PHAB School Leaders Conference 2026

PHAB 2026 Conference for School Leaders

Collaboration • Transformation • Aspiration

Primary Heads’ Association Bristol (PHAB) in collaboration with the Bristol Future programme

Thursday 12th March – Friday 13th March 2026 — St Pierre, Chepstow

The PHAB School Leaders Conference is our annual space to think, connect and re-energise as a leadership community.
This year, delivered in collaboration with the Bristol Future programme, we bring together national voices, system leaders and Bristol colleagues to focus on the challenge that matters most: breaking the link between deprivation and outcomes.

Across two connected days we will explore how collaboration, leadership and evidence can drive improvement for children across our city. Further speakers and Bristol contributions will be added as planning continues.

 

Conference Agenda

Day 1 – Thursday 12th March

Bristol Future: System Leadership & Collaboration

 

08:30 – 08:55 Arrival, coffee and sponsor exhibition open   

08:55 – 09:05 Welcome and housekeeping   

09:05 – 09:30

Hannah Woodhouse, Executive Director, Children’s Services, BCC  

Bristol Future – setting the strategic challenge for Bristol’s system   

09:30 – 10:30

Ealing Learning Partnership (ELP)   

Dr Clare Rees MBE and Tessa Hodgson   

Ealing Learning Partnership (ELP) is a formal borough-wide partnership between schools and the local authority, established to promote educational excellence, inclusion and wellbeing for all learners through collaboration and shared accountability.   

ELP has developed a structured model of school-to-school support, peer review, leadership development and partnership working across phases. Its work aligns statutory responsibilities and school-led improvement, creating a coherent local system built on trust and transparency.   

ELP will share how their partnership was established, how it evolved, and what practical steps enabled sustainable collaboration at scale.   

10:30 – 10:45 Q&A   

10:45 – 11:15 Break – refreshments and sponsor engagement   

11:15 – 12:15

CLF (Cabot Learning Federation)   

Kerry Coote (Evergreen Primary School) and Chris Barratt (Summerhill Academy)   

A Bristol case study in sustained school improvement.   

Status, belonging, esteem. A Bristol improvement story from Evergreen and Summerhill. Joint input from two Bristol schools with significant improvement journeys. Kerry and Chris will share how leadership, deep understanding of context and disciplined use of data have driven sustained change and success, including national outcomes. This includes the use of oracy to support children’s voice, approaches to raising achievement, and supporting the most vulnerable members of their communities to thrive.   

12:15 – 12:30 Q&A   

12:30 – 13:30 Lunch – networking and sponsor exhibition 

13:30 – 13:45

ACE – The Academies for Character and Excellence   

Cheryl Weyman MBE and Nick Hind   

Why leading collaborative networks impact.   

What are the features of successful collaboration?   

Collaborative alignment   

Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) to measure progress and impact   

Developing pupil-led collaboration to close the gap   

Network of teams as a collaborative exercise     

13:45 – 14:45 Q&A

14:45 – 15:00 

Darrius Meren – co-chairs Bristol Youth Council   

Bristol Youth Council represents young people from across the city and works closely with civic and education leaders to influence decisions that affect children and young people. The co-chairs will share their perspectives on belonging, opportunity and what meaningful collaboration looks like from a young person’s point of view. Their contribution will challenge and inform leadership decisions.   

15:00 – 15:30 Break – refresh and reset before panel   

15:30 – 15:50 Table discussion    

What feels most transferable to Bristol from today’s inputs?   

Where are we already strong in collaborative working?   

What would be a realistic first step to strengthen system leadership across primary schools? 

15:50 – 16:00 Facilitator synthesis and panel preperation 

15:50 – 16:20 Wrap-Up Panel – What does this mean for Bristol? (Panel reflections responsding to themes emerging from the table discussions.) 

Hannah Woodhouse and Susie Weaver (Education Director, Cabot Learning Federation) join the panel to reflect on the day’s learning and identify next steps for Bristol’s system leadership.  

16:20 Close – key headlines, direction of travel, evening logistics and Day 2 focus   

Formal end of Day 1   

(Sponsors remain open; networking encouraged but not assumed)   

Dinner for overnight delegates from 7:30pm  

 

 

Day 2 – Friday 13th March

Insight, Practice and What Next

 

08:30 – 09:00 Arrival, refreshments and sponsor exhibition   

09:00 – 09:05 Welcome and housekeeping   

09:05 – 09:15   

NAHT slot – support offer and key messages  

Introduction to day 2 

09:15 – 09:30 

Vik Verma, Director of Education and Skills BCC   

Reflections on collaboration, ambition and next steps for Bristol 

09:30 – 10:30   

Lee Elliot Major OBE   

Professor of Social Mobility, University of Exeter   

Former Chief Executive, The Sutton Trust   

Lee Elliot Major is the UK’s first Professor of Social Mobility and a leading authority on educational disadvantage and equity. A former teacher and Chief Executive of the Sutton Trust, he has worked extensively with schools, universities and policymakers to improve outcomes for children from under-resourced backgrounds.   

Lee’s work focuses on how evidence-informed leadership and system-level collaboration can help narrow attainment gaps and raise aspirations. He has authored multiple books on social mobility and education, and regularly advises government and school leaders on improving opportunity.   

At PHAB 2026, Lee will explore the national and international evidence on disadvantage and challenge Bristol leaders to translate ambition into practical, measurable action.   

10:30 – 11:00 Break – refreshments and sponsor engagement   

11:00 – 12:00   

Lee Elliot Major – Part 2   

Practical leadership session   

12:00 – 12:20 Table discussion   

What has been your key learning or reflection?   

What should Bristol prioritise next to strengthen collaboration?   

Are there questions you would like the panel to respond to? 

12:20 - 12:30 Facilitator sythesis and panel preparation

12:30 – 13:00  Wrap-Up Panel- Translating ambition into action (Panel responses to the day's discussions and practical next steps for Bristol Future leaders.)

Translating ambition into action: next steps for Bristol Future leaders   

13:00 Conference close – thanks, sponsors/prizes and final reflections   

13:00 – 13:30 Grab-and-go lunch