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Raising standards of teaching one step at a time

Raising standards of teaching one step at a timeRaising standards of teaching one step at a timeRaising standards of teaching one step at a time

The Slovakian Educational Leadership Conference 2023

3rd to 4th November 2023

Hotel Alexander 

Bardejov Spa 

Slovakia

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2023 Conference Theme

Raising Standards of Teaching One Step at a time 

purpose, policy and pedagogy


The Seventh Annual School Leaders’ and Educators’ Conference 

Top speakers from the UK and US including academics from UCL and the University of London. Also, master teachers from UK schools offering practical strategies to make a difference in the classroom. Ideal for school leaders, master teachers, local and national policy-makers. 

Our conference last year in local television news

Our confirmed Speakers for 2023

Simon Uttley

Maria Budzynska

Simon Uttley

Professor Simon Uttley is, together with Martin Smilnak, the co-Founder and co-Chair of SELC. He is full Professor and Course Leader for Catholic Education and the Common Good at the University of Notre Dame [U.S.A], London Global Gateway. In addition, Professor Uttley is Visiting Professor in Catholic Education, Institute of Education, S

Professor Simon Uttley is, together with Martin Smilnak, the co-Founder and co-Chair of SELC. He is full Professor and Course Leader for Catholic Education and the Common Good at the University of Notre Dame [U.S.A], London Global Gateway. In addition, Professor Uttley is Visiting Professor in Catholic Education, Institute of Education, St Mary’s University, London. His current research includes deepening the relationship between the Higher Education sector and the school (Koinonia), and exploring the importance of meaning and moral purpose in educational curricula. Professor Uttley also holds the position of Visiting Lecturer in Catholic education at Dominican University, Chicago.as well as Visiting Lecturer at UCL Institute of Education, London. In the daytime, Professor Uttley is the Headteacher of Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic High School in Reading, 65km from London. Simon is a licensed Catholic Schools’ Inspector for the schools of the Dioceses of England and Wales. 

Sue Matthews

Maria Budzynska

Simon Uttley

Sue Matthews is Assistant Headteacher, with responsibility for Teaching and Learning and Safeguarding at Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School. She teaches both Business Studies and French with previous Head of Department responsibility in both subjects. She holds a BA Honours in French Studies, a Post Graduate Certifcate in Education (P

Sue Matthews is Assistant Headteacher, with responsibility for Teaching and Learning and Safeguarding at Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School. She teaches both Business Studies and French with previous Head of Department responsibility in both subjects. She holds a BA Honours in French Studies, a Post Graduate Certifcate in Education (PGCE) a Management Diploma and the National Professional Qualifcation for Headteachers (NPQH). She came into teaching following a successful career in sales and marketing in the French Chemicals and Polymers Industry both in France and the United Kingdom. Sue is married to Jan and is mum to Céline, also a Business Studies and French teacher and Liam a qualifed Occupational Therapist.  

Jacek Brant

Maria Budzynska

Maria Budzynska

Professor Jacek Brant is Full Professor at the world-renowned University College, London’s, Institute of Education Faculty of Education and Society. Jacek worked in manufacturing industry for two years before becoming a schoolteacher of economics and business for 11 years and he is now in his 26th year at the IOE. He has run pre-service a

Professor Jacek Brant is Full Professor at the world-renowned University College, London’s, Institute of Education Faculty of Education and Society. Jacek worked in manufacturing industry for two years before becoming a schoolteacher of economics and business for 11 years and he is now in his 26th year at the IOE. He has run pre-service and continuing professional development programmes for teachers; master’s programmes and modules, he supervises research students and is involved in various international projects. Jacek writes on educational issues concerning curriculum and pedagogy. His latest article is available in an open access journal: Brant, J (2022). The curriculum question and school economics: three educational scenarios for the future. Journal of Social Science Education 21(2). https://doi.org/ 10.11576/jsse-4858 of education: Critique and Possibilities in the Journal of Critical Realism. 

Maria Budzynska

Maria Budzynska

Maria Budzynska

Maria Budzynska has worked in Catholic secondary education in Inner London schools for over 10 years including in her current role as a senior leader [Deputy Headteacher]. With a background in 11—18 English teaching, she has come to specialise in inclusion, special needs support and whole school pastoral management. A lead practitioner an

Maria Budzynska has worked in Catholic secondary education in Inner London schools for over 10 years including in her current role as a senior leader [Deputy Headteacher]. With a background in 11—18 English teaching, she has come to specialise in inclusion, special needs support and whole school pastoral management. A lead practitioner and an authoritative voice in the area of improving standards, Maria offers fresh thinking around whole-school assessment systems. 

Martin Smilnak

Judy Hutchinson

Judy Hutchinson

Martin Smilnak is, together with Simon Uttley, the co-Founder and co-Chair of SELC. He is also our host. As Headmaster of Gymnázium sv. Jána Bosca, Bardejov, Martin has been instrumental in building a highly successful, bilingual Catholic school. 

