Early Years Conference

We’re thrilled to welcome back Ben Kingston-Hughes with all-new content. Ben is a renowned international keynote speaker, author, and multi-award-winning trainer. With over 30 years of experience working with vulnerable children, Ben’s engaging blend of humour, neuroscience, and real-life stories will leave you inspired and equipped with actionable strategies.

Keynote: Expressions of joy – Communication and language and joyful interactions

This inspiring and thought-provoking keynote explores how children really develop communication and language by looking at the fascinating neuroscience behind the process and examining the unique potential of early years practitioners to support that process. The keynote then demonstrates how practitioners can support even our most vulnerable children, through joyful and playful interactions, songs, rhymes, and stories. Ben Kingston-Hughes makes a compelling argument that joy is a fundamental basis for all learning and development and shows how joyful early years practitioners can be truly life-changing for their children.

Join workshops that offer practical ideas to enhance your work with children in early years settings.

Workshop 1: Seeing through behaviour to the child underneath
An insightful session led by Ben Kingston Hughes, to help you understand and support children’s behaviour through a modern, evidence-based approach. The workshop invites delegates to become behaviour detectives rather than enforcers and explores the clues children give us to help us understand them. It also demonstrates how traditional behaviourist approaches can never fully work with children and highlights the importance of using modern psychological understanding to help children behave pro-socially and thrive.

Workshop 2: Exploring Culture through Active Play
Led by North East Museums, this hands-on session will equip you with exciting, practical activities and methods to enhance children’s cultural capital through active, sensory, and imaginative play. You will discover ways to enrich young children’s experiences and bring culture to life with engaging, multi-sensory activities, and access free online resources too.  

Workshop 3: Understanding and Supporting Children with SEND in the Early Years
Led by June Ball from Hadrian School and Hadrian Education and Development Services (HEADS), this workshop explores how to better understand and support children in the Early Years who are not meeting age-related expectations. It will highlight the importance of recognising and celebrating their progress (no matter how small) and provide practical strategies to help every child thrive.

Explore a marketplace showcasing services and resources to support early years professionals, schools, and settings. This is a fantastic opportunity to discover tools and networks that can transform your practice.

Enjoy a delicious lunch while networking with peers and connecting with like-minded professionals from across the sector.

“Our mission is simple: to prioritise people and education over profit. Whether we’re supporting schools in finding the right talent or helping individuals take their first steps into working in education, we place the needs of our schools, educators, and learners at the heart of everything we do. We believe in the power of education and physical activity to break down barriers, reduce inequalities, and foster brighter futures. That’s why we are proud to Headline sponsor the Rise Early Years Conference 2025 which aims to enhance the quality of Early Years education and promote the wellbeing of our region’s young people. Together, let’s build stronger, healthier communities through education and action.”

For more information please visit their website

The Rise Early Years Conference 2025 is Headline sponsored by The North East Combined Authority. The North East Combined Authority was formed on 7 May 2024. It is led by Elected Mayor Kim McGuinness and the Cabinet and covers the seven local authority areas of County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland.

For more information please visit their website

“Ability Consultants provide specialist Fundraising and Income Generation services to the third sector. Our core business is bid writing to grant funders on behalf of charities, schools, voluntary community groups and social enterprises. We also provide a comprehensive strategy document service, charity registration service, 121 mentoring service and senior leadership interim cover linked to Fundraising and Income Generation roles.”

For more information please visit their website

The Alnwick Garden and Lilidorei provide educational opportunities outside of the classroom that benefit children cognitively, socially and emotionally.  Through curriculum based resources and activities pupils can engage in learning that captures their imagination, promotes confidence and resilience, and connects them with the environment. Schools also receive lesson plans to guide them through pre-visit learning and prepare for meaningful learning experiences. 

For more information please visit their website: The Alnwick Garden and Lilidorei