On 30 January 2026, over 200 education leaders from across Suffolk came together at Trinity Park for a landmark Belonging and Inclusion event — a key moment in our Local Area Partnership’s ongoing work to improve the lived experiences and outcomes of children and young people in Suffolk.
The event created a powerful space for Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Special, Alternative Provision and Post‑16 settings to come together, share ideas and strengthen our collective drive to embed inclusive practice across the county.
Children Leading the Way
A highlight of the day was hearing directly from children from the Children’s Endeavour Trust, who shared what Belonging and Inclusion mean to them — a reminder of why this work matters and who it is ultimately for.
Inspiring Speakers & Practical Insight
Attendees heard from a range of inspiring voices, including:
- Nationally recognised speaker Mark Finnis, who brought a compelling perspective on restorative practice
- Maxine O’Neill, Head Teacher of Hope School, an Ofsted recognised Outstanding special school in Liverpool that has received Pearson and NASEN awards for its relational approaches and trauma informed practices.
- Simone Nel (ColourBox Montessori School)
- Jamie White (Oulton Broad Primary School)
- Leaders Phil Newbury and Ced De La Croix, Sir John Lawes School and Robert Barclay Academy from the Scholars Education Trust (Hertfordshire)
Their stories and strategies offered both inspiration and practical tools for strengthening inclusive cultures in every setting.
What Attendees Told Us
Feedback after the event has been overwhelmingly positive:
“Absolutely brilliant and inspirational. Super speakers and I have signed up to the Therapeutic Thinking course with my Headteacher as a result.”
“It was great — I felt like we were all aligned in our understanding, communication and advocacy for inclusion. ”
“Very good sessions.”
What Happens Next
The momentum from this event will directly shape the next stages of the creation of our Belonging and Inclusion Strategy.
Key actions underway include:
- Local engagement events with parents, carers, school leaders and MATs, ensuring their voices help shape the strategy
- Co‑production through the Strategic Solutions Sub-Group, embedding agreed actions across all workstreams
- Implementation of a formal Information Sharing Agreement to strengthen collaboration between the SEND Local Area Partnership and schools
- Systemic work on improved governance arrangements to ensure clarity and accountability, linked to our Local Area Inclusion Plan which sets out our key building blocks and priority actions for the next 2 years.
The Belonging and Inclusion Strategy will be completed by April 2026, with further strategic engagement continuing into the summer term.
A Final Thank You
A huge thank you to every child, young person, speaker, workshop lead and stallholder who contributed to the day. Your energy, expertise and commitment made this an inspiring and impactful event.