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Seminars

09:00 - 09:45

Registration

09:00 - 09:45

Registration & Networking & Meet the Exhibitors

09:45 - 11:00

Opening Keynote – Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme Update

Keynote address &  Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme Update Speakers:  Neal O’Leary, Programme Director – Sustainable Communities for Learning, Welsh Government Sara Humber, Programme Director MIM – Sustainable Communities for Learning Jeremy Miles MS, Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Welsh Government Chair: Emyr Harries

Chairperson

  • Emyr Harries Deputy Director - Education Business Planning and Governance, Welsh Government

  • Neal O’Leary Programme Director - Sustainable Communities for Learning - Welsh Government
  • Sara Humber Programme Director MIM - Sustainable Communities for Learning - Welsh Government
  • Jeremy Miles MS Minister for Education and Welsh Language

09:45

Opening Keynote – Welsh Government

Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme Update Neal O’Leary, Programme Director Sustainable Communities for Learning, Welsh Government

Chairperson

  • Emyr Harries Deputy Director - Education Business Planning and Governance, Welsh Government

  • Neal O’Leary Programme Director - Sustainable Communities for Learning - Welsh Government

10:15 - 11:15

Conference Break & Networking

11:00 - 12:00

Conference Break & Networking

11:15 - 12:15

Inspiring & Healthy Learning Environments

Educational Environments: Promoting wellbeing & encouraging school culture to develop Claire Broad, Associate Director – Interior Architecture, Rio Architects, Andrew Baker, Director, Rio Architects & Viv Buckley, Deputy Principal, Bridgend College In partnership with Bridgend College we will be discussing their new STEAM academy in Pencoed. We will be looking at contributions from the Students... Read more »

Chairperson

11:15 - 12:15

New Build Projects

Fitzalan High School Victoria Slater, Associate Architect, Austin-Smith:Lord & Julie Holmes, Operational Manger – Capital Delivery, Cardiff Council Case Study on the new build Fitzalan High School project in Cardiff – The brief calls for the provision of a replacement new 11-18 10FE high school including 350 post 16 places to address “D” condition categorisation... Read more »

Chairperson

  • Gareth Long Director / Education Consultant - the-learning-crowd

12:00 - 13:00

Session 2: Optimising Net Zero Carbon in Operation

Optimising Net Zero Carbon in Operation Speakers:  Jane O’Leary, Strategic Advisor, Education, ISG Rhodri Davies, Senior Sustainability Manager, ISG Chair: Neil Thomas, Senior Associate, the-learning-crowd For the sake of our climate and our future generations, the Welsh government are committed that all new schools in Wales are to be zero carbon. Although there is still... Read more »

Chairperson

12:00 - 13:00

Session 3: Inspiring Learning Spaces

A holistic approach to health and wellbeing in creating inspirational education spaces  Speaker: Robert Hopkins, Regional Director, AHR & Royal College of Physicians Completed in 2021, the new 160,000 ft2 northern home of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) in Liverpool, The Spine, is one of a handful of buildings globally designed to WELL Platinum... Read more »

Chairperson

12:00 - 13:00

Workshop: Bringing Educational Settings into our Communities in Wales – Unlocking our school gates

Through the Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme, Community Hubs Grant, and more recently £25 million investment for Community Focused Schools to tackle the impact of poverty on our learners attainment, the Welsh Government is driving the strategic use of education infrastructure in Wales.  We not only want Community Focused Schools to use their facilities and... Read more »

  • Natalie James-Rutledge Senior Capital Funding Manager - Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme - The Education Directorate | Welsh Government

12:15 - 13:15

Lunch & Networking

13:00 - 14:00

Lunch & Networking

13:15 - 14:15

Inclusive Design

Is there such a thing as a flexible ALN environment? Catherine Ward, Associate, SEN Lead & Gina Callaghan, Architect, HLM Architects There is a common thought that ALN schools cannot be standardised or consistent but require a bespoke approach to their design. However, my recent involvement in the design of several special schools, has led... Read more »

Chairperson

  • Shane Cryer Concept Developer - Education - Saint-Gobain Ecophon

13:15 - 14:15

Refurbishment & Retrofit Projects

The Bute Building Rob Stevens, Associate Architect, BDP In 2021 the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) launched the first ever Net Zero Whole Life Carbon Roadmap for the UK Built Environment. Alongside the vision and policy recommendations for a Net Zero Carbon trajectory to 2050, the roadmap carried a stark message for the sector that... Read more »

