Secondary Online Conference 2026: Speakers and schedule

Our online conference - Leading Literacy, Leading Change - took place from 5 to 15 October, consisting of live online events, pre-recorded webinars and exclusive pre-recorded podcast episodes.

During the online conference, all our expert thinkers and highly-respected guest speakers, panellists and contributors explored ways to support secondary education professionals to shape coherent literacy provision from disciplinary literacy and oracy to wider literacies such as financial, political, media and digital and AI literacy to support learning, critical thinking, and future readiness.

Missed the webinars? It's not too late. Purchase the conference package today and access all recordings and accompanying resources until Wednesday 31 March 2027.

A world-class schedule of education professionals, experts and strategic thinkers who will inspire you and your colleagues to explore new ways to tackle the literacy challenges you face.

The online conference consisted of live events, pre-recorded webinars and podcast episodes. If you booked a ticket for October 2026, all of the sessions are available until 31 March 2027 for you to listen to when is most convenient.

Guest speakers leading our live events

We welcomed the best in their field to share insights and expertise during live sessions:

• Neil Mercer, Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Cambridge speaking on oracy.
• Geoff Barton, former General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders speaking on leadership and the curriculum.
• Alice Deignan, Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Leeds speaking on disciplinary literacy.
• Marcus Jones, Literacy Lead at Huntington Research School speaking on disciplinary literacy.
• Dr Maria Korochkina, Research Prize Fellow at Aston University in the Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment speaking on literacy in English Literature.
• Guest panellists from the Electoral Commission speaking on political literacy.
• Julia Snell, Professor of Sociolinguistics at the University of Leeds speaking on oracy.
• The Financial Literacy and Inclusion Campaign speaking on financial literacy.

Guest speakers in our pre-recorded webinars

Our pre-recorded webinar series goes deeper into the topic of AI and literacy with discussion between experts including:

• Sam Illingworth, Professor of Critical AI Literacy at Edinburgh Napier University
• Irene Picton, Senior Research Manager at the National Literacy Trust
• AI education specialist Ali Gellet FRSA
• Dr Amrita Bains, Fellow in the Centre for Digital Information Literacy in Schools at the National Institute of Teaching

Guest speakers in our podcast episodes

Join the National Literacy Trust's Head of School Improvement, Nisha Tank in discussion with leading practitioners about the evolving nature of literacy and their experiences equipping and empowering young people to thrive in the evolving digital age.

Including podcast special guest Ruth Page, Professor of Applied Linguistics in the Department of Linguistics and Communication at the University of Birmingham

Find out more about each speaker and their webinars and sessions in the details below.

Live webinars

Live events were available to watch live at the times shown, and for those who purchased tickets, you can watch back at your convenience until 31 March 2027.

Week one

Why literacy matters more than ever

• Tuesday 6 October 9:00-9:30 - recording available now

Hear from Geoff Barton, Former General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders and Chair of the Oracy Education Commission as he surveys the current educational landscape for leaders, spotlights the leadership of disciplinary literacy and oracy, and offers practical steps towards effective implementation and impact.

Supporting literacy in mathematics and science at transition to secondary school

Supporting literacy in mathematics at transition

• Monday 5 October 15:45-16:30 - recording available now

Supporting literacy in science at transition

• Tuesday 6 October 15:45-16:30 - recording available now

Join us for webinars on research-informed strategies to support students with the language of mathematics and science as they move from primary to secondary school.

Alice Deignan, Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Leeds, and Marcus Jones, Literacy Lead at Huntington Research School, combines current research with practical approaches to support successful transition.

Alice shares findings from major research projects on the disciplinary language of maths and science in KS3, highlighting how vocabulary, grammar and ways of organising ideas differ from everyday language and KS2.

Drawing on his experience as a literacy lead, English teacher and transition coordinator, Marcus explores what these findings mean for learners and offer practical strategies for school leaders, subject leaders and teachers.

Together, Alice and Marcus are co-authors of New Words, New Meanings: Supporting the Vocabulary Transition from Primary to Secondary School, which examines the language challenges students face in early secondary education and provides practical ways to make curriculum language more accessible.

Research insights on the vocabulary barrier in GCSE English Literature

• Wednesday 7 October 15:45-16:30 - recording available now

Dr Maria Korochkina is Research Prize Fellow at Aston University in the Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment and previously a postdoctoral research fellow in the Rastle lab at Royal Holloway, University of London.

In this research-informed session, Dr Maria Korochkina explores the vocabulary barriers presented by many GCSE English literature texts and considers the implications for classroom practice. Her work focuses on word learning, reading, and the role of language experience in supporting learning across domains and throughout life.

