Daisy Education Reading Conference
11 November 2026 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Engaging sessions, refreshments and prizes!Are you looking to:
☑️Raise reading attainment and improvement across the curriculum
☑️Prepare students for exams with the necessary skills
☑️Support struggling students catch up to ARE
☑️ Equip ALL students with the means to succeed - including disadvantaged students
☑️ Instil confidence and reading for pleasure in students
☑️Benefit your teaching with tips to save time and reduce workload without minimising impact
Join the Daisy Education Reading Conference!
As an attendee, you can expect:
- Evidence-informed strategies from teacher trainers and educational consultants that make a real impact.
- Tools and approaches from local schools as they describe how they achieve the best results.
- Engaging, energetic sessions tailored to your needs - gain access to a wealth of knowledge supporting roles across MATs, primary and secondary schools.
You will also:
- Receive lunch, drinks and snacks throughout the day.
- Get involved in interactive quizzes and other opportunities to win prizes for your school.
Conference details
When: 11 November 2026 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Where: Haydock Park Racecourse (The Jockey Club), Newton-le-Willows, WA12 0HQ
Who: We invite teachers, literacy leads, SLT, headteachers and MAT-leaders from primary and secondary schools across the UK.
Full-Day Ticket: £30
Half-Day Ticket: £20
Hear from a range of education and literacy experts:
- Catharine Driver – Literacy Adviser, National Literacy Trust
Catharine will explore disciplinary reading and the reading jump between primary and secondary school, sharing practical strategies to improve reading engagement and attainment across subjects at Key Stages 2 and 3.
- Steve Willshaw – Author, Executive Coach and Educational Consultant, Steve Willshaw Consulting
Author of Reading Aloud in Every Classroom and The Functionally Fluent Teacher, and creator of Rooted in Reading, Steve champions literacy, ambitious teaching and staff wellbeing. His practical approach helps educators strengthen communication and build supportive school cultures.
- Alex Baugh – Assistant Headteacher, St George’s School, Blackpool
With over 12 years of teaching experience, Alex leads reading and disciplinary literacy across the curriculum, combining Reading Plus insights with targeted support and initiatives that encourage reading for pleasure. He was named Teacher of the Year at the 2025 Daisy Education Awards, where St George’s also won Secondary School of the Year.
- Lisa Hesmondhalgh – Director of English, Aspire Educational Trust
Lisa provides strategic leadership for English across 13 primary schools in and around Cheshire East. A former headteacher and school improvement consultant, she supports schools to strengthen teaching and build a culture where every child thrives as a reader and writer.
- Dan Jones – Class Teacher, St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School - a Catholic Voluntary Academy
With nearly 20 years of teaching experience, including five in Year 6, Dan is passionate about books and encouraging children to read. He uses technology to motivate pupils and remove barriers to learning, alongside memorable experiences beyond the classroom.
- Jo Gaskell – Primary Literacy Consultant, The Literacy Company
Jo brings over 20 years of teaching experience across Key Stages 1, 2 and 3, combining consultancy with classroom teaching at a local primary school. With experience as an English Lead and Specialist Leader of Education, she supports schools to develop their English curriculum and guides trainee teachers and early career teachers.
Who is the conference for?
Takeaways to expect for:
MAT Leaders: How to boost reading results across academies with centralised, consistent reading schemes that provide visibility and accountability.
Heads/SLT: Methods to drive school improvements with a rich reading culture, curriculum planning and effective intervention leading to improved results.
Literacy Leads/Teachers: Practical strategies, teaching tools and engaging approaches to improve fluency. comprehension, stamina, reading for pleasure and classroom management.
About the organisers
Daisy Education are the sole UK provider of the online learning programmes DreamBox Reading Plus and DreamBox Maths.
We are passionate about supporting educators and students any way we can - both through our adaptive programmes and by hosting a range of initiatives, resources and events.
Previous events we hosted included the International Reading Conference, the International Maths Conference and many more. Past speakers include Baasit Siddiqui, Michael Rosen, Teresa Cremin, Mr P and Bobby Seagull to name a few.
