On 10th March, More House School co-hosted the third annual Beyond the Label Adaptive Teaching Conference with Charterhouse School. We were very excited to welcome over 90 practitioners from a wide range of schools to hear the very latest hot-off-the-press University research.
Professor Joni Holmes presented the conference with important new data which empowers teachers and enables them to be confident about their own assessment of student needs in their classroom. This is of key importance for teachers as we adapt our approach and choose appropriate strategies. It enables access to the curriculum for those who would usually find their lessons too difficult.
Our Speech and Language therapists, Becky May and Kirsty Harris, conducted a seminar on supporting language in the classroom, giving delegates crucial understanding and skills in the areas of receptive and expressive language support skills.
Lead Practitioner, Antoinette Newman, led a seminar on The More House Practice Model, sharing how inclusive SEND support is intentionally embedded within everyday teaching practice. The session sparked thoughtful discussion and strong interest from other professionals, who recognised the value and impact of the More House approach.
Assistant Head (Training & Outreach), Eleanor Margesson, delivered a workshop on the cognitive needs based Class Mapping Tool, taking delegates through the rationale, process and outcomes which make this resource so popular in so many schools. She also presented case studies from state maintained and independent contexts to show how implementation in real-life situations might look.
Headmaster, Jonathan Hetherington, was joined by Helen Gregory (Director of Education, Guildford Learning Partners Academy Trust) on a panel discussion around the National SEND conversation and implications for inclusive education and SEND provision in state-maintained and independent settings.
World-renowned Psychologist, Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, concluded the conference with an extremely engaging and accessible talk about the typical development of the adolescent brain. This helped us to contextualise our understanding of SEND children and young people, alongside an appreciation of the increased complexities for them, particularly in the socio-emotional sphere.
This was a hugely successful conference and we are proud to see our work contributing to wider professional conversations about inclusive education and supporting pupils to thrive!
“The high level of content delivered by both the speakers and the seminar sessions was truly impressive. The depth, clarity, and practical relevance of each contribution reflected a real commitment to excellence. This standard has clearly been enabled and supported by More House School, whose investment in developing expertise and fostering professional dialogue consistently shines through. They have brought together a wonderful celebration of their ongoing research and in‑school teaching practice, showing how these two strands strengthen each other. It was inspiring to see how they have developed this work within their own school setting—refining approaches, testing ideas, and building staff confidence—and then chosen to share these insights so generously with other schools. Their willingness to share best practices and support the wider educational community is genuinely commendable and deeply appreciated.”
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