Ready, Set, Lead! Aspiring to Senior Leadership Conference 2025

SPEAKERS

Patrick Cozier is a highly experienced Secondary School Headteacher of 18 and a half years. He leads Highgate Wood School in Haringey. In addition to his day job, he is a member of Headteacher’s Roundtable who consult and advise senior officials on national education policy. He serves as a trustee of the national charity Show Racism the Red Card (on which he is Co-Vice Chair). More locally, he takes a leading role in the work of the Haringey Racial Equity Group (part of the Haringey Education Partnership) on its focus to reduce racial inequality and improve the outcomes and experiences for children of colour. As a member of the black community, he is passionate about seeking equality, justice and fair outcomes for people of colour. He is currently working on what he refers to as the ‘Calm Leadership’ Approach.

Tim Hudson combines a unique set of skills and experience to support others to find creative and impactful solutions. Following his degree in management and entrepreneurship, he worked in performance consultancy and with elite athletes, supporting businesses, teams, and individuals to thrive under pressure. Working with young people is a passion, and he spent several years working in schools, including leading a boarding house and designing leadership programmes within educational settings. In the last few years, he has certainly challenged himself; he has had a book published (a particular goal as a diagnosed dyslexic who was book-phobic until adulthood), spoken at several conferences and has more recently qualified as a family mediator. He feels that mediation has refined his communication and problem-solving skills further, supporting people to find long-lasting and positive solutions, often in moments of high stress and/or conflict. Overall, these experiences enable him to support leaders, aspiring leaders and individuals who are open to make changes to think creatively and positively to find meaningful outcomes.

Guy Rands is a psychotherapist, educator and advocate who helps school leaders navigate the emotional and relational demands of senior leadership. Drawing on over two decades of senior leadership experience in primary and secondary schools, he now works with individuals and organisations to help them build healthier, more connected relationships through the power of listening, reflection and courageous conversation. He has supported schools, social care teams and police officers to deepen their understanding of conflict – not just as something to resolve, but as a signal of what matters. He is known for creating safe and thought-provoking spaces where people can explore difficult dynamics with clarity, curiosity and compassion.

Helen Webb is an accredited Executive Coach based in Leicester. She works in schools empowering staff to overcome their individual wellbeing, workload, leadership and career challenges so they can avoid burnout, drive successful school improvement, and get the best out of their team and themselves. She has over 20 years of experience in education working previously as a science teacher, Lead Practitioner, PGCE & ECT mentor, ECF Lead & ECT Induction Tutor. She is also currently a Lead Mentor for the Leicester & Leicestershire SCITT. She is a regular contributor to the online secondary education magazine, Sec Ed, where she writes and speaks on themes related to teaching, learning, and coaching.

Dan Cowling is Headteacher at Oak Wood School in Hillingdon, London. He started at the school in April 2020 and led the school from previously Ofsted 3xRequires Improvement to Good in two years, significantly reduced a challenging deficit whilst improving the education experience, opportunities and outcomes for the pupils at the school. He has a clear vision for education leadership underpinned by a strong moral purpose. With over 20 years’ experience in the classroom before becoming Headteacher, he has a fundamental belief that all children can succeed and understands the complex nature of schools and the wider education framework.