WELCOME TO NOVUS EDUCATION
Why School Leaders Are Registering for This Event
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.
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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.
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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.
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Actionable SEND strategies — Learn from an award-winning specialist how to create environments where pupils with SEND don't just participate, but truly thrive.
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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:
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Headteachers and Deputy Heads
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Senior Leadership Team members
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School Business Managers
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MAT leaders and trustees
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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.
Event Programme
09:30 — Arrival, refreshments & networking
10:00 — Welcome from NOVUS
10:10 — AI: 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.
10:25 — Why 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.
10:40 — Creating 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