Drawing on findings from a lexical database of books most frequently read by young people in the UK, she will examine how text experience shapes linguistic knowledge.

How the National Literacy Trust is prioritising financial literacy

• Recording available now

Beth Grady, Senior Project Manager at the National Literacy Trust for Words that Count explains what financial literacy is and what our research tells us about the link between literacy skills and financial literacy.  Beth discusses how the National Literacy Trust works with schools to support the development of financial literacy skills with our fully funded and evaluated Words that Count programme, which prioritises the literacy skills young people need to understand and manage financial matters.   

Week two

Political literacy and votes at 16: supporting students to cast their first vote with confidence

• Monday 12 October 15:45-16:30 - recording available now

Join the Electoral Commission for a practical and engaging introduction to political literacy in today’s changing landscape. We’ll explore what’s happening nationally - including votes at 16 and the Curriculum and Assessment Review, and what this means for schools.

They will share clear, practical guidance on what teachers need to know and the support available to you. This includes the Electoral Commission’s new democratic education framework (developed with The Politics Project) and a range of ready-to-use resources and CPD opportunities.

You’ll leave the session with a clear, actionable next step to begin strengthening your students’ political literacy.

Developing socially just oracy education in schools: from vision to classroom practice

• Wednesday 14 October 15:45-16:30- recording available now

Julia Snell, Professor of Sociolinguistics at the University of Leeds.

UK-wide curriculum reform, including a new national oracy framework in England, are set to expand oracy provision in secondary schools.

The reforms build on evidence that good quality oracy education can support students’ learning and achievement, hone their skills in critical thinking, and empower marginalised groups by affording young people the opportunity to make their voices heard.

In this webinar, Professor Snell, argues that if we are to effect positive change for all young people, oracy education must take a socially just approach, informed by research on spoken language, linguistic diversity and classroom dialogue. She articulates a vision for oracy education, which builds on work with teachers and educational leaders, and will present a set of principles and a detailed framework to support teachers in translating this vision into practice.

Making the most of oracy

• Thursday 15 October 15:45-16:30- recording available now

Neil Mercer, Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Cambridge, Director of Oracy Cambridge: the Hughes Hall Centre for Effective Spoken Communication, Life Fellow of the Cambridge college Hughes Hall, and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society.

With oracy being included in the new National Curriculum, Emeritus Professor Neil Mercer will discuss how it can be most effectively embedded in classroom teaching, relating it to three aspects of oracy:

1. Learning how to talk: developing students’ spoken language skills - how teachers can promote the development of young people’s spoken language skills, which are important for their learning, cognitive development and their life chances
2. Learning through talk: making the best use of talk for teaching and learning - how teachers can best use talk to help students participate productively in classroom education and so make good progress in literacy, maths and other subjects
3. Learning about talk: helping students understand how talk works in its social context - why it is important that we can help young people to understand the ways they, and other people, use talk to communicate.

Before he joined Cambridge, he was Professor of Language and Communications at the Open University. As a psychologist whose research focused on the development of children’s spoken language and reasoning abilities and teachers’ role in that development, he has worked extensively and internationally with teachers, researchers and educational policy makers.

Pre-recorded webinars

All pre-recorded webinars will be available through our learning management system. Ticket holders will be given information on how to access when they book.

Each of these pre-recorded webinars have been carefully designed for all educators and combine research-informed insights with practical tips for the classroom.

Webinar one

AI and literacy: what teachers told the National Literacy Trust - and what next

AI is already part of school life, but many teachers are still working out what it means in practice. In this webinar, Sam Illingworth, Professor of Critical AI Literacy at Edinburgh Napier University, poet, and founder of Slow AI, and Irene Picton, Senior Research Manager at the National Literacy Trust, draw on findings from the National Literacy Trust’s early 2026 Annual Literacy Survey to respond directly to what teachers are saying about generative AI.

The webinar will explore:

• concerns around student use
• protecting independent thinking and authentic self-expression,
• the areas where teachers most want support, including using AI effectively and critically, and guiding students to use it with intention.

The session will also examine how to create supportive classroom environments where teachers and students can approach AI with confidence, and will offer simple, ready-to-use ideas for practice.

Webinar two

AI literacy and critical thinking: building informed learners in a digital world

In this series of three short webinars, AI education specialist Ali Gellet FRSA, Leader of The Big AI Project, My Future Programme Director and Expert Working Group Member at the Centre for Digital Information Literacy in Schools (CDILS), and Dr Amrita Bains, Fellow in the Centre for Digital Information Literacy in Schools at the National Institute of Teaching, explore how we can help students think critically in an AI-shaped and information-overloaded world.

