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Leading Through Change:
Free CPD for School Leaders

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AI in Education • Teacher Retention • SEND Provision

A focused 2-hour CPD morning designed for headteachers and senior leaders navigating the unprecedented challenges facing schools today.

📍 Origin, Bristol | 📅 Tuesday 28th April 2026 | ⏰ 09:30–11:30

Free CPD • Refreshments included • Open Networking

WELCOME TO NOVUS EDUCATION

Why School Leaders Are Registering for This Event

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School leadership in 2026 means navigating multiple complex challenges simultaneously.

You're managing AI integration while supporting exhausted staff. You're implementing SEND provision while recruitment gets harder.

You're expected to lead transformational change without the time to properly understand it.

This CPD morning creates the space you need.

In two hours, you'll gain:

What Makes This CPD Different

Real Expertise, Not Theory

Your speakers have led organisations, worked in classrooms and built award-winning SEND provision. They understand education from the inside and bring external perspective from beyond the school gates.

Integrated Thinking

Schools don't face isolated problems. AI adoption affects workload which impacts retention. SEND provision requires system flexibility which demands leadership clarity. This event connects these challenges rather than treating them separately.

Time-Conscious Design

Two hours. Three focused sessions. No padding, no sales presentations. Designed for leaders who need maximum value without losing a full school day.

Peer Learning Built In

Structured networking before and after sessions. Discussion encouraged. Meet leaders from other Bristol and Bath schools who genuinely understand your context.

  • Practical AI literacy — Move beyond the hype. Understand what AI actually means for your school's workload, decision-making and future planning. Learn from someone who led AI transformation in the commercial sector.

  • Honest retention insight — Hear directly from someone who works with teachers leaving the profession daily. Discover what really drives departures and what genuinely improves retention.

  • Actionable SEND strategies — Learn from an award-winning specialist how to create environments where pupils with SEND don't just participate, but truly thrive.

  • Peer connection — Meet fellow school leaders from Bristol and Bath facing identical pressures. Share experiences. Leave feeling less isolated.

This isn't generic CPD delivered by consultants who haven't stood in your shoes. Every speaker brings direct, relevant experience from education, technology leadership or specialist inclusion work.

MEET YOUR SPEAKERS

Matt Stone — AI Strategy Expert

Former Vice President at GoCompare, where he operated at senior leadership level in data-driven, AI-influenced commercial environments. Now advises organisations on ethical, practical AI adoption.

Matt brings real-world insight from leading teams through AI transformation. His session focuses on what school leaders genuinely need to understand about AI right now — cutting through both hype and fear to help you make informed decisions about technology integration, workload impact and future planning.

What you'll learn: How AI will reshape education work, what to prioritise now, and how to lead your school through technology change with clarity.

Mike Leaman — Teacher Retention Specialist

Former classroom teacher and founder of Classroom Exit Coach, a business supporting teachers considering or making the decision to leave education.

Through working closely with hundreds of departing teachers, Mike has developed an unusually honest perspective on why educators really leave, what schools unintentionally get wrong, and what genuinely improves morale, engagement and retention.

What you'll learn: The real reasons behind teacher departures and practical strategies that actually support retention.

Stephanie Wheen — SEND Inclusion Expert

Founder of Gympanzees, an award-winning charity supporting children and young people with disabilities and additional needs through play, physical activity and social connection.

Stephanie brings extensive experience creating environments where pupils with SEND don't just participate, they genuinely thrive. Her work focuses on practical, sustainable inclusion that works in real-world school settings.

What you'll learn: Experience-led strategies for building SEND provision that supports both pupils and staff effectively

Who Should Attend

This CPD session is designed specifically for:

  • Headteachers and Deputy Heads

  • Senior Leadership Team members

  • School Business Managers

  • MAT leaders and trustees

  • Anyone responsible for school strategy, staffing or SEND provision

If you're making decisions about your school's direction, people or provision, this morning will be directly relevant to your work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there really no cost?

None. This is free CPD with no expectation of follow-up purchases. NOVUS hosts this event to support school leaders across the region.

How long is the event?

Two hours, including networking. You'll be finished by 11:30.

Where exactly is the venue?

Origin Workspace Bristol — a central, accessible venue. Full address details provided upon registration.

Can I bring colleagues?

Yes. Register each attendee separately to guarantee their place.

What if I need to cancel?

Simply email to cancel. We understand school schedules change.

About NOVUS

NOVUS works with schools across Bristol and Bath, supporting pupils, staff and leadership teams with education services and strategic insight.

We're hosting this CPD morning because we see the pressures school leaders face daily. High-quality professional development should be accessible, practical and genuinely useful.

This event has no sales agenda. It's designed purely to support school leaders navigating complex, interconnected challenges with limited time and resources.

RESERVE YOUR PLACE

Places are limited to maintain quality discussion and peer interaction.

Confirmation sent immediately upon registration.

Leading Through Change • Tuesday 28th April 2026 • Origin Workspace, Bristol • 09:30–11:30


Questions about the event?

Contact Us

 

 

Event Programme

09:30 — Arrival, refreshments & networking

 

10:00 — Welcome from NOVUS

 

10:10AI: Friend or Foe?
 Matt Stone | Former VP, GoCompare | AI Strategy Expert

Cut through the confusion. Understand how AI will reshape education workload, what you need to know now, and how to lead your school through technology change with confidence.

 

10:25Why Teachers Are Leaving and How to Combat It
 Mike Leaman | Former Teacher | Founder, Classroom Exit Coach

Unfiltered truth about teacher departures from someone who coaches educators out of the profession. Learn what schools unintentionally get wrong and what genuinely supports retention.

 

10:40Creating Environments Where Pupils with SEND Thrive
 Stephanie Wheen | Founder, Gympanzees

Move beyond policy compliance. Discover practical, experience-led strategies for building truly inclusive provision that works for pupils and staff alike.

 

10:55 — Closing remarks

 

11:00 — Open networking

 

11:30 — Close

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