Aurora launches its first SEND maths conference

The conference, which will take place in January 2027 at Cottenham Village Hall, near Cambridge, is being organised by Charlotte Jessop, Head of Maths at Aurora Eccles School in Quidenham. Her aim is to bring together SEND maths practitioners from across the country to share expertise, build professional networks and champion innovative approaches to mathematics education.

The day-long event will welcome up to 100 delegates from schools and colleges alongside professionals from the wider SEND sector. 

The morning programme will feature three speakers: Judy Hornigold, co-founder of the Dyscalculia Association, who will explore maths anxiety in the classroom and how it affects learners with additional needs; Darren Coxon, an ‘AI in education’ specialist and Rob Eastaway, director of Maths Inspiration who will share creative and engaging approaches to boosting enthusiasm for mathematics.

The afternoon will focus on practical workshops, with support from leading organisations including Catch Up Numeracy and Maths for Life, both of which offer specialist approaches designed to help learners who find traditional maths pathways challenging.

Charlotte said the maths conference would provide valuable opportunities for SEND professionals to connect, collaborate and celebrate effective practice.

She said: “My aim is to build a community of like-minded maths practitioners who’ll be able to benefit from even bigger and better conferences in the future. Aurora’s specialist schools and colleges do really good work in this space, so it would be great if we could act as a beacon for others.

“Everyone with a stake in maths is invited to attend including maths teachers, maths leads and any TAs who are involved in the delivery of maths-specific interventions.”

Tickets for the conference, which takes place on Monday, January 4 and are priced £99pp. Email charlotte.jessop@theauroragroup.co.uk for more information.