Drawing on Dr Bains’ expertise in developing CPD for leaders and teachers to build knowledge and confidence in tackling misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories in schools, the series considers practical approaches to supporting critical thinking, digital information literacy, and informed engagement with AI and online information.

The sessions cover:

1. Why we believe things
2. How we can train ourselves to think better
3. Truth and trust: helping students navigate an information overloaded and AI-infused world

Webinar three

Climate change and literacy

As climate change becomes an increasingly urgent issue, Professor Sylvia Knight, Head of Education at the Royal Meteorological Society, will explore what climate literacy means, why it matters, and how it can be taught effectively in secondary subjects.

The session will look at common misconceptions, the importance of clear and consistent explanations, and explore pedagogical approaches to help students engage critically with the topic.

The webinar will also consider how teachers can approach controversial or politically sensitive issues in a balanced, evidence-informed way.

Podcasts

All podcast episodes will be available through our learning management system. Ticket holders will be given information on how to access when they book.

National Literacy Trust Secondary LitPod series

Listen along to the National Literacy Trust Secondary LitPod series where our Head of School Improvement, Nisha Tank chats with leading practitioners about the evolving nature of literacy and what schools can do to prepare young people to participate, communicate and thrive in the modern world.

Re-thinking AI in education: why trust and student voice matters

In this podcast, Sam Illingworth offers a reflective and positive perspective on AI, alongside practical strategies on what critical AI literacy can look like in everyday classroom practice – whatever your starting point.

Drawing on his review of AI guidance from 96 UK universities, Sam discusses the tension between supporting students and overly close monitoring, why trust can be more effective than surveillance, and offers practical strategies on how to help students retain their own voice and thinking.

Podcast series: The role of literacy skills in empowering democratic participation and engagement

Alongside a live recorded webinar, the Electoral Commission will share a short series of bite-sized podcasts exploring how literacy underpins meaningful democratic participation and engagement.

Through conversations with Electoral Commission staff and their partners, they will explore how strong literacy skills enable students to access, understand, and engage with democratic processes.

Episodes include:

Understanding elections and voting

• Billie Dunne, Education and Engagement Manager at the Electoral Commission

Explore how literacy skills help students make sense of elections and confidently cast their vote

Media literacy

• Matteo Bergamini, CEO/Founder of Shout Out UK
• Lauren Valentine, Senior Education Officer at the Electoral Commission

Help students to critically navigate political information, campaign messaging, and misinformation

Oracy and student voice

• Amelia Christie, Co-CEO of I Have a Voice
• Laila and Armaan, two young people and Democracy Ambassadors with I Have a Voice
• Judy Edwards, Senior Education Officer at the Electoral Commission

Support discussion, debate, and confidence to engage with issues and elected representatives

Disciplinary oracy: leading and implementing

The National Literacy Trust has been working with St Thomas More Catholic High School in North Shields since 2019 when the school was selected as part of a cluster of schools in the North east to join a two-year funded programme of literacy professional development.

In this podcast, Clare Feeney, Teaching and Learning Lead at St Thomas More Catholic High School and National Literacy Trust trainer, discusses how she has developed a whole-school approach to embedding oracy within subject disciplines.

Why does talk matter in maths?

In this podcast, David Snedden, Assistant Curriculum Leader for Maths at St Thomas More Catholic High School in North Shields, discusses the role of oracy in mathematical learning, shares what effective mathematical talk sounds like in practice, and offers classroom approaches that have made a difference for his students.

What kinds of literacies do young people need to help them flourish?

In this podcast, Ruth Page, Professor of Applied Linguistics in the Department of Linguistics and Communication at the University of Birmingham and Debbie Painter, Curriculum Manager: GCSE Plus, Media Literacy Innovator and Oracy Lead for the Derby College Group, discuss the role of critical thinking and how to embed health, financial and news literacy into the educational curriculum.

Climate literacy in the secondary curriculum from the Royal Meteorological Society

In this series of four bitesize podcasts Professor Sylvia Knight, Head of Education and Eleanor Pinches, Education Officer at the Royal Meteorological Society (RMS) will discuss what climate literacy is, how it relates to media and data literacy, examples of how practitioners can apply a climate lens in their subject and where to find further resources including the RMS Curriculum for Climate Literacy.

1. Applying a climate literacy lens to mathematics
2. Applying a climate literacy lens to science
3. Applying a climate literacy lens to geography
4. Applying a climate literacy lens to English