Judy Hutchinson

Judy Hutchinson

Judy Hutchinson

SELC Honorary Secretary Judy Hutchinson heads up the University of Notre Dame’s Global Gateway interests in the States, following several years of ground-breaking work in London to develop student internships. It is one such internship, the school-based internship, from which today’s students hail. The conference is grateful to Judy for f

SELC Honorary Secretary Judy Hutchinson heads up the University of Notre Dame’s Global Gateway interests in the States, following several years of ground-breaking work in London to develop student internships. It is one such internship, the school-based internship, from which today’s students hail. The conference is grateful to Judy for first making it possible for the students to participate in our conference and we are proud to have named her Honorary Secretary of the conference.  

David Oswell

Judy Hutchinson

Annalise Gordon

 Professor David Oswell started off teaching part-time at the Polytechnic of North London while completing an MA in Film and Television Studies at the Polytechnic of Central London and researching for his PhD based at the Open University. David then got a first full-time lecturing post in media and cultural studies at Staffordshire Univer

 Professor David Oswell started off teaching part-time at the Polytechnic of North London while completing an MA in Film and Television Studies at the Polytechnic of Central London and researching for his PhD based at the Open University. David then got a first full-time lecturing post in media and cultural studies at Staffordshire University in 1993. He finally completed a PhD and moved down to the Department of Human Sciences at Brunel University in 1995. At Brunel, David got the first taste of science and technology studies from Steve Woolgar, Mike Lynch and Alan Irwin and had to proffer the pretence of knowing the field as Director of Graduate Studies at the Centre for Research into Innovation, Culture and Technology (CRICT). David then moved to the Department of Sociology at Goldsmiths College in 2001.

In his early years at Goldsmiths, David's research and teaching developed around cultural theory, technology, organisation, and social life. But in recent years his writing has been firmly based around a set of questions and issues concerning the social life of children and childhood, children’s rights, and the way in which knowledge and images of children circulate and get used and maneuvered.

From 2013 to 2016, David was Head of the Department of Sociology, and is currently Pro-Warden Research & Enterprise. 

Annalise Gordon

Judy Hutchinson

Annalise Gordon

 Professor Anna Lise Gordon is Professor of Education in the Institute of Education at St Mary’s University. As a former Director of the Institute of Education, she received the Inspirational Leader Award at St Mary’s in 2019. Anna Lise is the University lead for an Office for Students funded project, entitled 'Mind the Gaps! First in Fam

 Professor Anna Lise Gordon is Professor of Education in the Institute of Education at St Mary’s University. As a former Director of the Institute of Education, she received the Inspirational Leader Award at St Mary’s in 2019. Anna Lise is the University lead for an Office for Students funded project, entitled 'Mind the Gaps! First in Family Students and Students without Family Support: Managing Transitions and Mental Health'. This project is a collaboration between St Mary's University, University of West London, King's College and Maudsley Learning.

Anna Lise was awarded a prestigious National Teaching Fellowship in 2012 and is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Anna Lise was a joint winner of the St Henry Walpole Prize for Teaching and Learning, awarded by St Mary’s, in December 2009 for an innovative approach to cross-curricular learning with PGCE students, and again in 2013 for an initiative to nurture resilience of students across a range of academic programmes.

Anna Lise joined St Mary’s in 1998 as senior lecturer in education for modern languages. She completed her MA in Education (Leading Innovation and Change) in 2008 at the University of Surrey and her research project focused on specialist modern languages support for trainee teachers in primary schools. In 2016, Anna Lise completed a Doctorate in Education programme with Nottingham Trent University, focusing on resilience of early career teachers. She holds a coaching qualification from the Institute of Leadership and Management, and co-leads the University Mentoring Scheme. Anna Lise is co-lead for research in the Institute of Education at St Mary’s. She has considerable experience as an external examiner for secondary ITT provision at a number of universities.

Previously, Anna Lise taught modern languages in schools in London and Surrey and was a Local Authority Advisory Teacher and Consultant for modern languages for several years. She has also written educational materials for 11-16 year olds learning French and German in schools.

CONFERENCE 2019

last year's PROGRAMME 2022

4th November 2022

Lunch

1:00 pm

4th November 2022

Lunch

1:00 pm

Welcome & Opening Remarks

2:00 pm

Event Details

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Martin Smilnak  Headteacher, St John Bosco Gymnasium,  Bardejov, and co-Chair of SELC. 

2:00 pm

Session 1

2:10 pm

Event Details

Session 1

Simon Uttley  Cor ad cor, loquitor— Heart speaking unto heart.  Models of partnership working for educational institutions. 

2:10 pm

Session 2

3:00 pm

Event Details

Session 2

Helen Jordan  Working together on pedagogy 

3:00 pm

Break

3:50 pm

Break

3:50 pm

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