MAT Inclusion Forum: Finding a Way for Better Attendance, Reintegration and Inclusion

Join us for a free, interactive half-day forum tailored for Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) leaders committed to building practical, peer-tested approaches to attendance, access, and belonging.



1 December 2026, 9.30am – 1.00pm (Includes networking, expert key notes, light refreshments and optional tech demos)



Workstation, Paternoster Row, Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield S1 2BX

Register for the event

Six in ten pupils in England now learn within an academy, and with severe absence remaining at critical levels – affecting roughly 176,000 children – the national attendance challenge is increasingly a trust challenge. From December 2026, every school is required to publish an inclusion strategy. This forum will explore how MATs can take direct ownership of inclusion and intervene earlier, examining how attendance and reintegration solutions such as AV1 can keep pupils experiencing SEND, EBSA/EBSNA, medical needs or persistent absence connected to learning and peers.

Hosts

Harriet Gill - Head of Trust Partnerships, No Isolation
Sanjeev Baga – CCO, No Isolation

Speakers

Katy Wright - Executive Principal for SEND & Inclusion, Aston Community Education Trust (ACET)
Sarah Johnson - Education Inclusion Specialist, Government Adviser and Author
Sarah Windle - Deputy Headteacher, E-ACT Parkwood Academy, Sheffield, and Governor

Who Should Attend

This event is specifically designed for MAT executive and strategic leaders, including:

Trust Inclusion Directors & Directors of SEND
CEOs, Deputy CEOs & Executive Principals, Principals
Trust Attendance Leads & Heads of AP
CFOs & Procurement Leads focused on strategic inclusion spend

Reserve your place early to join the conversation and help shape a MAT inclusion network focused on practical solutions.

What We'll Explore

Leading Inclusion at Scale: Transitioning from reactive late-stage support to proactive, trust-wide inclusion strategies.

‍

Early Intervention & Transition Points: Supporting vulnerable pupils through the steep Year 6 to Year 8 attendance drop where persistent absence jumps sharply.

‍

Unlocking Funding & Savings: Practical routes to investment, including leveraging the £1.6bn Inclusive Mainstream Fund and reinvesting Alternative Provision (AP) cost savings.

‍