The conference will present those strengths and opportunities our members represent. We are delighted that Professor Colin Richards of Lancaster University, long a spokesperson for small schools and former deputy at OFSTED to Jim Rose, Chief Primary Inspector, has accepted our invitation as guest speaker.

Banbury is at Junction 11 of the M40 motorway, which connects directly with the M25, M42, the A34 and the A43/M1.
Banbury is well-served by public transport, with fast half-hourly services between Marylebone and Birmingham Snow Hill, further services from Paddington via Reading and Oxford and regular cross-country trains connecting at Reading and Birmingham New Street. Travel from many outlying parts of the country is therefore reasonably possible.

The Centre is five minutes walking distance of the station, two minutes from the coach station and ample public car-parking. It adjoins the Oxford Canal and the main town centre shops for passengers, family and friends to spend a pleasant day.

During the day we shall present the hard data we hold on small school virtues and through workshops demonstrate the excellence possible in small schools. After the main speaker participants attend two workshops chosen from six offered.

Small schools being effective - leader: James York-Moore, former Head of Seagry CE Primary School, recognised with distinction by OFSTED, named in the Chief Inspector’s best 100 schools report to Parliament.

Dynamic partnership with the community - leader: Jennifer Dixon. Jenny is Head of Armathwaite First School, one of our “Two Small Schools” (2007) and featured in the 2005 DfES study of schools offering a distinctive curriculum (its community links.) It has been invited to join the DCSF Innovations Unit project devising radical new primary practice.

International links - leader: Mary Francis. Mary is Head of Pauntley CE Primary School and is developing a working partnership with schools in Estonia, Romania, Norway and Austria outside the normal EU schemes.

Effective integration - Foundation Stage/KS1 - leader Jane Slater. Jane is an Early Years Consultant at Huddersfield’s Early Excellence Training Centre. With over 30 years teaching experience as a 0-3 specialist she leads training for London University’s Institute of Education.

Starting your own small school - Leader Jeremy Rowe, who after a successful career in large State schools including Headship in Hackney decided with his colleague Lynne they could provide education of the quality they valued only by starting their own school and in 2007 received a fine inspection report.

Campaigning Against Closure - leader Mervyn Benford, specialist adviser for NASS.

The conference ends with a panel of speakers presenting their experience of small school :

Sandy Longmuir h Highly effective leader of SSRN, the Small Schools Rural Network, (Scottish equivalent of NASS who will explain how they have been effective in defending small schools and influencing national policy.

Rev. Canon Roger Hamblin : long-serving NASS Committee Member and representing us on delegations to the National Society and the DCSF, who will present NASS perspectives on the relationships between small Church schools, local dioceses and the National Society.

Ian Nairn : a director of Taecanet, a company whose pioneering work with modern technology continues to provide potential value to small schools in particular, will discuss emerging trends such as the virtual classroom, "Delivering Personalised Learning – Innovation in small schools”

Fee: non-members £95 (£85 if booked before 30 April) - NASS members £80.

Apply to: Barbara Taylor, “Quarrenden” Upper Red Cross Road, Goring-on-Thames RG8 9BD