Secondary Conference 2026: Speakers and schedule
Keynote speakers confirmed for 2026
Our 2026 secondary national conference will take place in The Saffron Centre, Birmingham, 6 July 2026, 9:30 - 16:00
Let us introduce you to our confirmed keynote speakers below. Guest speakers and available workshops will be announced soon.
Geoff Barton
Former General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders
Geoff has written and edited various books on literature, grammar and literacy. He is a writer for many publications, and a regular commentator in the media on educational matters. He is patron of the English & Media Centre, a Founding Fellow of the English Association, and a trustee of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Most recently he was appointed as chair of the independent Commission on Oracy in Education to raise the profile of speaking and listening in schools and colleges. He was awarded the CBE in the 2025 New Year’s honours list.
Jessie Ricketts
Professor of Psychology and Vice Dean for Research and Knowledge Exchange at Royal Holloway, University of London, director of the Language and Reading Acquisition (LARA) research group
Jessie has more than 20 years of experience researching language and literacy in children, young people and adults. Jessie is a world expert on teenage reading and is particularly interested in how reading benefits children’s learning and language. Jessie works closely with large networks of researchers, teachers, educational charities and policy makers to conduct research and translate evidence. Jessie regularly provides continuing professional development (CPD) for secondary and primary schools, Multi-academy Trusts and Further Education Colleges that includes actionable recommendations for teachers and schools. Recently, Jessie worked with the Department for Education to develop a short CPD course for all secondary teachers so that they can support students of all ability levels. Jessie was an advisor for the DfE Reading Framework and EEF guidance on supporting secondary reading.
Chie Kutsuwada
Chie is a UK-based Japanese manga creator and illustrator known for her delicate, romantic style. A graduate of the Royal College of Art, London, she writes and illustrates her own stories, including King of a Miniature Garden and Moonlight, the latter shortlisted for the Manga Jiman competition. Her work spans adaptations like As You Like It and The Book of Five Rings, and collaborations such as Tsunami Girl and 100 Tales from the Tokyo Ghost Café, both nominated for the Carnegie Medal.
Chie has contributed to publications like Mainichi Weekly and created art books and how-to guides including 10 Step Drawing Manga. Her books are available in English-speaking countries and translated internationally. Beyond publishing, she runs manga workshops at institutions like the British Museum and teaches at the Art Academy, London. She’s also worked with the BBC, Channel 4, UK Japan Embassy, and more.
Julian Sedgewick
Julian is the author of six books for children, and co-author of the graphic novel Dark Satanic Mills and illustrated novel Voyages in the Underworld of Orpheus Black. On the way to realising his childhood ambition to write, Julian read Chinese Studies and Philosophy at Cambridge, before working as a bookseller, painter, researcher and script developer for film and TV, and shiatsu therapist. For the last three years Julian has been patron of reading for Leighton Park School and has now visited over 150 schools both in the UK and abroad. Voyages in the Underworld of Orpheus Black was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal 2020. Julian lives near Ely, Cambridgeshire is married and has two grown-up sons. He still combines writing with his work as a therapist. In his spare time he draws as much as possible, juggles torches and knives, tries his best to learn Japanese - and waits for the weather to get cold enough to go fen skating.