The conference programme is designed to inspire. To intrigue. To inform.
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In this section, you will gain an overview of each session and read speaker bios.
Please note this information is provided as a guide.
Keynote Speakers and Sessions
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Jonny Benjamin MBE: The Journey To Hope, Recovery & Beyond
Jonny will share his journey with mental illness, from his first experiences of seeing a psychologist aged 5, through to a breakdown and hospitalisation at 20. This led to a suicide attempt in which Jonny was saved by a stranger. He later went on to find and thank this stranger. Their story was told in the award-winning Channel 4 documentary The Stranger on the Bridge. Today, Jonny is focussed on helping young people via his charity, Beyond, which he setup in 2018 to provide mental health support across the UK. This is a moving and inspiring talk which Jonny hopes will lead to a frank, open discussion about the sensitive topics he speaks about.
Jonny’s Bio
Jonny Benjamin MBE is a mental health campaigner, author, filmmaker, and founder of the charity, Beyond.
At the age of 20 he was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, a combination of schizophrenia and bipolar, and later began making films on YouTube about the condition that have been watched by over a million people.
His 2014 social media campaign to successfully find Neil Laybourn, a stranger who talked him out of jumping off a bridge when he was suicidal, went viral and led to the two becoming prominent spokespeople on suicide prevention.
Jonny has talked publicly about living with mental illness around the world to help educate and break stigma. He also produced and presented documentaries on BBC Three and Channel 4, including multi award-winning The Stranger On The Bridge.
In 2018, he co-founded the youth mental health charity, Beyond. Each February, they hold a wellbeing festival for schools and colleges, as well as giving grants to provide mental health support for young people across the UK.
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James Hempsall OBE: Twenty-first century out of school
This interesting and engaging session will consider where the sector is now, and where it is going.
1. Evolution to revolution: how we got here, where we are, what next?
2. This is what development and learning looks like: securing a valued role in the education and learning continuum
3. Sustainable development and futures: the place for out of school and how we get what we need from others
James’ Bio
James Hempsall is director of Hempsall’s, managing editor of Children’s Centre Leader, and national programme director for Childcare Works.
For over 30 years James has worked in the children’s services sector driving service improvement, effecting change, and leading national implementation of key Government programmes in pre-school learning and childcare. initially an out of school and playworker, James has worked in a range of disadvantaged settings and communities, and worked as a development worker supporting people to set up and sustain out of school clubs. His work has focused on improving learning outcomes for all children with a particular emphasis on least advantaged children, parental employment, equalities and anti-discriminatory practice.
Round Table Discussion
Contemplating recent government announcements – what would help?
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Rebekah Jackson Reece: Building Momentum in the Out of School Sector
Accepted notions about childcare affordability and profitability are holding us back. In recognising that we hold part of the solution, we can start build momentum for our businesses, and the whole sector
Rebekah’s Bio
Rebekah is a well-respected childcare success coach who has specialised in supporting and developing the Out of School sector for the last 19 years both through her company The Bold Type Training & Consultancy Limited, as well as leading the Out of School Alliance; a membership and ‘one stop shop’ for support, advice and information for out of school providers in England.
Rebekah is a playworker at heart and brings this to her approach, believing wholeheartedly that running a childcare business should actually be fun. As a childcare business expert and passionate advocate for playwork and school aged care, Rebekah is proud to be leading Out of School Alliance forwards since 2021 and has almost too many ideas to support members than she can count!
Before creating The Bold Type in 2018, Rebekah worked in local authorities, initially in a childcare development role specialising in OSC in Cheshire & later as childcare strategic lead in Wrexham, Wales.
Rebekah has an MA in Children's Play & Playwork, is a playwork trainer & assessor, sits on the editorial board for The International Journal of Playwork Practice.
https://outofschoolalliance.co.uk/
https://www.theboldtype.co.uk/
Round Table Discussion
"Five for the Future” Exploring the Five Key Facets of the Future Focus for OSC
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Dan Weir: Opportunities and Challenges for the Wraparound Sector
There has probably never been more attention on the wraparound sector, but is it enough to solve the challenges providers face, and what opportunities may lie ahead? Just before the government announced a renewed focus on sector, Morton Michel and OOSA conducted an extensive survey, the results of which shed may shed some light on what is needed.
Dan’s Bio
Coming from a background in law and policy, Dan has been Morton Michel's sector research and insight specialist since joining the company in 2014. He plays a critical role in ensuring Morton Michel's products meet the needs of a fast-paced and ever-changing sector.
