent whole, with Session 2 making use of the explorations in Session 1 and likewise, Session 3 building upon the content from sessions 1 and 2.
Signing up for Session 1 will automatically sign you up for sessions 2 and 3. Due to limited space, a sign up form will need to be completed to secure attendance to these sessions. This sign up form will be emailed to all registered delegates in the near future.
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Please use this time to visit our exhibition stands and enjoy the lovely refreshments available.
Exhibitors
Altodigital | Aristotal | Ativion | Busy Things| Canva | ClassVR | ClickView| Daisy Education | Digit Music | Elementary Technology| Just2easy | Kahoot| L.E.A.D. IT Services | Magma Maths | Renaissance | Skolon
Duration: 15 minutes
Location: Main Hall & Cafe Area
11:15am M.E.E.T. Sessions
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![Logo for L.E.A.D. IT Services with three colored dots (blue, orange, purple) and the words Lead, Empower, Achieve, Drive.]()
Using virtual reality to enhance learning.
L.E.A.D. IT Services
This practical workshop will provide you with hands-on activities designed to enable you to explore how you might use Virtual Reality within your school.
Attendees will be shown how to use the ClassVR learning portal to explore the resources available and how to build and save playlists of resources for future lessons aligned to the work that is being carried out in their lessons.
There will also be a chance to experience the ClassVR virtual environment, making use of the ClassVR headsets to explore example topics.
Session Type: Practical Workshop
Duration: 45 minutes
Location: Butler Suite
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![Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith. A woman with long brown hair smiling, wearing a pink top and pearl earrings, against a plain light gray background.]()
Preparing for PedTech in a digitally enabled learning environment *
Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith
In the second workshop of the day, Dr. Fiona Aubrey-Smith will challenge and inspire participants to think deeply about the eight powerful levers that drive meaningful, school and trustwide PedTech transformation, shifting mindsets, sharpening strategic focus, and laying the groundwork for impactful, scalable change.
Session Type: Leaders’ Workshop
Duration: 45 minutes
Location: TBA
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![Colorful circular logo with the word "Canva" in white script font center. Gradient background blending blue and purple shades.]()
Canva – an educational multi-tool
Canva
Much more than a fabulous design tool, Canva includes a wide range of tools and resources that support more effective learning and teaching activities whilst also reducing staff workload.
In this hands-on workshop participants will:
- have a walkthrough of the Canva platform
- explore the template library
- create new resources and designs using Canva AI
- learn how to use Canva in the classroom with students and for personal lesson preparation
Session Type: Practical Workshop
Audience: Primary and Secondary
Duration: 45 minutes
Location: TBA
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![Logo with the letters 'MEET' and the words 'Meet, Engage, Educate, Teach' underneath, on a dark blue background.]()
Enhancing support for the KCSIE agenda using powerful tools
There’s an increased focus on ensuring online safety and an awareness of the growing pressures that young people experience in their online lives.
Therefore, it is important that schools can develop a safe and secure online digital environment providing Designated Safeguarding Leads with access to a single platform that contains fast, secure and easy access to effective tools to report on both live and historical online interactions.
L.E.A.D. IT Services has chosen the tools provided by Ativion to assist in helping all our schools to create a safe, secure and responsive learning environment whether you are using Windows, MacOS, iPads or Chromebooks.
Ativion provide 2-click access to the most important tools you need, reducing staff workload and improving your ability to manage your online environment more effectively.
Session Type: Core Tech Workshop
Duration: 45 minutes
Location: TBA
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![MAT Digital logo with a dark blue background and a circular graphic with hexagons and connecting lines.]()
AI - here and now
MAT Digital Workshop
A MAT Digital workshop to discuss what we are each doing across our Trusts - what training and support we are giving, what works well, what hasn't worked so well, and what types of AI activities we are encouraging.
Session Type: MAT Digital Workshop
Audience: MAT Senior Leaders
Duration: 45 minutes
Location: TBA
*Please note, Fiona’s three sessions are designed as a coherent whole, with Session 2 making use of the explorations in Session 1 and likewise, Session 3 building upon the content from sessions 1 and 2.
Signing up for Session 1 will automatically sign you up for sessions 2 and 3. Due to limited space, a sign up form will need to be completed to secure attendance to these sessions. This sign up form will be emailed to all registered delegates in the near future.
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Session Leader: Mark Davis, Director, Blue Apple Education
Duration: 45 minutes
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Session Leader: Paul Hanmore, Founder, Youth Shoots
Duration: 45 minutes
12:00pm M.E.E.T. Sessions
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![Lee Jepson. A young man with brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a dark blazer, white shirt, purple tie, and a lanyard, smiling in an office environment.]()
A launchpad for innovation – Building a secure, reliable and effective digital infrastructure
Lee Jepson -L.E.A.D. IT Services | Ben Riggott - Embark Federation
In this session, Lee Jepson, Director of IT for L.E.A.D. Academy Trust and founder of L.E.A.D. IT Services, and Ben Riggott, Trust Development Lead at Embark Federation, will demonstrate how a proactive IT partnership moves beyond reactive support to become a true catalyst for innovation - creating the secure foundation Embark needs to enhance learning, empower staff and drive long-term development across its schools - and how other Multi-Academy Trusts can confidently apply the same approach within their own organisations.
