Browne Jacobson’s EdCon conference for school leaders returns for fifth year

Safeguarding in an AI world, creating a high-performance culture and managing the rise of mental health absence are among the topics of an upcoming virtual conference for school leaders and staff.

Browne Jacobson’s EdCon 2025 online programme runs across four weeks, featuring free keynote events, panel discussions, interactive workshops, on-demand sessions and thought leadership articles.

Held from 3 to 28 March, it is the UK and Ireland law firm’s fifth annual conference, which last year attracted 1,400 school staff across the country.  

This year, EdCon will focus on four dynamic streams – horizon scanning, collaborating and connecting, creativity and “out of the box” thinking, and developing people.

Sessions are delivered by Browne Jacobson’s expert lawyers and HR consultants, as well as senior leaders from academy trust clients and partners such as the Association of School and College Leaders, Confederation of School Trusts, National Governance Association,

Nick MacKenzie, Head of Education at Browne Jacobson, said: “EdCon is a great platform for the education sector to come together and, by exploring opportunities for innovation, collaboration, creativity and development, schools and trusts can face up to challenges and enhance their prospects.

“As a firm committed to supporting our clients with tackling society’s biggest issues, we recognise education is at the vanguard of many emerging challenges.

“This conference, alongside other thought leadership activities such as our School Leaders Survey and #EdInfluence podcast, aims to start the conversation on many of these issues by delivering insights from experts at Browne Jacobson, our clients and our partners.”

Each stream in the EdCon 2025 programme is designed to inspire, challenge and empower educators, innovators and thought leaders. Live sessions include:

• Creating a high-performance culture in schools and trusts
• How forging strong alliances will drive sector change
• A proactive approach to data protection
• Creative solutions for managing difficult employees
• Nurturing diversity and inclusion
• Cultivating resilience: Fostering a speak-upculture
• Strategic absence management: Focusing on the rise of mental health absence
• AI and safeguarding: Identifying risks and embracing opportunities
• Redefining education’s boundaries: Exploring the big priorities

A series of on-demand light bite sessions are available as five-minute videos, covering topics such as collaborative pathways to support special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision, cutting complaints management time and innovation in staff recruitment and retention.

Articles will also be published on Browne Jacobson’s website to provide further background reading and details on topics discussed during the conference.

EdCon2025