Managing Delivery Speakers
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Ann Marie Christian: Creating a culture of Safeguarding in our clubs
This session will explore safeguarding in the children's activities sector. Creating a safeguarding culture is essential when keeping children safe and ensuring we recruit suitable people into our organisations.
Policies and procedures must be in place so we can ensure we are always compliant. All staff should know how to report abuse and attend regular child protection training. The named designated safeguarding lead has a clear responsibility across the organisation embedding safeguarding across the organisation both strategic and operational. A clear whistleblowing and safeguarding policy need to be known by all stakeholders.
We will address these in the session so participants can learn the essentials in creating an ongoing culture of vigilance, so children and young people feel safe.
Ann Marie’s Bio
Ann Marie has been a safeguarding practitioner and a qualified social worker since 1996. She has worked for various local authorities on the front line, management, Local Safeguarding Children Board Trainer, LADO, Safeguarding advisor to schools, school improvement advisor, Designated Safeguarding Lead trainer and coordinator. Working independently since 2010 and an associate for the NSPCC, Premier League, Children Activities Association, Arts, Faith, International and education sectors. She writes articles and delivers workshops and keynotes at international and national conferences. She was Highly Commended’ and received an award at the Win Trade Awards 2019 for ‘Woman in the Public Sector and was nominated in 2018 & 2019 in the NSPCC Child Protection Trainer of the Year
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Audrey Bobb: Diversity in the Settings
What does it mean? Exploring diversity in our settings: Festivals & Celebrations, Resources, Practical Activities for the children, Parents & You!
Audrey’s Bio
Audrey Bobb B.A. (Hons) I am the Director/Manager of Jumoke. My club is celebrating 25 years of providing an out of school club service in my local community. 1998 - 2023 - I have seen so many changes in the sector over the years. I am now an approved provider for the Holiday Activities Food Programme (HAF) with my local authority. I am also involved in delivering community activities for children and their parents. I feel I am leading my best life working in a PLAY setting. I am always working towards my next adventure in Play and Playwork with the children. I have done the virtual London Marathon 4 times for various charities - the last one being in Barbados!
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Julia Sexton: The importance of things: affordances and loose parts
As adults working in out of school provision, we are involved in creating play spaces, ones which have a playful atmosphere. But how are playful atmospheres created?
This session will explore the things involved in creating playful atmospheres drawing on the ideas of affordances and loose parts. Affordances are the opportunities which are offered by the features of an environment such as flat or sloping areas. Loose parts are things that also offer opportunities for a variety ways of interacting with them but are different to affordances, as they are things that can be moved around such as boxes, sticks, pots, stones, tyres, furniture, material, ropes, etc. Thinking about the importance of things in the creation of play spaces and playful atmospheres can help us be more aware of aspects that might otherwise be overlooked.
Julia’s Bio
Julia has over 30 years of experience of working as a playworker in different playwork provision, including out of school clubs, playschemes and adventure playgrounds. She has been a playwork lecturer and assessor and currently is a senior lecturer in Childhood Studies at Sheffield Hallam University. She has a MA in Play and Playwork and her dissertation focused on exploring creative methods for attuning to playful affective atmospheres. She has undertaken research for local and national play organisations, including Play England. She is a trustee of Pitsmoor Adventure Playground and a trustee of The Playwork Foundation, the membership body for the playwork community.
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Karen Benjamin: Inclusive Play - Meeting Individual Play Needs
‘All children need to play’, but for many children there can be barriers to inclusion. This session explores a variety of practical ways to engage individual children in the play setting, as well as ideas for responding positively to particular needs and behaviours. There may not be one solution but with a creative approach to providing a range of play opportunities building on what children and young people like doing, we may find a way of supporting them in their play and thereby providing a more inclusive setting.
Karen’s Bio
Karen Benjamin is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Gloucestershire. She is a playwork trainer & assessor, and has written many training courses in the past for Playwork Partnerships at the University. She has managed an Adventure Playground for Disabled Children in Glasgow, an OOSC at a Special School and currently mentors playworkers for Dens of Equality, an inclusive play organisation in Birmingham. She is Chair of Play Torbay and a Trustee of the Playwork Foundation.
