Manchester programme (16 November 2023)

Registration and refreshments (08:30 - 09:15)

Welcome from Optimus Education (09:15)

Chair's Welcome (09:20)

We are delighted to announce that the day will be chaired by Shahana Knight, Founder and Director of TPC Therapy Ltd.

Equipping students to deal with anxiety (09:25 - 09:55)

Gain impactful tools that children can use to alleviate anxiety, enabling them to self-regulate.
YoungMinds

Realistic and affordable strategies for boosting staff morale (09:55 - 10:25)

Benefit from inexpensive strategies that you can embed in your setting, providing benefits for staff morale, job satisfaction and performance.
Kat Howard, Author & Director of DRET Teaching School Hub

Keynote 3 (10:25 - 10:45)

Panel Q&A (10:45 - 10:55)

Morning refreshments, networking and exhibition (10:55 - 11:35)

Workshop Choices 1 (11:35 - 12:25)

1A Leading on staff wellbeing

Build effective communication with your team and leave with new ideas on what you might want to offer in your setting.

1B Conversations with parents and outside services

Take away effective strategies to engage parents and services in conversations around young people's mental health.
Hugo Metcalfe, Psychologist & Wellbeing Culture Specialist

1C Embedding wellbeing in the curriculum

Develop the necessary student understanding and skills needed for wellbeing by embedding wellbeing in the curriculum as part of a whole-school approach.

Lunch, networking and exhibition (12:25 - 13:20)

Workshop Choices 2 (13:20 - 14:10)

2A Writing a relationships policy

Raise emotional intelligence and embed wellbeing by putting connection at the core of your behaviour policy.
Shahana Knight, Founder and Director of TPC Therapy Ltd.

2B Eating disorders: steps to follow

Identify students with potential eating disorders at your setting and ensure you have procedures in place with clear steps to follow.
Lorraine Biddle, Head of School, The Beacon

2C Supporting students with additional needs

Deepen your support for neurodiverse children effectively, and employ therapeutic interventions that you and your staff can facilitate.
Samantha Benson, Headteacher, Lisburne School
Grace Kolakowski, PSHE & Wellbeing Lead, Lisburne School
Karen Wilson, Family Liaison Lead, Lisburne School

Afternoon refreshments, networking and exhibition (14:10 - 14:30)

Workshop Choices 3 (14:30 - 15:20)

3A Respond confidently to student need

Ensure that you are employing the most impactful interventions in this interactive session packed with engaging scenarios and time to reflect.
Sam Garner, Mental Health & Inclusion Consultant

3B Whole-school approach to wellbeing

Ensure your school’s vision, mission, values, and culture are centered around wellbeing and care for all.
Helen O'Connor, Psychologist, St. Swithun's School
Graham Yates, Deputy Head Pastoral, St. Swithun's School

3C Suicide prevention

Manage difficult, but necessary, conversations with young people, and ensure you have effective policies and systems in place.
Alice Newton-Leeming, Director, Mental Health Learning

Therapeutic classrooms and student voice (15:25 - 16:00)

Create purposeful designed environments that have wellbeing at the core, building on children's voices and cultivating learning.
Shahana Knight, Founder and Director of TPC Therapy Ltd.

Build self-compassion (16:00 - 16:20)

Equip yourself with tools to ensure your own wellbeing is looked after, and affirm the value you bring to your setting.
Sam Garner, Mental Health & Inclusion Consultant