Session Type: Practical Workshop
Duration: 45 minutes
Location: TBA
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![Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith. A woman with long brown hair smiling, wearing a pink top and pearl earrings, against a plain light gray background.]()
Developing and supporting PedTech within your digitally enabled school *
Dr. Fiona Aubrey-Smith
In the final workshop of the series, Dr. Fiona AubreySmith will extend the thinking from the earlier sessions by focusing on how to plan for meaningful impact. This session will explore the crucial distinction between teacher intentions and the actual learner experience, helping participants reflect on what truly changes in the classroom as a result of strategic decisions.
Together, we will consider how to identify whether our approaches are actually making a difference, and how to evaluate the real impact of vision and strategy on day-to-day teaching and learning practice.
Session Type: Leaders’ Workshop
Audience: Primary and Secondary staff
Duration: 30 minutes
Location: TBA
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![Jenny Parkinson-Mills. A woman with shoulder-length dark hair wearing a red button-up shirt, standing against a plain white background.]()
Practical uses of AI tools in schools
Jenny Parkinson Mills
A practical workshop designed to help you explore how a range of free AI tools including Notebook LM, Canva, School AI, Copilot (and more) can be used to support teaching and learning in the classroom.
Go away with a host of immediately actionable ways in which you can use the tools to support you in your role, no matter how much or little experience you have with AI.
Session Type: Practical Workshop
Audience: Primary and Secondary staff .
Duration: 45 Minutes
Location: TBA
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![Elementary Technology logo with a stylized icon and text.]()
Using SMART to create impact in the classroom
Christine Mayers - Elementary Technology
Join Elementary Technology for insights into how your SMART hardware and software can be used to create real impact in your classrooms.
- Move beyond traditional SMART Notebook delivery, and create, share and present interactive lessons with ease
- Make more of your pupil’s devices; free up time marking, reduce print costs and enable more teaching more quickly
- Accessibility tools – inbuilt tools for inclusion and SEND that you already have access to
- Insights into what the latest SMART software can do, and how to get started
An informative CPD session for leaders looking for insights, teachers wanting to develop their practice and buyers who need to understand what’s possible.
Session Type: Core Tech Workshop
Duration: 45 minutes
Location: TBA
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![Logo with the text 'MAT DIGITAL' next to a partial sphere with hexagonal patterns, on a dark blue background with connected dots and lines.]()
AI - Thinking ahead
MAT Digital Workshop
How are trusts preparing staff to teach with an increased focus on AI and digital literacy from 2028?
AI and Safeguarding - How are trusts addressing pupil use of AI in their daily lives (including emotional over-reliance) and not just what they are allowed to do with AI in school?
Session Type: MAT DIgital Workshop
Audience: MAT Digital members
Duration: 45 minutes
Location: TBA
*Please note, Fiona’s three sessions are designed as a coherent whole, with Session 2 making use of the explorations in Session 1 and likewise, Session 3 building upon the content from sessions 1 and 2.
Signing up for Session 1 will automatically sign you up for sessions 2 and 3. Due to limited space, a sign up form will need to be completed to secure attendance to these sessions. This sign up form will be emailed to all registered delegates in the near future.
LUNCH
12:45pm - 13:30pm
A free lunch buffet, included with your delegate package, will be provided by Reach Conference Centre.
If you have any dietary requirments and have not made the M.E.E.T. event team aware during registration, please email us at meetevent@leaditservices.com to see what arrangements can be made to accommodate your needs.
Afternoon Sessions (Main Hall)
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Our afternoon keynote features Baasit Siddiqui. His session focuses on how we can help every student thrive through character-building and social mobility.
Duration: 30 mins
Location: Main Hall
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Lessons from the Magma MathsPilot
L.E.A.D. IT is not simply a managed service provider, we aim to help schools innovate and develop new, and effective, ways of using digital tools, technologies and resources. In this session three of our schools will provide feedback about their exploration of new ways of using digital to support improved learning outcomes.
We have four schools exploring the use of Magma Maths. The schools are piloting Magma Maths over a whole year, using the tools alongside their chosen Maths schemes.
What does Magma Maths look like in practice? This session brings together Magma and L.E.A.D. schools to share honest reflections from a trust-wide pilot, exploring impact on teaching and learning, staff experience, pupil engagement and what has been learned along the way.
Schools will give their honest feedback about how the pilot is going, it’s impact on learning and teaching and, especially on teacher workload.
Location: Main Hall
Duration: 30 minutes
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Location: Main Hall
Duration: 15 minutes
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Luke Simon, CEO, School In A Bag
Location: Main Hall
Duration: 30 minutes
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