The Association of Education Advisers is pleased to confirm the dates for our EduKIT programme for the 2026/27 academic year.
EduKIT, short for Education Keeping in Touch, is AoEA’s regular online meeting for members. Each session creates an opportunity to hear from guest speakers, explore current issues in education, share effective practice and take part in professional discussion with colleagues from across the education sector.
Sessions will take place online from 4.00 pm to 5.00 pm on the following dates.
EduKIT dates for 2026/27
Tuesday 20 October 2026
Classroom Enquiry to Promote Teacher Reflection and Development
This EduKIT will be hosted by Rebecca Roach, Adviser for Early Careers and Appropriate Body at Central South Consortium, Wales.
This session will explore the transformation of Wales’ NQT induction process from evidence-heavy Professional Learning Experiences to a meaningful classroom enquiry approach. The change aimed to reduce workload, strengthen reflection and focus professional development on pedagogy, classroom practice and learner impact. The session will share practical lessons about leading sustainable change, including establishing a clear vision, engaging mentors, providing accessible guidance and evaluating impact. It will highlight how research-informed enquiry can encourage reflection, professional dialogue, collaboration, belonging and ongoing teacher development across different educational contexts.
Register for the October EduKIT
Tuesday 24 November 2026
Building Strategic SEND Capacity: Moving from Short-Term Fixes to Sustainable System Improvement
This EduKIT will be hosted by Danny Kilkenny, a SEND Consultant & Educational Adviser.
This session explores how local authority and advisory partners can move beyond reactive, short-term solutions to build long-term SEND capacity across diverse school contexts. Drawing on a city-wide pilot, the session details how rigorous diagnostic self-evaluation, contextual inquiry, and senior leadership engagement can empower SENCOs as strategic leaders. Attendees will gain insights into how tailored one-to-one mentoring and cluster-wide collaboration helped SENCOs navigate complex MAT structures and local challenges, driving sustainable improvements in inclusive Quality First Teaching and root-cause strategic leadership.
Register for the November EduKIT
Tuesday 19 January 2027
Protecting Leadership, Boundaries and Organisational Trust
This EduKIT will be hosted by Vic Carr, Headteacher of Woodlands Primary School, Cheshire.
Drawing on anonymised leadership experience and realistic scenarios, this session explores how small departures from good governance can escalate; from governors becoming involved in staffing matters and informal conversations occurring outside established structures, to complaints processes creating unintended consequences and relationships affecting organisational trust. Victoria will examine the impact on Headteachers, staff confidence, governor relationships, organisational reputation and school stability. The session will also explore practical ways to prevent difficulties: establishing professional boundaries, strengthening governance protocols, managing complaints effectively, protecting communication channels, recognising early warning signs and creating systems that can withstand disagreement without becoming personalised. Participants will leave with practical questions to reflect on in their own schools and consider a key leadership challenge: Where does appropriate governor challenge end and operational interference begin, and would everyone in your organisation give the same answer?
Register for the January EduKIT
Tuesday 23 February 2027
Securing Future Sustainability
This EduKIT will be hosted by Suzann McCafferty, Principal of Good Shepherd Primary and Nursery School in Derry, Northern Ireland.
This session explores how strategic leadership can increase school enrolment and ultimately improve funding access and transform school culture, systems, and outcomes. On appointment as principal, Mrs S. McCafferty led the introduction of new initiatives in order to support local families in accessing their local rural primary school which had direct impact upon school enrolment numbers. Central to this work was a large emphasis on developing the community voice through effective engagement and audits. Exploring how to foster authentic relationships with local families, turn current parents into your strongest advocates, and create an inclusive environment that naturally attracts new pupils.
Register for the February EduKIT
Tuesday 23 March 2027
Why Fly So Low?… When You Can Soar with the Team
This EduKIT will be hosted by Fiona Kearney, Headteacher of St. Johns Primary School in Swatragh, Northern Ireland.
The session will explore the reintroduction of Research Lesson Study following a sustained period of ‘action short of strike’, with the aim of strengthening subject leadership and improving teaching and learning. It will examine the challenges created by changes in collaborative culture, staff turnover and the arrival of early career teachers, and outlines the rationale, implementation and impact of the approach, including key successes and longer-term outcomes.
Tuesday 20 April 2027
Building a School-Led Evidence Base: Scaling Teacher-Led Micro-RCTs Across the North East
This EduKIT will be hosted by Dr Wayne Harrison, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of WhatWorked Education.
This session will focus on the practical challenge of scaling a school-led evidence model beyond a single pilot: how to redesign interventions that don’t transfer cleanly across contexts (illustrated through a peer-tutoring trial that had to be redesigned mid-programme), how to build regional buy-in and delivery partnerships, and what it takes to move from “did this work in my classroom?” to a genuinely regional, replicable evidence base that other authorities or trusts could adapt.
Tuesday 18 May 2027
TBA
Tuesday 22 June 2027
TBA
About EduKIT
EduKIT sessions provide a regular opportunity for education advisers, leaders and practitioners to stay connected with the wider AoEA community.
Sessions feature guest speakers and discussions around areas of current interest across education, school improvement, leadership and professional practice.
Details of each speaker and session topic will be shared as they are confirmed.
View all upcoming AoEA events
You can view and register for all forthcoming AoEA events here: