Case Study
Event Design and Management of Yorkshire & Humber Professional Development Regional Conference
Summary
The co-design and events management of a Yorkshire & Humber Professional Development (PD) conference in Leeds on 8 December 2010 led by Carnegie Leaders in Learning Partnership, the regional centre for Yorkshire and Humber for the Training and Development Agency for schools (TDA).
As part of the contract addressing the Leadership of Professional Development, we were asked to design, deliver and co-manage with the TDA, one of nine key regional PD conferences taking place across the country.
The conference brief was met in full; we were asked to coordinate, design and event-manage a full day for 100 delegates. The conference involved detailed communication and liaison with two eminent key note speakers: Howard Kennedy (Director of Delivery at the TDA) and Professor David Hopkins.
Eleven cutting edge workshops were prepared with school leaders and Local Authority officers, based on the tailored support that the Regional Centre at Carnegie Leaders had provided during 2008-9 and facilitated enquiry based discussions enabled reflective and insightful adult learning. Carnegie Leaders were responsible for the marketing and delegate management as well as the procurement and management of the individuals involved in all workshops.
In addition the role of Conference Chair was delivered by the Director of Carnegie Leaders, Margaret Christian.
Pre conference preparation considered fine detail and appropriate content, as well as consistent partnership communication in order to ensure the highest quality experiences for delegates. Post conference activity involved event review, analysis of feedback, resource outputs for delegates, contribution to a regional and national report and ongoing support of the professional development agenda in the region’s schools.
Desired Impact of the Conference
Key aims:
- Ensure professional development is central to workforce strategies and plans
- Explore the critical link between professional development, curriculum design and school improvement
- Advocate the development of a self-supporting, self-sustaining system with schools leading change
Professional Development - Key Priorities:
- Embed a learning culture
- Increase coherence and collaboration
- Ensure quality
Key questions for conference delegates addressed through keynote presentation and workshops:
- How can we reach all schools so that high quality CPD leadership develops?
- How can we address within school variation in the quality of teaching?
- How can we measure the impact on teaching and learning?
- How can we find time for CPD in schools in an already overcrowded timetable?
- How will future funding proposals affect CPD opportunities / release?
- How will we connect regional, local and school based planning?
Attendees
100 attendees:
- Influential national voices
- Workforce Lead Officers from Local Authorities
- School Improvement Partners
- Training Schools Leaders
- Head Teachers
- Advanced Skills Teachers
- CPD Leaders from all school phases
- Provider Link Advisers for Initial Teacher Training
- Extended Services Lead Officers from Local Authorities
How we ensured that we achieved the intended outcomes
- Delegates engaged in discussion of the CPD challenges implicit within the vision of the 21st century school and new curricula
- Delegates informed about the national context and policy direction
- Effective practice drawn from across local authorities, children’s services and schools in the region to inform future solutions to CPD challenges
- Future regional / local planning informed to embed effective practice in all schools as part of a self-supporting, sustainable system
- Unique and contrasting local contexts addressed that arise in Yorkshire and Humber
- The right people were invited, attended and used networking opportunities in order to maximise influence beyond the day
86% of delegates agreed that the conference exceeded expectations
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