London Borough of Havering Annual 2024 Headteachers’ Conference & Exhibition

Ayesha Hazarika MBE

Ayesha is a columnist and broadcaster who is known for her insightful and witty opinions and observations on current affairs and politics. She hosts the weekend drivetime show on Times Radio every Saturday and Sunday from 4 till 7pm, where she dissects the week’s news and events across Westminster and beyond. Having started her career as a stand-up comedian playing clubs across the country, she then took what she thought was a natural diversion into politics as a Special Adviser for the Labour Party, working with them for eight years both in Government and Opposition. During her time in Westminster she worked for Gordon Brown, Harriet Harman and Ed Miliband, advising them on Prime Minister’s Questions, speeches, media and policy as well as heading up initiatives on topics such as Women and Equality. Since leaving front line politics, Ayesha has become a much sought after pundit. She has appeared on Question Times (BBC), Sky Papers (Sky News), The Andrew Marr Show (BBC1), Newsnight (BBC2), The Agenda (ITV) and The Today Programme (BBC Radio 4) as well as using her comedy skills on Have I Got News For You (BBC), The News Quiz (BBC Radio 4), Breaking the News (BBC Radio Scotland) and Matt Forde’s Unspun (Dave). Ayesha has a unique ability to combine laser-sharp political insight gleaned from the inside track at Westminster and her funny bones, honed in the world of comedy stand up; a perfect example of where a solid foundation in oracy has contributed to opportunity and success.

Day 1 - Dan Fitzpatrick

The author of the acclaimed book, The AI Classroom: The Ultimate Guide to Artificial Intelligence in Education, Dan imparts invaluable insights and tactics for harnessing AI in education. His work has earned him accolades such as the Tech Champion Award at the Dynamite Awards in 2022, and recognition in the latest EdTech50 awards. Dan holds an M.A., PGCE, and Post Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking & Innovation. This year alone, he has trained approximately 6,500 educators worldwide in the integration of AI into education and partnered with small business leaders and marketing professionals to enhance their practices using AI. He has featured on prominent media platforms such as Good Morning Britain, BBC Radio 4, ITV News, and This World on WION, where he discussed the implications and potential of AI in education and beyond. Dan’s unwavering commitment to the advancement of AI in education has made him a highly sought-after strategist and thought leader, inspiring educators, professionals, and organisations worldwide.

Day 1 - Floyd Steadman OBE

Associate Director for AMC, Floyd Steadman is a Governor of HMC and GSA schools, is a retired prep school headmaster and a Vice President of Saracens FC. He was an ISI Inspector with strong coaching/mentoring skills. Though now retired, he does some consultancy work (on diversity, equality & inclusion and other issues) with schools, companies, charities and professional sports clubs. He shares his life story, from being a child of the Windrush generation to playing for and captaining Saracens FC - one of only 14 players to be inducted into their Hall of Fame – and pursuing a career in teaching, during which he taught in both the state and independent sectors and was headhunted to be Headmaster at several prep schools in London and Surrey. Charity work includes supporting The Drive Forward Foundation, The African Science Academy, BOXWISE and Cancer Research UK. With his background and life experiences, he is keen to support people gain in confidence and maximise the opportunities they may have. Recent national awards have included the following: OBE – January 2023 Black Rugby List Lifetime Achievement Award – February 2023 Freeman of the City of London – June 2023 RFU Rose Award – June 2023

Day 1 - Kirsten Mould

Kirsten is Senior Content Manager at the Education Endowment Foundation. She leads a team of Content Specialists, current school and setting leaders seconded to EEF who bridge research evidence and practice through carefully calibrated campaigns. Kirsten has taught across primary and secondary phases in over 25 years of teaching. As a recent Assistant Headteacher, strategic lead for PP and SENCo, she aimed to keep social and academic threads intact for all. She is particularly interested in looking at the links between research evidence on behaviour, social and emotional learning, SEND, parental engagement and metacognition.

Day 1 - Rt Hon Justine Greening

Justine is a former Secretary of State for Education, Transport, International Development, and Minister for Women and Equalities. She was the first person in her family to go to university - the University of Southampton - where she studied Business Economics and Accounting. After a career in industry, Justine became Member of Parliament for Putney. Between 2011 and 2018, Justine served as a UK Cabinet Minister, including as the first ever comprehensive school-educated Education Secretary, from 2016-18. Justine put social mobility at the heart of the Department for Education’s strategy through the Social Mobility Action Plan, alongside introducing Opportunity Areas, and Gender Pay Gap reporting. She left Cabinet and Parliament to fully focus on her Social Mobility Pledge campaign mobilising the private and public sectors to work together to drive grass roots change.

Day 2 - Maggie Farrar

Maggie has worked in London and Birmingham in senior leadership positions in schools and local authorities. She was the Director for Leadership Development, Research and Succession Planning at the National College for School Leadership in England and interim Chief Executive. Maggie has been instrumental in the development of a school-led self-improving system in England and has led the design and development of leadership programmes that support the growth of system leadership and the development of cluster based collaborative approaches to school improvement. She is currently working with over 1,700 schools on a national model of peer review and school collaborative self -improvement in England with Education Development Trust. She is also supporting the development of the National Academy of Educational Leadership in Wales, with particular reference to their leadership wellbeing strategy. Maggie is a leadership coach to a number of leaders and senior leadership teams and over the last 3 years she has worked with over 1000 leaders on strengthening their leadership and supporting their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of others. She is the author of 'Leading with Presence; it's an inside job,' published in 2022 by Cadogan Press. To find out more about her work go to: https://www.empoweringleadership.co.uk/ Maggie was awarded the CBE for services to Education in 2014.

Day 2 - Sam Freedman

Sam is a senior fellow at the Institute for Government and writes regularly on politics and policy for numerous outlets as well as his substack newsletter ‘Comment is Freed’ which has over 40,000 subscribers. Previously he was an executive director at Teach First and worked at the Department for Education as a senior policy adviser. Sam is also a senior adviser to the education charity Ark; Vice-Chair of Ambition Institute; and a trustee of the Holocaust Educational Trust.