Events

A workshop for independent schools on what to expect under Ofsted’s current inspection framework, including the September 2026 updates. This practical online workshop is designed for independent school leaders who want to understand what to expect during a standard Ofsted inspection under the current inspection framework. Whether your school is new to the process, has not yet been inspected under the current framework, or would benefit from a refresher, the session will unpack how inspections are working in practice, what inspectors may look at, and how leaders can prepare effectively. The workshop will include practical guidance, key points to consider before inspection, and time for questions.

Join headteachers from across the non-association independent school sector for a practical, participative forum focused on the realities of leading an independent school. The NAISA Headteachers Forum is designed to provide something that busy school leaders rarely get enough of: protected time to step back, reflect, share experience and talk openly with colleagues who understand the pressures and responsibilities of the role. This is not a traditional training session. NAISA will facilitate the discussion and bring relevant information and sector insight, but the expertise, experience and questions of the headteachers attending will be a central part of the forum. A key focus of this session will be attendance and the headteacher’s role in leading a whole-school approach. We will explore how leaders establish expectations, understand patterns and underlying causes, ensure effective systems and intervention, work with pupils and families, and create a culture in which attendance is understood as everyone’s responsibility. Delegates will then have the opportunity to share their own experiences. What barriers are affecting pupils? Which approaches are making a difference? Where are schools struggling? And how can leaders achieve the right balance between support, challenge and accountability? The forum will also provide substantial time to discuss the wider realities of leading a non-association independent school. Headteachers will be invited to bring current questions, emerging issues, leadership challenges, examples of effective practice and areas where they would value the perspective of colleagues. An important feature of this forum is its connection with the forthcoming NAISA Proprietors Forum. Headteachers will be invited to consider what they would like proprietors to understand better about the headteacher role, what effective proprietor support looks like, and where more open discussion between the two roles may be needed. Key themes will be taken forward anonymously, helping to create a constructive conversation across the sector rather than focusing on individual schools or relationships. Who is this forum for? This forum is particularly suitable for: • Headteachers and Principals • Executive Headteachers • Heads of School • Senior leaders currently preparing for headship • Leaders responsible for the strategic direction of non-association independent schools Whether you are facing a particular leadership challenge, looking for ideas from other schools, wanting to reflect on your own practice, or simply value the opportunity to connect with peers who understand the role, the NAISA Headteachers Forum offers a supportive and professionally useful space for discussion, challenge and shared learning.

A practical workshop exploring the Independent School Standards, compliance, inspection expectations and how to evidence them effectively. The workshop is aimed at exploring the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 specifically: What they are – structure, coverage, who is responsible for what Why they are important - impact on registration status, inspection outcomes, pupil referrals, the ISS and Ofsted’s Inspection Framework How to ensure compliance – the AREA strategy How to demonstrate compliance for standards in different roles – documentation, implementation and evidence that inspectors may consider, and how this can look different depending on your role within the school. The workshop will move beyond simply reading the regulations and focus on what the standards mean in practice. Delegates will be encouraged to consider how effectively their own systems, processes and evidence demonstrate that requirements are understood, implemented and monitored.

Join fellow proprietors from across the non-association independent school sector for a practical, participative forum focused on the responsibilities, challenges and realities of effective proprietorship. The NAISA Proprietors Forum is designed to create space for proprietors to step away from the day-to-day demands of running their schools and reflect on the bigger questions: How well do you really know your school? Are you giving your headteacher the right balance of support and challenge? And would you feel confident discussing your school, its strengths and its priorities in depth with inspectors? A key focus of this forum will be the proprietor–headteacher relationship. Drawing on themes emerging from NAISA’s Headteachers Forum and from schools that have already experienced inspection, we will explore what headteachers value from proprietors, where tensions or misunderstandings can arise, and what helps create a strong and effective working relationship. This will not be about presenting a list of complaints or telling proprietors how they should operate. Instead, delegates will be encouraged to reflect on their own practice and discuss issues including communication, accountability, professional boundaries, challenge, support and shared responsibility for school improvement. We will also consider the increasing focus on proprietors within inspection and regulation. Proprietors need to be able to demonstrate more than an awareness of their statutory responsibilities: they need a clear understanding of how their school is performing, the challenges it faces, the quality of its leadership and the actions being taken to improve. The forum will include substantial time for open discussion, giving proprietors the opportunity to raise current concerns, share effective practice and explore challenges with colleagues who understand the particular context of non-association independent schools. Delegates will also help shape future Proprietors Forums by identifying the topics, speakers and areas of practice that would be most valuable to explore together. Who is this forum for? This forum is particularly suitable for: • Proprietors of independent schools • Chairs and members of proprietor bodies • Directors and owners with governance responsibilities • Senior leaders who hold proprietor or governance responsibilities The forum will be collaborative rather than presentation-led. NAISA will facilitate the conversation and bring relevant information and sector insight, but the experience and expertise of the proprietors attending will be a central part of the session. Whether you are an experienced proprietor or relatively new to the role, the forum provides an opportunity to reflect on your own practice, test your thinking, learn from other schools and strengthen your understanding of what effective proprietorship looks like in the current independent school landscape.

Join SENCOs from across the non-association independent school sector for a practical, participative forum focused on the changing SEND landscape and the challenges schools are facing right now. The NAISA SENCO Forum is not designed as a traditional training session. Instead, it provides a space for SENCOs to come together, share experience, test their thinking and explore the issues that matter most in their own settings. A key focus of this forum will be SEND reform and what emerging proposals could mean for non-association independent schools. We will consider possible implications for commissioning, placements, accountability, inclusion, local authority relationships and expectations of specialist and alternative provision. Rather than simply presenting information, we will use these themes to open up discussion. What opportunities could reform create? What are SENCOs concerned about? Where could there be unintended consequences for pupils or schools? And where is there still uncertainty about what changes may mean in practice? The forum will also provide substantial time for wider peer discussion. Delegates will be invited to bring current SEND challenges, questions, approaches that are working well and areas where they would value the perspective of colleagues. The aim is to create a supportive professional space where schools can learn from one another rather than every question having to be answered by the facilitators. Future SENCO Forums will also be shaped by the people attending them. Delegates will have the opportunity to identify the topics, emerging issues, speakers and examples of effective practice they would most value exploring at future sessions. Who is this forum for? This forum is particularly suitable for: • SENCOs and SEND leads • Inclusion leads • Senior leaders with responsibility for SEND • Leaders working within specialist or alternative provision • Colleagues with strategic responsibility for supporting pupils with additional needs The forum will be collaborative and discussion-led. NAISA will facilitate the session and bring relevant information and sector insight, but the experience and expertise of participating SENCOs will be central to the discussion. Whether you are trying to understand the potential impact of SEND reform, looking for ideas around a current challenge, or simply want the opportunity to connect with colleagues working in similar settings, the NAISA SENCO Forum offers a valuable opportunity to share practice, ask difficult questions and strengthen SEND provision across the sector.

This subject-specific workshop supports teachers and curriculum leaders to strengthen the planning and delivery of History or Computing. The session will explore: • The difference between substantive and disciplinary knowledge and why both matter • Developing clear progression through the curriculum • Integrating literacy within subject teaching • Making meaningful cross-curricular and careers links • Using technology effectively to support teaching and learning Participants will develop a clearer understanding of what makes a coherent, progressive subject curriculum and how this can be translated into effective classroom practice.