Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Conference

Gemma Woodhouse

Partner, Employment & Education at Penningtons Manches Cooper

Gemma specialises in both contentious and non-contentious employment law and has a keen interest in all aspects of discrimination law. Since her qualification in 2007, she has been involved with a significant Court of Appeal decision, a number of tribunal hearings and appeals to the Employment Appeal Tribunal. She has also provided corporate support in relation to business transfers and reorganisations and advised on the terms of compromise agreements, employment contracts and employee handbooks. In addition, Gemma has provided guidance to clients on the implications of TUPE and the terms of commercial outsourcing arrangements. Gemma advises independent schools and academies on a number of HR and education specific issues, including safeguarding responsibilities and compliance requirements. She regularly writes in the ISBA Bursar’s Review and provides training to schools on employment updates, safeguarding requirements and management of staff including performance management. Gemma hosts several forums for HR directors, managers and Bursars within independent schools. Listed by Chambers UK as 'up and coming', Gemma has been described as having a 'good tactical approach to dealing with HR issues', being 'very swift with her advice' and as an adviser who 'acts in the client’s best interests'. She is a member of the Employment Lawyers’ Association and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Brian Lutchmiah

Chair of the UCAS English Policy Group

Brian has a 20 years’ experience working across statutory, further and higher education. His extensive experience has ranged from teaching and co-ordination through to operational and strategic management of direct services to students, and as a senior leader in UK and European organisations. He also has direct lived experience of disability throughout his education and career.

Brian has been an active advocate across the education sector, hosting and speaking at national and international conferences, and formally representing the UK with european partners on UDL development.

Brian is an award-winning former Chair of the National Association of Disability Practitioners (NADP, UK) from 2018 – 2021, and is also a former Chair of the Learning Inclusively Network (LINK, Europe), serving as national and european leaders of research and practice on disability, inclusion and equality. With a core passion in inclusion and widening participation, Brian has maintained a determination in ensuring that all have the opportunity to aspire in realising their potential and has represented the education sector in directly influencing national policy decision making at UK government level.

With his in-depth knowledge of inclusion and relating services aspects including safeguarding and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), he continues to strive toward ensuring opportunities to achieve are equitably maintained for all, and is currently the Chair of the UCAS English Policy Group.

He believes that equality is a right, not a fight, and that race is not a competition!

Aldaine Wynter

Assistant Head, Pastoral & Operations at Wetherby Senior School

Aldaine Wynter is the Assistant Headteacher: Pastoral and Operations at Wetherby Senior School in Central London, Marylebone. As well as his teaching role at Wetherby Senior School, he is an ISA Diversity and Inclusion committee member, giving him the opportunity to connect and share best practices with passionate educators and DEI leaders. He was previously Head of Pastoral at Dwight School London as well as Dwight’s global Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator, which saw him coordinate DEI initiatives for their sites in London, New York, Shanghai, Seoul and Dubai as well as their online school. Outside of school, Aldaine is a regular contributor for Optimus Education and has written a series of blogs on diversity and inclusion in schools. His most recent piece "It is important to ensure that students see themselves in all aspects of school life" was just published on the Independent Schools Council page - https://www.isc.co.uk/media-enquiries/isc-blogs/it-is-important-to-ensure-that-students-see-themselves-in-all-aspects-of-school-life/. In 2020 he presented at the International Baccalaureate (IB) conference, where he spoke to School Leaders about developing anti-racism initiatives. In 2021 he gave a talk with the ISA on best practices for DEI initiatives in sixth-form colleges. The talk emphasised the importance of student agency and ensuring School leaders encouraged an environment of inclusion. He graduated with a degree in engineering and went on to study his MA in Social Justice at UCL where he first began to look at the intersection between social justice and education. Ever since, he took great joy and pleasure in looking to collaborate and talk to educators about the ever changing and growing world that is diversity, equality and inclusion in education.

Jonathan Charlesworth

Educational Action Challenging Homophobia (EACH)

Jonathan is the Executive Director of Educational Action Challenging Homophobia (EACH). Jonathan has thirty-four years’ experience of teaching, training, resource creation and consultancy in the field of LGBT+ matters with the Criminal Justice System, Health, Education plus national and regional Government.

A former Head of English and PSHE, he’s been commissioned multiple times by the Department for Education and the Welsh Government to generate national guidances and training for schools (including statutory anti-bullying guidance for Welsh schools).

Jonathan is an Expert Adviser included within the National Crime Agency’s database: delivering training to 37 of the 45 territorial police forces of the United Kingdom, the British Transport Police plus the Crown Prosecution and Prison Services.

His books, “That’s So Gay! – Challenging Homophobic School Bullying” and “How To Stop Homophobic and Biphobic Bullying: A Practical Whole School Approach” have sold internationally.

Dr Clare Woolhouse

Reader in Inclusive Education at Edge Hill University

Dr Clare Woolhouse is a Reader in Inclusive Education at Edge Hill University. After completing her PGCE, Clare worked in two secondary schools and a further education college before moving into higher education. Clare adopts multi-sensory methodologies and pedagogies within her teaching and research to explore educational difference, inclusion and social justice.