ASCL Literacy and Oracy Conference

British Library, London

Empowering every voice through literacy.

2026 is The National Year of Reading and at the ASCL Literacy and Oracy Conference, our focus will be not only engaging children and young people in reading, but also how to lead literacy across a school, college or trust and embed a culture of reading for pleasure.

As well as covering all areas of literacy across the curriculum, including reading, writing and oracy, we will also explore the ways educational establishments can support parents and carers to encourage literacy and oracy at home.

Our expert speakers and practitioners will share research, knowledge, strategy, and examples of successful literacy leadership.

This conference is tailored to support school and college leaders and leaders of literacy from all phases and contexts.

Key outcomes

Understand barriers to improving literacy across a school, college or trust through the most up-to-date research.
See a range of shared examples and resources that can be applied across a range of contexts.
Know where to access support and materials to deliver a more effective literacy programme for all children and young people, regardless of background and starting point.

"Excellent speakers and very informative, incredibly engaging and well worth the trip."
Delegate, 2025

Speaker

Tiffnie Harris

Primary and Data Specialist

Nisha Tank

Head of School Improvement, National Literacy Trust

Marc Rowland

Pupil Premium and Vulnerable Learners Adviser, Unity Schools Partnership

Geoff Barton

Chair of the Independent Commission on Oracy in Education

Lizzie Catford

Director of Children's Books, BookTrust

Professor Teresa Cremin

Professor of Education (Literacy), The Open University, and co-Director of the Literacy and Social Justice Centre

Christian Mba

Vice Principal, Hartshill Academy

Diane Compton-Belcher

Headteacher, Market Drayton Junior School

Tyronne Lewis

Deputy Headteacher at Copthall School

Jennifer Killick

Award-winning author

Fee

Members: £260 + VAT
Non-members: 295 + VAT

Group discount
10% discount for two or more delegates
Members: £235 + VAT
Non-members: £265 + VAT

Programme

ASCL reserves the right to amend the programme should circumstances dictate.

8.25am			Registration, refreshments and exhibition

9.10am			Welcome Tiffnie Harris, ASCL Primary and Data Specialist

9.15am			Keynote Marc Rowland, Pupil Premium and Vulnerable Learners Adviser, Unity Schools Partnership

9.45am			Supporting Reading in Secondary Schools Nisha Tank, Head of School Improvement, National Literacy Trust This session will explore how a taking a strategic approach developing reading in secondary schools can support both proficiency and engagement, and how the National Year of Reading 2026 is the perfect moment to reimagine how we validate young people’s reading practices and open up new routes into reading for every young person.

10.25am			Reading for Pleasure: Responsibility, rigour and relevance Professor Teresa Cremin, Professor of Education (Literacy) and Co-Director of Literacy and Social Justice Centre Young people who read of their own volition, in their own time, benefit academically, socially and emotionally. Yet such reading for pleasure -which nurtures cognitive growth and relational connections- continues to decline. In this keynote, Teresa will explore the benefits and the challenges educators face in responding to this social justice issue. She will also offer evidence-informed ways forward that attend to the ‘Three R’s of Reading for Pleasure: Responsibility, Rigour and Relevance' and nurture reader engagement.

11.25am			Refreshments and exhibition

11.45am			Drama as a Powerful Vehicle to Support Oracy for Boys Tyronne Lewis, Deputy Headteacher, Copthall School It is widely agreed that "Drama has strong links to oracy and presenting skills" (CAR, 2025) and "...the power to shape young people's lives" (Cultural Learning Alliance, 2017). Tyronne will discuss how drama, owing to its frequent promotion of group work, can help improve literacy and oracy, particularly for boys who continue to do less well than girls against all GCSE headline measures. He will draw upon his experience as a drama practitioner, researcher (MARes), senior leader, and ASCL Council member when illuminating devising pedagogy and implementation strategies, given the current national curriculum gap and prominent discussions around inclusion.

12.15pm			Reading for Pleasure: Engaging reluctant readers through shared reading Lizzie Catford, Director of Children's Books, Book Trust Lizzie will share how shared-reading activities, from group reading to reading aloud, can engage students in reading for pleasure. Based on research into embedding reading in socially-rich experiences and drawing on BookTrust's work with schools across the country, this session will bring to life the strategies, tools and books that help children and young people get reading.

12.45pm			Lunch and exhibition

1.25pm			The Power of Partnership: Strengthening Year 6 - 7 transition for every learner Diane Compton-Belcher, Headteacher, Market Drayton Junior School Christian Mba, Vice Principal, Hartshill Academy For too many pupils, the move from Year 6 to Year 7 can feel like stepping off a cliff edge: academically, socially and emotionally. Yet, with the right structures, relationships and shared purpose in place, this moment of vulnerability can transform into a moment of real opportunity. Framed around our Three Cs: Collaboration, Community, and Curriculum Continuity, the session will unpack why we began this work, the realities we encountered across both phases, and the practical steps we have taken to bridge the primary–secondary divide. Central to our approach has been a strong, deliberate focus on literacy, recognising its role as the foundation for access, confidence, and success across the whole curriculum. We will share how aligning reading, writing and oracy expectations across phases has strengthened continuity and ensured pupils arrive in Year 7 better prepared to engage with secondary learning.

1.55pm			Keynote Jennifer Killick, author

2.20pm			Refreshments and exhibition

2.40pm			Empowering Young People in the Age of Robots: Ten next steps for literacy and oracy in schools Geoff Barton, Chair, Independent Commission on Oracy in Education The Curriculum and Assessment Review has affirmed that oracy should move centre-stage across the curriculum. So, they recommend, should arts and citizenship education. So what does this mean in practice? What might curriculum and literacy leads be doing to ensure that more young people have a sense of agency in what they are learning and are better prepared to take their place as future citizens? This session will propose ten essential next steps for leaders wanting to make an impact.

3.25pm			Closing remarks