Inclusion and SEND Connect Day

Convening Leaders • Mapping Expertise • Shaping Collaboration

Creating a shared understanding of regional expertise, priorities and opportunities

The September Inclusion & SEND Connect Day brings together senior leaders from across our partner Multi-Academy Trusts with responsibility for inclusion, SEND and specialist provision.

This first Connect Day has been designed as a strategic convening rather than a traditional conference, recognising the significant opportunities presented by the Government's emerging SEND reform agenda and the increasingly important role that Multi-Academy Trusts will play in leading inclusive practice, sharing specialist expertise and strengthening collaboration across local systems.

The day has been designed around one central question:

How can we better understand and connect the expertise that already exists across our partnership to strengthen inclusion for children and young people?

The morning will focus on creating a shared understanding of the expertise, specialist provision and leadership capacity that already exists across our partnership. Drawing on information gathered in advance from participating trusts, delegates will work together to map regional strengths, identify opportunities for collaboration and explore how we can best support one another in responding to the changing national landscape.

Rather than seeking to create new structures, this session is intended to establish a shared understanding of our collective strengths, identify areas where collaboration could add value and agree how this emerging Professional Peer Network should work together over the coming year. Together, we will begin shaping a collaborative approach that reflects the needs, expertise and ambitions of our partner trusts.

From late morning into the afternoon we will move from strategic discussion to professional learning through a series of practitioner-led contributions showcasing innovative work from across our partnership.

Colleagues from Two Counties Trust will share their approach to inclusive practice, demonstrating how universal provision, targeted intervention and strong leadership can work together to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND. Drawing on practical examples from across the trust, they will explore how inclusive culture and specialist provision can be developed as part of a coherent trust-wide strategy.

We will also hear a presentation an update about the Communication and Interaction Framework project undertaken during the Spring and Summer Terms 2026. Developed in collaboration with Flying High Partnership and a number of Inspiring Leaders partner MATs, the project has explored how trusts can strengthen provision for children and young people with communication and interaction needs through a shared framework for practice. We will reflect on the key themes emerging from the project, the lessons learned through collaborative development and the implications for trusts seeking to develop consistent, evidence-informed approaches across their schools.

We are also delighted to welcome Pat McMahon, Founder of AccessHub, who will introduce practical approaches to helping schools and trusts become more accessible organisations. Pat will explore how leaders can evaluate and strengthen accessibility across every aspect of school life, supporting pupils, families, staff and visitors while complementing the wider national direction of travel around inclusive environments.

The day will conclude with facilitated Professional Peer Network discussions, providing an opportunity for delegates to reflect on the learning from the day, identify priorities for future collaboration and agree how the network can continue to support leaders between Connect Days.

As always, the Connect Day is designed to provide a trusted space for strategic thinking, professional dialogue and collaborative leadership. By bringing together colleagues from across our partnership, we hope to establish strong professional relationships, develop a shared understanding of regional priorities and create practical opportunities for trusts to learn from, and support, one another.

Who should attend?

Each partner Multi-Academy Trust is encouraged to nominate up to three or four senior colleagues with strategic responsibility for inclusion, SEND and specialist provision. This may include:

• CEOs and Executive Leaders

• Directors of Education

• Directors of Inclusion

• Directors of SEND

• Trust SEND Leads

• Headteachers of Special Schools

• Alternative Provision Leaders

• Trust Pastoral Leads

• Other senior leaders with strategic responsibility for inclusion, SEND or specialist provision

Whether your trust already has significant specialist expertise or is continuing to develop its inclusive practice, this Connect Day offers an opportunity to contribute to a growing network of leaders committed to improving outcomes for children and young people across our partnership.

Please book your place now. We look forward to welcoming you.