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Meynell: The power of playwork in an after school setting
I am going to be drawing on my experience of working in a variety of after-school provisions over the last 50+ years and talking about the nature and importance of play, how the playwork approach and being a playworker can support this understanding of play and some of the problems and challenges that exist for us in actually doing it. My presentation will be peppered with anecdotes and stories of how I have made it work and also how I have, at times, got it terribly wrong!
Meynell’s Bio
Meynell is the director of Meynell Games, an organisation that exists “to create better opportunities for children’s play”.
He is a playworker, playwork trainer / lecturer, and playwork advocate. He has been working with children and young adults in various capacities for 51 years and has been fortunate enough to have experience working in most kinds of settings and with groups of children in a host of countries across three continents.
An MPhil and qualifications in teaching, youth work, playwork, and expertise in early years have given him a very clear understanding of the role of play and its importance in the everyday lives of children. He travels extensively across the globe to discuss play and playwork with both face-to-face workers and academics.
His role as bookseller enables him to be one of the most well-read in the sector and has given him the opportunity to engage with many of the authors and academics who write about play, children and childhoods.
Since withdrawing from drinking alcohol and playing with whisky, Meynell now likes to explore coffees from around the world and play with them!
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The OOSA Ambassadors: Playing with Playfulness
Come and play with the OOSA Ambassadors. In this session, the OOSA Ambassadors will pose some provoking and challenging practice questions, inviting you to play your way to (hopefully) some interesting considerations of the role of adults and how we can take a modern approach to supporting children, playfully in our settings.
OOSA Ambassadors’ Bio
The OOSA Ambassadors are the 'OOSA inner circle' of committed, ambitious out of school setting owners who have come together for a year to focus on securing and growing their business. The Ambassadors are all about community, connection and collaboration; supporting each other to find solutions, share ideas and champion each other through facilitated monthly mastermind sessions.
The OOSA Ambassadors are a varied group of people with different expertise and experience abut all with the same focus of using the 12 months they have together to transform their businesses for the better.
Want to find out more? www.outofschoolalliance.co.uk/oosa_ambassadors
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Saira-Jayne Jones and Amanda Knowles MBE: Curiosity, creativity & connection - Relational practice with care experienced children and young people
Children who have experienced trauma & adversity may have difficulties in building relationships and engaging in groups. This session is a lived experience informed session that explores insights that can support working with children who are care experienced.
Saira’s and Amanda’s Bios
Saira-Jayne and Amanda are two of a small team of Directors at Your Life Your Story. Saira-Jayne is a former looked after child, now qualified social worker, lived experience practitioner, artist, and poet. Amanda has worked in children’s social care and social work for over 40 years, is actively involved in the provision of children’s residential care and is passionate about the healing power of exploring untold stories of the shared journey of care.
Your Life Your Story CIC is a small organisation that honours and holds space for the voices of care experienced adults and care givers, for exploration, of the shared journey of care, co-creating healing, reflective spaces, and resources that can be shared.
Your Life Your Story’s ethos is not only to co-create safe, creative, therapeutic spaces where people feel like insiders not outsiders, connecting with and welcoming care experienced people from both sides of the journey whose voices are unheard and stories untold, but also to create extraordinary pieces of participatory work, look at new models of sector partnership and develop and deliver open, honest engaging learning opportunities.
Managing Business Speakers
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Diane Koplewsky & Nikolai Koplewsky: Unlocking Success: Innovative Strategies for School Age Childcare Providers
Unlocking Success: Innovative Strategies for School Age Childcare Providers," is a plan designed to focus on the business side of school age childcare industry This presentation at the conference will focus on the various strategies and tactics that childcare providers can implement to achieve success in their businesses.
Furthermore, the proposal will delve into the significance of operational efficiency and capacity building. The need for owners and managers to work on their business and not in it all the time. Using AI to be ahead of the time and how it help immensely with some of the more routine aspects of working in the childcare industry.
By embracing these strategies, providers can enhance their online presence, attract new customers, and ultimately drive business growth.
Bios
We are joint presenters. I’m Diane Koplewsky a graduate in Early Education 1st class as well as a business and law graduate with an MBA. I came into childcare after practising in my business profession and studied early years after buying a small nursery in 2001. Since then we have now 25 branches, 21 of which are school age childcare branches and 4 are day nurseries. I am passionate about play, playwork and school age sector. I have held many roles in (NI) in our sector from
Chair of our regional playwork forum; chair of the day nursery owners forum and sector representative to our department of education and health during the Covid pandemic. I also have a TedX talk about stepping off the timetable train and giving children the freedom to play. My son Nikolai also works in our business in the strategy side. He is a law graduate and has done a couple of masters one of which focused on the area of coporate childcare and the school
Age sector partnership with schools. We would love to share some of the work we have been doing here in NI
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James McDonald: Be Prepared, Don't Panic!
