Oral Comprehension with picture books.
Content provided by our partner - Chiltern Teaching School.
Oral Comprehension with picture books.
Content provided by our partner - Chiltern Teaching School.
Oral Comprehension with picture books.
Content provided by our partner - Chiltern Teaching School.
Oral Comprehension with picture books.
Content provided by our partner - Chiltern Teaching School.
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Forge CPD Cloud
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CPD for the whole school community
Welcome to Forge CPD, non-profit making organisation. Our vision is to bring together the fractured educational world and strengthen partnerships locally and nationally by providing a central repository of knowledge and content which every partner contributes to, and benefits from. We aim to provide a core offer of high quality, evidence informed, professional development for all members of the school community at every stage of their career. This is just the beginning; content will grow as more partners come on board and new materials are created.
We look forward to working with you in the future to develop your staff to deliver the best possible offer for your pupils. For more information about how to become a member to access all our content, contact us.
EfL Learning Shared National Conference
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As leaders and practitioners within the specialist and mainstream sectors, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment. The DfE White Paper, ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving,’ places our expertise at the very heart of the national agenda, yet the "complexity shift" continues to challenge our provision and our workforce.
Our EfL Learning Shared National Conference at the University of Derby, partnering with EQUALS is designed specifically for the specialist and mainstream communities to connect, provoke new thinking, and define what "thriving" looks like for our most complex learners.
The Details
Theme: “Putting Children & Young People First: Rethinking What It Means to Thrive and Achieve”
Who should attend: Specialist and Mainstream school, trust and system leaders - connect and collaborate with over 100 school / Trust / system leaders
Date: Friday, 5th June 2026 (9:30am to 3:30pm)
Location: University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby, DE22 1GB
Cost: FREE for LearningShared subscribers
Lunch and refreshments provided
The Specialist Perspective
While the national narrative often focuses on broad inclusion, this conference explores the day to day reality for specialist settings. We will explore how the biggest reforms in a generation translate into the daily lives of learners with SLD, PMLD, and complex neurodivergent profiles.
We are bringing together the sector's most respected voices—including Janet Collins from the DfE SEND & AP Team, James Waller (EQUALS & Sunningdale), The DfE Enrichment Team, Diane Rochford OBE, Margaret Mulholland (ASCL) + many more to ensure the specialist voice isn't just heard, but is leading the conversation.
The Agenda: Deep Dives into Specialist Practice
1. Beyond Labels: Aligning Provision with Complex Needs
How do we move past broad cohorts to understand the unique "learning footprint" of every pupil?
Defining Specialist Ambition: How do we set high-expectation outcomes that are meaningful, not just measurable?
2. The New DfE Enrichment Framework in Specialist Settings
Translating the national "Enrichment" mandate for learners with complex needs.
How do we record the impact of arts, nature, Sports and civic engagement on personal development and "Preparing for life"?
3. Workforce Evolution: Practice-Based Evidence
Moving beyond traditional CPD: How do we nurture a highly skilled, reflective workforce capable of generating their own "practice-based evidence"?
4. The Power of the Specialist Network (Roundtables)
Collaborative Outreach: How specialist schools can lead the system through innovative partnership models.
Family-Centred Practice: The role of 'Experts by Experience' in co-producing ambitious life outcomes.
Confirmed Speakers
James Waller (Sunningdale School & EQUALS Chair)
DfE: Janet Collins - Head of Specialist Provision Unit, SEND & AP Directorate at the DfE (Policy Update)
Prof. Barry Carpenter CBE OBE D.Litt PhD
Diane Rochford OBE (Rochford Review Chair & SEND Expert)
Cheryl Gaughan (JMAT, EQUALS Vice Chair)
Matt Rooney (St Giles School)
Katherine Walsh (Director of Inclusion at RLT & CST SEND Community Chair)
DfE SEND & AP Team (National Strategy Update)
DfE Enrichment Framework Team
Additional speakers to be confirmed shortly…
A Community of Experts
The EfL and LearningShared community now includes more than 90% of specialist schools, colleges, and APs across England, as well as hundreds of forward-thinking mainstream schools and Trusts. This conference is a unique opportunity to step away from the daily demands of school leadership and engage in high-level collaboration with peers who truly "get it."
We believe in the collective power of school-based practitioners over one-off soundbites. This day is about your voice, your practice, and our shared impact.
Working in Partnership
Our new online training package enables schools to not only meet their compliance responsibilities, but also achieve those set out within best practice guidance. It provides the everyday skills, knowledge and confidence staff need to protect the safety and welfare of children in your care.
Our package includes subject specific training suitable for ALL members of the school community, best practice training to build a strong safeguarding culture in your school as well as Designated Safeguarding Lead training. This comprehensive suite of training is designed to support Designated Safeguarding Leads and senior leaders to keep safeguarding training refreshed within your setting.
For further information or to discuss your bespoke access requirements contact us: Email : info@forgecpd.com
