Save the date....
We are pleased to announce the dates for our Regional Roadshows taking place in Spring 2026.
Join us for a day of professional development, networking and plenary discussions led by prominent voices in education covering the following:
- Education Reform
- SEND Review
- Ofsted
- Parental Complaints
- Funding
- Curriculum Review
- Employment Rights Act
These events have been intentionally designed to ensure they are nationally delivered, but locally felt. They are an opportunity to build community by mobilising regions and bringing NAHT expertise to members closer to their schools.
Dates and Venues (9.00am - 3.30pm)
Tuesday 24th February - IET, Birmingham
Wednesday 25th February - Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool
Thursday 19th March - Norwich
Friday 20th March - York
Tuesday 24th March - University of Bristol
Wednesday 25th March - London
Bookings will open in January, look out for further details.
Click here for booking terms, conditions and code of conduct.
Members: £95.00
Non-members: £145.00
Lunch and refreshments are included within the ticket price.
Welcome to our Speakers
Paul Whiteman – NAHT General Secretary
Paul Whiteman took over as General Secretary of NAHT in September 2017. NAHT represents the majority of school leaders in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Paul leads all of NAHT’s campaigns to improve schools for everyone, including the campaigns to achieve a fair funding settlement for schools, improving the systems of accountability and improving the recruitment and retention of teachers and leaders.
Prior to taking over as general secretary, Paul was NAHT’s director of representation and advice, a post he held for five years. The representation and advice team includes regional officers, organisers, the advice team and the legal team, helping to promote NAHT’s voice across the country while providing highly-regarded assistance and protection to members when needed.
Before joining NAHT, Paul spent a decade as a national official at the FDA, the union for civil servants. He has a first-class grasp of education issues as well as many years’ experience in the wider trade union movement.
James Bowen - NAHT Assistant General Secretary
James Bowen is Assistant General Secretary at the NAHT, where he leads the organisation’s policy, research, press and communications teams. He is the former Headteacher of an ‘outstanding’ junior school in Hampshire and has held a number of other leadership positions in schools, including Deputy Headteacher, SENCO and subject leader. James has particular expertise in a number of key policy areas including: funding, assessment, accountability and curriculum. He is a regular education blogger and appears regularly on television and radio as an NAHT spokesperson.
Marijke Miles - SEND Sector Chair
For over 25 years, Marijke Miles has worked with young people with SEND in many different settings and sectors. Currently Head Teacher of Baycroft School, a school for secondary aged students with learning and sensory difficulties and autism, she was previously Head Teacher of Prospect School, a secondary school for boys with SEMH. Both have become known as centres for excellence for supporting young people and their families, particularly for children in care, as well as training units for student social workers from the Universities of Chichester and Winchester. She is known for her innovative practice which has featured in several books, and she is in demand as both a speaker and writer. As Chair of the NAHT SEND Council and a member of the National Forum for Neuroscience in Special Education she contributes intellectual and moral advocacy into SEND practice, provision and strategy.
Ian Hartwright - NAHT Head of Policy (Professional)
Ian Hartwright is NAHT’s Head of Policy (Professional) and is responsible for NAHT’s policy work on pay, inspection, funding, recruitment and retention, and workload and well-being. An experienced educationist, Ian worked as both a teacher of history and politics and as a curriculum leader in four secondary schools. Ian led education at a grade 1 listed historic visitor attraction, delivering formal programmes, public engagement and working with European and Transatlantic partners. As a senior manager at Ofsted, Ian led the policy team responsible for developing statutory inspection frameworks, guidance and procedures, and later worked as a consultant before joining NAHT in 2016. A committed trade unionist, Ian has been a workplace representative and also served as a National Executive member of the FDA.
Sarah Hannafin - NAHT Head of Policy (Practice and Research)
Sarah Hannafin is Head of Policy (Practice and Research) at NAHT, the school leaders’ union, where her policy remit includes curriculum, statutory assessment, qualifications, performance data, pupil mental wellbeing and safeguarding. Before joining NAHT in 2015, Sarah spent 18 years working in schools, starting as a learning support assistant before qualifying as a teacher of Religious Education. She spent eight years of her teaching career on the senior leadership team where her responsibilities included teaching, learning, pastoral support and safeguarding.
Paula Porter - NAHT Assistant General Secretary (People, Advice and Legal)
Paula is a solicitor with over 28 years’ experience representing teachers, head teachers and other professionals in high profile legal proceedings. A former partner and practice lead with the largest trade union law firm in the UK.
Paula is also a school governor.
Katie Michelon - Partner, Browne Jacobson
Katie is a highly experienced education lawyer. She advises schools and academies across England on a broad range of education law matters, including governance, admissions, Ofsted inspection, exclusions and parental complaints. Katie has particular expertise in the area of school intervention, advising schools and academies on matters such as warning notices, interim executive boards and forced academisation. She also has a huge amount of experience of supporting schools with challenging Ofsted inspections. Katie has advised on hundreds of academy projects including the creation and expansion of multi-academy trusts and the conversion of all types of schools, including special schools, pupil referral units and hospital schools. She now focuses largely on group projects, working closely with multi-academy trusts on transfers and conversions. Katie regularly speaks at national conferences and delivers webinars. She also delivers bespoke training to trust boards and leadership teams on topics such as safeguarding, complaints and exclusions.
Programme*
TBA
Click here for booking terms, conditions and code of conduct.