Often when people think of insurance, they can see it as a task they need to do as part of running their business and want to get it ticked off the list quickly. Not everyone is fully aware what it is there for and how it can protect them and their business.
Some of the common incidents we see occur in out of school clubs are slips, trips and falls or damage to a third-party property. These incidents can happen at any venue and understanding what you can do to reduce the risk of it happening, to meet your requirements as a provider and know what steps to take in the event an incident occurring, can make a huge difference.
James’ Bio
In my role I work closely with our introducer and franchise partners to help provide specialist insurance solutions to their networks, franchisees and members. I have been working in insurance for 15 years and at Morton Michel for 7. During my time at Morton Michel I have had a number of roles across multiple departments but at the beginning of 2022 I was given the opportunity to take on my new role, a role that I already had an insight into. I was able to see how fulfilling and enjoyable my colleagues found working with our partners and the opportunity excited me then, and the challenge to deliver for them continues to excite me today. I feel very privileged that so many people trust us to take care of their insurance needs.
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Jodie Seddon: Protecting Value
Exploring ways to secure the progress of your business.
Jodie’s Bio
Jodie is a skilled commercial and corporate lawyer, with broad experience from senior roles both in house and in private practice. She has a particular interest in supporting start-ups and small businesses across all sectors, and strongly believes that the law should facilitate opportunities, rather than prevent them.
In recent months she has been working regularly with businesses in the out of school care sector. Clients describe her as “a smart lawyer, on the ball and very commercial” and “extremely helpful in pressurised situations”.
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Lucy Lewin: Unlocking Financial Success: Strategies for Sustainable Business Growth
In this empowering session where we will dive into practical strategies and implementable ideas to help leaders achieve improved financial viability, business growth, and sustainability. In the fast-paced world of out-of-school clubs, it is crucial for leaders to plan effectively, work smart, and leverage systems and processes to drive success.
Through dynamic discussions and real-life examples, we will explore key areas such as marketing and social media, building strong partnerships with schools, optimising budgets and finance, streamlining business processes, developing comprehensive business plans, strategic decision-making, engaging stakeholders, and effective selling or exit strategies.
During this session, I will share my wealth of experience and guide participants on a journey towards unlocking financial success. Attendees will gain practical insights, learn to work smarter rather than harder, and discover how to leverage time with efficient systems and processes.
Join me and let's empower leaders to achieve sustainable business growth, maximise their impact, and create a solid foundation for a thriving out-of-school club business.
Lucy’s Bio
Lucy Lewin is a highly regarded leadership and management expert in the out-of-school club sector. With a passion for empowering leaders and driving business success, Lucy has dedicated her career to helping organisations develop engaged teams and deliver exceptional services to children and families.
With over a decade of experience, Lucy brings a wealth of knowledge in practical and theoretical leadership techniques. Her expertise spans a wide range of areas, including marketing, social media, working with schools, budgets and finance, business processes, business planning, strategy development, stakeholder engagement, selling/exit strategies.
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Martin Judd: Reduce your admin and get paid promptly with Kids Club HQ
Martin’s Bio
"Martin is the founder of Kids Club HQ, an online booking and admin system for out of school clubs. Currently serving hundreds of clubs, his aim is to help out of school clubs cut their admin so they can focus on their key services.
Before Kids Club HQ, Martin's background is in CRM and eCommerce and he has 25+ years experience of building quality software."
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Pam Gordon: Business Growth Strategies – different models for expansion
An exploration of the different business models you might apply to expand your business, looking at the pro’s and cons of a number of ways to develop including organic growth through to franchising.
Pam’s Bio
Pam Gordon has a background in finance, business development and franchising. She began her career with HSBC Asset Finance which later led her into franchising. So, now 23 years later she has worked with many different franchise businesses in management roles. She also runs her own franchise, as a franchisee for Rise Life Brighton which provides seated sports activities into care homes and community settings. She has also for the last 9 years worked with The Franchising Centre providing franchise consultancy advice for businesses looking at expansion via licensing and franchise.
On a voluntary basis she has been Chair of a not for profit after-school club in Hove and the Chair of the PTA for her daughter’s school and taken her business experience to support and mentor young people and via Rift Social Enterprise those leaving prison looking to start their own businesses.
