East London School Business Leaders Conference & Exhibition

Ciara Campfield

Ciara has amassed a wealth of experience advising a range of education institutions on corporate, commercial and governance matters. Ciara started her career at Eversheds before moving to Stone King to focus more on developing her education practice. She has a particular interest and specialism in advising on the development of joint ventures and multi-partner collaborations comprising local authorities, education and business. She has a particular interest in advising general further education colleges and sixth form colleges on corporate and commercial matters, including mergers, restructures and federations. A core aspect of Ciara’s work involves advising on the set up of new education institutions (academies and group training organisations offering skills-based learning focused on local area and needs). Recent examples of Ciara’s work includes advising a leading further education college on its bid (as lead partner) to establish one of the country’s first Institutes of Technology, based on the German polytechnic model. Ciara’s advice entailed leading on, and negotiating, the underpinning legal structure for the Institute, advising on various funding streams and loan arrangements, investment structures, validation arrangements, pastoral and governance matters. Ciara also provides a range of commercial and corporate advice to academy trusts and spends her time advising the largest multi academy trusts on project work and public procurement issues and strategy.

David Cameron

David Cameron is a highly experienced educator and a fantastic speaker, known to all as the ‘Real David Cameron’. He combines an overview of education, from policy making at national level to knowing what makes children tick in a real classroom and everything in between, with the ability to call a spade a spade. He uses this unique perspective to help educators across the UK understand the power they have to cut through the policies and practices that get in the way of simply doing the best possible job they can in a way that makes sense for everyone. A highly entertaining, engaging and thought-provoking speaker comfortable working at all stages, and in any sector, David has worked across the UK and internationally with teachers, school leaders and governors. He has the knack of showing up the guff thrown at schools on a seemingly daily basis for what it is, combined with the ability to suggest eminently common sense and practical solutions that inspire all audience members to re-evaluate their day-to-day work. With his help, teachers and leaders can then get on with the serious job of educating young people properly. He was Director of Children’s Services for Stirling Council. Before that he was Head of Education in East Lothian. He has been an Area Manager providing support and challenge to a large group of schools in Fife, Performance Review Manager with overall responsibility for Quality Assurance and, before that an Adviser responsible for curriculum development and assessment. He has worked in schools up to the early ‘90s and has extensive experience in school management at all levels and experience of leading a major national development of curriculum and assessment in Scotland introducing new Standard Grade courses. He was President of the Association of Directors of Education Scotland and has been involved with a range of national groups, notably on Curriculum for Excellence, Outdoor Education and Looked After Children. As a consultant, He has supported Midlothian Council in their reorganisation of services to Children and Families and engaged with Skills Development Scotland in a major review of policy procedures and practice. I have since led reviews on class size regulations and arrangements for devolved school management.

Jean Boyle

With over 10 years’ post qualification experience in the education sector, Jean is an accomplished employment lawyer who specialises in acting for those in the not for profit and education sector and is fully versed in the employment law issues facing these organisations. Jean has extensive experience in advising a range of clients on all aspects of employment law. She has particular expertise in TUPE issues especially on outsourcing and has supported many clients through complex TUPE transfers. Alongside the other partners in the team, Jean acts for clients in relation to the most complex advisory cases and supervises junior colleagues in dealing with routine enquiries. Since joining Stone King in 2008 Jean has developed a niche practice alongside her employment advice which provides support to schools on issues relating to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme and the Local Government Pension Scheme. In this respect Jean has particular expertise in relation to public to private sector outsourcing and admission arrangements. Jean aims to provide practical, sector specific advice and works with clients to support their strategic plans and provide client focused support. Jean is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association and the Association of Pension Lawyers, is a regular speaker at national and regional conferences and writes for numerous publications on sector specific issues.

Justine Berkeley

Justine is an experienced business manager and chartered accountant committed to demonstrating the significant impact the strategic management of support functions can have on organisational improvement. Justine has experience in both the public and private sector previously working for Suffolk and Essex Local Authorities managing their financial management traded services and has 7 years’ experience working as a school business director. Justine owns and manages SBM Services Ltd, provider of consultancy services and the SBM Toolkit. Justine is a Fellow of the Institute of School Business Leaders, a Specialist Leader of Education, won the award of School Business Manager of the Year and recently received an award from the ISBL for outstanding contributions to the professionalisation of school business leadership.

Michael Quigley - Kataholos

Michael Quigley, BA (Hons) 1st class, MA, PGCE, is a former primary school teacher with extensive experience of teaching, coaching, leading and team membership, coupled with a life-long enduring passion for and interest in fitness, wellbeing and growing people. He is a published author and regular blogger as well as the creator of multiple online professional and personal development courses with his company Kataholos. He has over 10 years of teaching experience and has delivered training sessions over the last five years to thousands of people for organizations including the North and Western Chamber of Commerce, the Global Chamber, the FSB, DJH Mitten Clarke, Cooney Carey, the Chartered Insurance Institute all over the UK as well as internationally for Russell Bedford International. Michael has an extensive experience in public speaking, delivering for both the public and private sector regionally, nationally and internationally, both in person and online. He has delivered training sessions both in person and online for CII members all over the UK for 3 years so far. His Kataholos Online Learning Platform empowers over 8000 professionals in 100 countries currently, with e learning courses on stress, wholistic health, communication skills and motivation. Michael has a motivational podcast for business professionals, Food for the Journey on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and has two published books, "Guidelines for a Wholistic happy life" and "Loving Leadership.

Ross McWilliam

Ross is a freelance speaker and author with over 30 years’ experience within education. He has worked in over 1,000 schools and engaged with over one million young children, adolescents and professional staff. His areas of focus are Wellbeing, Emotional Confidence & Resilience, Behaviour Management, Pupil Engagement, Mindsets, Staff Motivation and Change Management. Ross speaks nationally around the subject of mindsets and has spoken at NAHT Conference 2017, Northwest Heads Conference 2017, ISBL National Conference 2018, Wirral SBM 2019, LASBM 2019 and Ealing Borough Council Conference 2019. Ross writes for various educational journals including TES, Headteacher Update and Primary Times and has written four books on children’s mental health and performance. His latest book is out in August 2019. At today’s Conference, Ross will address delegates on the issue of staff wellbeing. Ross will identify stress flashpoints, offer a measurement tool to quantify current stress levels and provide short- and long-term strategies to improve wellbeing. However, Ross believes that a belief in self whilst being connected, are core to sustainable wellbeing. Ross will also talk about how being too resilient, may in fact, be a precursor for stress. Ross not only speaks from a position of authority, but has had his own wellbeing challenges which involved scarring, physical disability, and a series of panic attacks over recent years. This unique viewpoint helps him connect with his audiences and their wellbeing challenges.

Vicky Butters

Vicky has over 17 years’ experience providing strategic, operational and transactional financial management support to schools, academies and multi-academy trusts. This experience was gained through her current position at SAAF Education as Senior Finance Consultant and previous position in Nottingham City Council’s School Finance Team. Vicky has a thorough knowledge of school and academy finance and supports multiple clients with budget setting each year. Vicky’s friendly and approachable manner enable her to deliver training to a varied audience and explain complex information in a jargon freeway.