Chairperson

14:00 - 15:00

Session 4: Decarbonisation of Existing Estates

Helping existing schools get to net zero carbon Speakers: Alan Fogarty, Partner, Cundall Peter Hazzard, Associate Director – Schools and Colleges Sector Lead, Cundall Existing buildings are our biggest challenge when it comes to achieving net zero carbon, so Cundall has created a pilot project that aims to help existing schools lower their emissions. The... Read more »

Chairperson

  • Jon James Director + Architect - Jon James Studio Architecture

14:00 - 15:00

Session 5: Inclusive Learning Spaces

Adapting HCD for SEN and putting it into practice  Speakers: Lucy Greenland, Project Architect & Simon Kneafsey, Associate Director, Atkins How do we broaden the engagement process to ensure it is inclusive of all users of a building, particularly those with special educational needs? How are we able to utilise digital tools to capture meaningful... Read more »

Chairperson

14:00 - 15:00

Workshop: The Welsh Education Partnership Company Story so Far

The Welsh Education Partnership Company Story so Far Speakers: Christian Stanbury, Chief Executive, Welsh Education Partnership Company We will be discussing the various projects and their progress so far, lessons learnt and our challenges to date. This will include how the development process works and our partnership approach with Local Authorities and Further Education Institutes.... Read more »

14:15 - 15:15

Conference Break & Networking

15:00 - 15:45

Conference Break and Networking

15:15 - 16:15

Decarbonisation of Existing Estates

Decarbonising Colleges Helen Groves, Architect Director, Atkins & Alex Anderson, Head of Estates Development & Facilities, Coleg Gwent College Colleges have the same decarbonisation ambition as schools, but often with larger estates to manage. Coleg Gwent have recently been undergoing a review of their facilities to determine how to achieve their Net Zero ambitions, in... Read more »

Chairperson

  • Sam Rees Senior Public Affairs Officer - Wales - RICS

15:15 - 16:15

Delivering Sustainable Learning Environments

Cefn Saeson Project Stuart Moyse, Former Deputy Head of Cefn Saeson & Graham Hirst, Managing Director, Ministry of Furniture Morgan Sindall Construction were selected to build the £27 million new home for Cefn Saeson Comprehensive School in Neath, South Wales. The school’s 900 pupils have benefitted from 48 state-of-the-art classrooms comprising of creative workspaces, art... Read more »

Chairperson

  • Graham Hirst Managing Director - Ministry of Furniture
  • Stuart Moyse Educational Building Consultant - SAM Education Building Consultancy Cymru

15:45 - 16:45

Session 6: Active Travel and Strategic Planning

Creating Sustainable Learning Communities: Supporting Active Travel Choices Speaker: Dr Dafydd Trystan, Chair, Active Travel Board Wales The presentation will outline the overall Welsh Government strategy for supporting Active Travel to Schools and other Education Settings, and draw on best practice examples of successful new build projects that have incorporated active travel as key features... Read more »

15:45 - 16:45

Session 7: Delivering Learning Spaces

Today’s Construction Challenges? Modular Solutions Speaker: Sarah Denton, Business Manager, Portakabin  Ysgol Bae Baglan: An All-Through Community School Speaker: Simon Trew, Regional Director, Stride Treglown Ysgol Bae Baglan is a landmark all-through school for Neath Port Talbot and the recipient of the Eisteddfod Gold Medal for Architecture in 2017. Five years on, Simon Trew reflects... Read more »

Chairperson

  • Gavin Traylor President of RSAW and Lecturer at the Swansea School of Architecture

  • Sarah Denton Business Manager - Portakabin
  • Simon Trew Architect & Regional Director (Cardiff) - Stride Treglown

16:15 - 16:20

Move to final session

16:20 - 17:20

Policy into Practice

Panel session Neal O’Leary, Programme Director – Sustainable Communities for Learning, Welsh Government David Powell, Director of Corporate Estates, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council Crawford Wright, Head of Architecture and Design: Schools and Colleges, Department for Education Andy Dailly, Head of School Building, Scottish Government Áine Cusack, Principal Officer – Schools Capital Appraisal Section,... Read more »

Chairperson

  • Crawford Wright Head of Architecture and Design: Schools and Colleges - Department for Education
  • Andy Dailly Head of School Building - Scottish Government
  • Áine Cusack Principal Officer - Schools Capital Appraisal Section - Department of Education
  • Neal O’Leary Programme Director - Sustainable Communities for Learning - Welsh Government
  • David Powell Director of Corporate Estates - Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

17:00 - 18:00

Networking Drinks Reception

17:30 - 17:30

Event Close