National Attendance Conference 2026 Every Pupil, Every Day: Leading Attendance Improvement

Nina Jackson is someone who sees the bigger picture and, throughout a long and varied career, has been driven to bring the best out of all children regardless of the issues, challenges an...d special needs they bring to her classroom. Nina brings to her lessons not only high levels of creativity, innovation and professional rigour but also contagious passion which proves to be a winning formula wherever she works. Apart from her work in teaching, learning, thinking skills and technology for learning, her background in special needs and music has led her to devise specialist therapy programmes for schools. Nina also successfully supports mainstream teachers working with children with anger management issues, disaffection, poor motivation, behaviour and confidence.

Up until very recently, Nina was a director of learning in addition to directing a ‘more able and talented’ programme at a successful comprehensive in South Wales. Since these roles, Nina has developed an impressive career in teacher training in the UK and abroad. She has collaborated with Swansea Metropolitan University where she is a lecturer on the MA (Ed) programme, a senior professional tutor (ITET) and has supported the SARA (Schools Action Research Approach) project for the Education Support and Inspection Service in Wales. In 2004, Nina was the winner of the IPDA International Prize for Education and was described in the Times Educational Supplement as an “inspirational, evangelical preacher of education”. She is currently working on her second book – ‘Access All Areas’ – which focuses on helping schools ensure that all children have access to the full extent of what the curriculum has to offer.Read more

Having spent over 25 years teaching and leading a variety of schools across the UK, Steve is a sought after as an expert practitioner, consultant, and trainer. He specialises in developin...g effective school leadership at all levels; and supporting outstanding and impactful classroom practice, pedagogy, learning and teaching.

Steve is lead quality assurance inspector for The British Council in Egypt, where he also leads successful training programmes for school leaders and teachers. These programmes have now been taken up by The British Council in Nepal and Saudi Arabia where programmes having been piloted with teachers and school leaders and are now due for implementation academic year 2021-2022.

Steve has led teaching and learning development projects in China, Kazakhstan, and Kurdish Iraq.

In China, he worked in partnership with the Ministry of Education to train Chinese teachers in modern classroom pedagogy and practice as part of the Chinese Government’s 2020 Education reforms.

In Kazakhstan, Steve worked with partners from Cambridge University Press to train local teachers to plan, write and implement a series of primary textbooks as a tool for remote education reform.

In Kurdish Iraq, Steve worked in partnership with a large chain of international schools to train teachers and school leaders in modern pedagogy and leadership, quality assurance and inspection. This was part of a larger project to lead education reform across Kurdish Iraq which has had to be put on hold due to the pandemic.

Currently, Steve is co-ordinating leadership development and curriculum development projects for government schools in India, Bangladesh, and Saudi Arabia. This includes working with a Mumbai based University to plan, write and lead a post graduate diploma in Global Education, alongside leading leadership, and teacher training for many schools across India.

Alongside Steve’s training and education reform projects, he receives frequent invitations to speak at international education conferences, features in a wide range of training videos and online seminars, hosts regular interactive webinar sessions on key aspects of effective classroom practice and school leadership; and coaches and mentors headteachers worldwide.

Steve is a lead trainer for The British Council, and lead trainer and examiner for Cambridge Assessment International Examinations and the International Baccalaureate Steve writes, delivers and hosts training and consultancy in schools, colleges, academies and conference venues throughout the UK, Europe, The Indian Subcontinent, Central and southern Asia and the Middle East as well as supporting organisations in planning, producing and delivering on-line and blended learning education courses.

Steve writes a regular column for several UK education publications and is currently writing a teacher development training manual for an international publisher. In addition to his work in education reform and development, Steve is a professional musician, choral conductor and arranger who leads choral workshops for amateur and professional singers.Read more

• Professional experience - 30+ years working in Attendance Management and Improvement across Local Authorities, Schools and MAT’s. Senior roles responsible for LA wide data analysis ...and strategic planning. Work in partnership with the Department for Education – DFE Attendance Adviser • Special interest - interface between policy and practice • National trainer writing and delivering programmes on attendance and absence. Working internationally with INSA (international Network for School Attendance) supporting research and academic publications. • Governance - governor across all phases of education including Chair of Governors at Bristol Hospital Education Service • Past President of NASWE – a membership organisation for attendance practitioners across EnglandRead more