More than three dozen staff from 27 schools improved their knowledge and skills at the UNISON Northern Region/Bridges to Learning 2016 school support staff conference in Newcastle in May.

Held at the Discovery Museum, a popular venue choice with participants, the one-day event featured a choice of two workshops on key issues for schools staff: 

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• dyslexia awareness
• emotional intelligence
• mindfulness.

In one of two keynote speeches, UNISON National Secretary for Education and Children’s Services Jon Richards examined the potential impact of government policy changes including a new national funding formula.

In the other, UNISON schools activist Karen Jackson revealed how the union was working with its partners to publish the Professional Standards for Teaching Assistants that she had worked on but the government had shelved.

Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with such comments as, “Both tutors were excellent; great sharing real experiences; very knowledgeable”.