Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Teaching leaders to address NQT conference
Picture: Chris Dyson with Parklands pupils. Copyright Yorkshire Post Newspapers
Award-winning head teacher Chris Dyson will deliver a keynote presentation during the third NQT (Newly-Qualified Teacher) conference at Headingley Campus on Friday.
The event brings together the Carnegie School of Education’s initial teacher training graduates from the last two years.
Conference organiser Yasmin Valli, Principal Lecturer and NQT co-ordinator, said: “The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Illuminating learning’ and the aim is to enable NQTs to continue in their professional development and make progress in their career as teachers, thereby helping to tackle issues of teacher retention.
“NQTs do need to be challenged but they must also be nurtured and supported in their first year in the classroom. The conference provides a platform for them to continue to develop their expertise for the benefit of all the pupils they teach.”
Head teacher Mr Dyson took charge of Parklands, in Seacroft, in May 2014. In September last year, Ofsted graded the school “outstanding” for the first time, with SATs results in the top 1% nationally despite having the city’s highest proportion of pupils receiving free school meals – a common indicator of deprivation.
Last summer, Parklands was presented with the Times Educational Supplement’s Collaboration Award for its work in developing extensive community and business links.
During his presentation, Mr Dyson will share his passion for the teaching profession and the belief in offering pupils chances and inspiration to overcome barriers to learning.
“I am very excited to be part of the development of our future leaders,” he said ahead of the conference. “We were all NQTs at the start of our careers and we all needed, love, support and guidance.
“It is with great pride that I am involved in what is quite simply the greatest and most rewarding job in the world, enthusing the brilliant, dedicated NQTs”.
The NQTs will be welcomed to the conference by the Meanwood Primary School choir before attending a variety of training workshops based around the key themes identified by NQTs and Ofsted as priorities for further training
These include: assessing pupil progress; teaching and learning in diverse classrooms; behaviour management; using ICT to create a stimulating learning environment; reading development; autism; the new maths curriculum and its connections to mastery and mental health. Throughout the day there will be a focus on the impact of research on learning and teaching.
Delivering workshops will be Leeds Beckett education academics alongside external speakers including: Colin Prestwich from the Maths Hub; Adam Chase, a teacher from Bury: Helen Sanderson, head teacher at Meanwood Primary School; Dean Johnston from Minds Ahead; Sean Hazelden from the Wakefield Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) and The Carnegie Great Outdoors.