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Rebekah Jackson Reece: Who’s quality is it anyway?
An exploration of notions of quality in out of school settings.
Rebekah’s Bio
Rebekah is a well-respected childcare success coach who has specialised in supporting and developing the Out of School sector for the last 19 years both through her company The Bold Type Training & Consultancy Limited, as well as leading the Out of School Alliance; a membership and ‘one stop shop’ for support, advice and information for out of school providers in England.
Rebekah is a playworker at heart and brings this to her approach, believing wholeheartedly that running a childcare business should actually be fun. As a childcare business expert and passionate advocate for playwork and school aged care, Rebekah is proud to be leading Out of School Alliance forwards since 2021 and has almost too many ideas to support members than she can count!
Before creating The Bold Type in 2018, Rebekah worked in local authorities, initially in a childcare development role specialising in OSC in Cheshire & later as childcare strategic lead in Wrexham, Wales.
Rebekah has an MA in Children's Play & Playwork, is a playwork trainer & assessor, sits on the editorial board for The International Journal of Playwork Practice.
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Ruth Jesson-Smith: DfE National Wraparound Programme
In this session DfE will provide an update on progress to deliver the £289m National Wraparound Programme announced in the budget earlier this year. You will hear details of how government, working with local authorities, plan to ensure there is sufficient wraparound provision to meet local needs along with details of how you can get involved.
Ruth’s Bio
Ruth Jesson-Smith is the Head of the Wraparound Childcare Unit at the Department for Education. Her team is responsible for delivering on the government’s ambition for all parents of primary school-aged children to be able to access wraparound childcare in their local area.
Based in Manchester, she has worked in the DfE for 11 years in a number of capacities, including leading the teams responsible for the EY COVID response, school and trust governance, local government funding for children’s social care, and developing the early career framework for teachers
Managing Team: Speakers
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Imogen Edmunds: Session 1 - Becoming an Employer of Choice
In this session we will explain what it means to be an employer of choice and what even the smallest of clubs can do to achieve this and the benefits that it brings.
Session 2: Employment Law Update for Out of School Club
In this session we will cover recent developments and planned changes in employment law that will impact Out of School Clubs.
Imogen’s Bio
Imogen Edmunds is Managing Director or Redwing Solutions a HR Consultancy established in 2004, that specialises in working with Day Nurseries, Pre-schools and Out of School Clubs across England, Wales and Scotland. Based in Redditch, Worcestershire we are a small boutique HR practice with HR Consultants, HR Advisors and a HR Assistant. We work from a converted cow shed and look out over a field with donkeys!
Imogen’s Round Table
The sale and transfer (TUPE) of Out of School Clubs
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Emma Gardner: Effective supervision in out of school care and why it's so important
The aims of the session will be to:
- outline why supervision is so important for high quality provision
- identify the key features of effective supervision for staff in out of school settings.
- highlight some of the challenges of providing effective supervision in settings that are run for limited hours each week
- identify tips and tools to support good supervision processes
- highlight the impact on staff when they feel supported through strong supervision practices
Emma’s Bio
I have worked in the Early years and childcare sector for over 10 years. I previously worked as an Early Years Adviser for the National Day Nurseries Association. Currently, I work for Spring by Action for Children, overseeing the quality in 35 nurseries and 22 out of school clubs. I have also work as a self-employed Ofsted Inspector, carrying out inspections of early years and childcare provision, including out of school clubs.
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Sam Thomson: Ten Steps to a Positive Workplace Mental Health Culture
51% of staff absences in 2020/21 were due to mental health conditions. In this session learn what steps you can put in place to reduce absenses in your setting and create a positive mental health culture. During this session you will learn 10 simple steps that you can implement within your setting to support the Mental Health and Wellbeing of your team.
Sam’s Bio
Sam Thomson is the Director of Hexagon Hive – supporting leaders to ‘get it right’ for their team through Mental Health and Wellbeing Training, Workplace Audits and Mentoring. She uses her experience, knowledge and understanding of managing a large team and being a workplace of choice to support others to implement a positive workplace culture for their organisations.
Sam was the founder and CEO of a multi-site award winning Out Of School Clubs for nearly 20 years, managing 17 settings, with a staff team of over 150 before successfully selling in 2019. Since then she has supported leaders and teams across a variety of sectors – childcare, schools, universities, colleges, various corporates and SME’s.