South West Regional Conference: Sense of belonging still matters

This South West inclusion conference centres on the principle that a strong sense of belonging is an integral and enduring feature of effective school practice. At a time of change across the education system, belonging remains a vital anchor—supporting engagement, reducing exclusion, and improving long-term outcomes for children and young people.

With a clear focus on the DfE South West context for inclusion, the conference reflects regional priorities around strengthening mainstream capacity, addressing attendance, reducing reliance on exclusion, and improving outcomes for pupils with SEND. It recognises that belonging is not an additional initiative, but a foundation for sustainable, inclusive school improvement. Drawing on research and insights from The Difference, including the work on Lost Learning and the exclusions continuum, the conference will explore the importance of belonging through multiple perspectives: school systems and leadership, pupil voice, and parent and carer experience.  

It will also consider how belonging aligns with current inspection expectations and wider accountability frameworks. Designed for school leaders committed to strengthening inclusive practice across the South West, the conference offers both strategic insight and practical, evidence-informed approaches. Attendees will leave with renewed motivation, a strengthened sense of collective purpose, and clear next steps to embed a culture where every child feels seen, valued, and that they truly belong. 

Objectives: 

By the end of this event, delegates will be able to:

• Apply Belonging as a strategic lever for improvement: to drive engagement, attendance, and reduce exclusion.
• Apply practical, evidence-informed strategies to strengthen mainstream inclusion and SEND support.
• Embed pupil, parent, and leadership voices to sustain inclusive culture. 

Agenda:

Speaker information and agenda updates will be added as soon as they are confirmed, please keep a lookout!

Location: 

Sandy Park Conference and Banqueting Centre
Sandy Park Way, Exeter, EX2 7NN

This is a fully funded event by the Department for Education.

If you have any questions, please contact the Whole School SEND team.