Conference leaves teachers with renewed focus and insight

Teachers are returning to classrooms with fresh insights and determination after a national education conference.

More than 1,000 National Education Union (NEU) members from across the UK, including around 30 from West Sussex, gathered in Brighton from March 30 to April 2 to debate policies, attend workshops and shape the future direction of education.

Among the delegates was Thembe, a primary teacher from Horsham, who found the conference both empowering and relevant to her classroom practice.

Thembe said: “Attending as a first-time delegate was a valuable experience.

“It gave me a clearer understanding of how the union works in practice and how members use debate and voting to shape NEU national policy.

“The equality and social justice motions stood out to me, particularly those focused on challenging racism in education and creating inclusive environments where every child feels they belong.”

Jenny, an English teacher from Crawley, shared her experience of bringing international issues into the classroom.

Jenny said: “At conference, the important work of Remembering Srebrenica, an education charity which raises awareness of the genocide in Bosnia in 1995, was shared with teachers from across the UK.”

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Cecile, a secondary school dance teacher from Midhurst, reflected on the importance of creativity in education.

Cecile said: “Creative thinking and a transformative education is what the arts and minds campaigning advocates for.

“The arts are not only going to create critical thinkers, but also make our children happier and have educators who are not just measuring students but giving them the space and materials to feel worth and valued.”

Chelle Brown, a history teacher and joint secretary of West Sussex NEU’s state education branch, highlighted the broader themes of the conference.

Ms Brown said: “We return to our classrooms, back into the same pressures, but with a clearer sense of what we’re pushing for together.

“Motions like ‘Prioritising a Pedagogy of Play’ passed with because they speak to what we see every day.

“Children who need time, space and joy in their learning, and staff who need the conditions to make that possible.”

The conference also addressed concerns over funding cuts, growing workloads and the impact of high-stakes accountability systems in education.

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