Ruth Marvel is a UK charity leader, campaigner and CEO of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Ruth has held senior leadership roles at Girlguiding and Scope and is also a Trustee of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), Chair of Trustees for the Co-op Foundation and Chair of the Enrichment for All coalition.

A Fellow of the Clore Social Leadership Programme and the Windsor Society of Leadership Fellows, Ruth is passionate about social justice. She has a particular interest in advancing opportunities for young people, social innovation, and the power of design thinking to solve social problems. Ruth was awarded an OBE for services to young people in 2024.

Liz is the National Director of Education Transformation at Oasis Community Learning, serving over 35,000 students nationally. Working both ‘in’ and ‘on’ the system, Liz has been an executive leader for over 20 years, as head teacher and then co-founder and CEO of Big Education Trust. Now under the guise of the ‘Oasis Big Education Institute’, Liz and the team will be seeking to act as change makers in the wider system by ‘asking bigger questions’ about what school can or should be, and supporting leaders to get better answers to those big questions; creating and modelling practices which embody ‘a big education’ – an education of the ‘heart, head, and hand’. 

Liz has a particular interest in developing values-led leadership, and has worked extensively as a speaker, trainer and coach. As mum to two amazing young women, Ella and Alys, Liz works flexibly to manage her roles. She’s also made lots of mistakes in her career and tries to model being a learner and avoid the trappings of ‘superhero’ leadership.

Mark is Principal at The Folkestone School for Girls, one of the case study schools for the DfE Enrichment Framework. The school boasts an extraordinarily rich co-curricular offer spanning academic competitions, performing arts, military training, and service-led initiatives. Rather than offering superficial variety, the school runs deep programmes in each area – seeing these not as a bolt-on list of activities but a central part of the curriculum – a parallel focus on the hard currency of a strong academic portfolio of qualifications alongside the soft skills developed through co-curricular enrichment. A curriculum to find your thing; to find your tribe; to ignite your spark! A curriculum not ‘just’ for exams, or even ‘just’ the world of work, but a foundation for a life well lived.  Mark believes, and sees in the impact on students, that the school is truly transformational.

Sam Strickson is Partnerships and Programmes Development Officer at AoC Sport, where he leads the development of innovative programmes that increase student participation in physical activity across further education. Working closely with colleges, national governing bodies, and sector partners, Sam focuses on creating impactful opportunities that improve student wellbeing, enhance inclusion, and strengthen communities. He is particularly passionate about using sport and physical activity as a vehicle for positive social change, including promoting sustainability and encouraging lifelong healthy habits. Through collaborative partnerships and creative programme design, Sam helps ensure students have access to engaging and meaningful sporting experiences.

Kate Bellamy is Director of the Clore Duffield Foundation, which supports charities across arts, culture, heritage, education and social welfare. She has more than 25 years’ experience working across philanthropy, government, the arts and education, with a particular interest in widening opportunity through arts and cultural education.

Before joining the Foundation in 2021, Kate was Director, Museums and Cultural Property at Arts Council England. She previously led the DCMS team that delivered the Mendoza Review of Museums and was Head of Strategy at the V&A.

Kate is interested in how good ideas can become practical programmes that make a real difference, and in bringing people and organisations together to make change happen. She is also a Governor of Ark Soane Academy in Acton.

Dermot has been Principal of St Ambrose College, Hale Barns since September 2018 having served as Vice Principal prior to that appointment. He has also held positions on the senior leadership teams at 2 comprehensive schools in Greater Manchester. Dermot is a Director of a MAT within the Shrewsbury Diocese, inspector for the Catholic Schools Inspectorate, and recently obtained his NPQEL through Ambition Institute.

Dermot was educated in St Columb’s College, Derry and Queen’s University, Belfast.

Dermot’s vision, as articulated in the St Ambrose College mission statement, is for schools to develop the whole person, and to provide opportunities that truly allow young people to ‘live life to the full’.

Isaac Jones is Director of First Give, a charity that partners with secondary schools across the UK to deliver enrichment programmes focused on social action, philanthropy and civic participation. Having previously led the organisation’s programmes team, he has overseen the development and delivery of First Give’s work with hundreds of schools. Before joining First Give, Isaac worked in theatre, the arts and youth work. He is passionate about the role enrichment plays in developing confident, engaged and active citizens, and is also a trustee of The Philanthropy Foundation.

Pete is the Headteacher of Perryfields  Primary PRU in Worcester which provides behaviour support to the 113 primary, first and middle schools in South Worcestershire. Perryfields has been judged to be outstanding by ofsted  on 5 consecutive occasions and was one of the initial 22 national  lead schools on the DfE Behaviour Hubs programme.

This requires Pete to support and train schools across the country in developing a positive behaviour culture.

Pete is a strong advocate for Quality First Teaching and the importance of building strong and nurturing relationships with all pupils. He has been at Perryfields since 2005.  He was awarded an OBE for services to education in the King’s 2023 New Years Honours list.

Sarah is the Deputy Headteacher of Perryfields and leads on the Behaviour Hubs programme.

Sarah had extensive experience of working in mainstream education before joining the Perryfields team in 2018. Sarah is passionate about improving the life chances of vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils and cascades her knowledge through training schools both in Worcestershire and further afield.

Keziah is currently Executive School Improvement Leader across The Mercian Trust and has previously been an Executive Headteacher and Headteacher. Her schools serve diverse, multi-cultural communities, many of whom experience socio-economic disadvantage. Keziah is co-founder, treasurer and chair of WomenEd, and co-chair of the Headteachers’ Roundtable. As well as writing articles for Tes and Schools Week, Keziah has co-edited the WomenEd books 10% Braver and Being 10% Braver. Her first solo book Punk Leadership, was published by Corwin in September 2024. She lives in Birmingham and wrestles pugs frequently.

Melanie is Director of Therapies and Education at The Children’s Trust. She has spent over 20 years working in the NHS, education, and charity sectors. She has led and managed a range of multi-professional teams; at The Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust and Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust, holding a varied clinical background in paediatric acquired brain injury, neurodevelopmental conditions and complex neurodisability. Melanie has a MSc in Professional Development, with research interests in quality improvement and knowledge translation.

Launa Randles is Headteacher at The Children’s Trust School, a specialist non-maintained school in Surrey for children and young people aged 2 to 19 with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). With a background as a Qualified Teacher of the Visually Impaired (QTVI) and extensive experience in special needs education since 2007, Launa has specialised in supporting children and young people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) and complex health needs. Passionate about removing barriers to participation, she is committed to ensuring all learners can access enriching opportunities that promote inclusion, independence and quality of life.

Helen Young is Head of Student Support and Welfare and DSL at Hartlepool College of Further Education, where she leads the college’s strategic approach to student wellbeing, inclusion, personal development and enrichment. She has spent more than twenty years working education, holding leadership roles including Assistant Principal in a secondary school, SENCO and Access Arrangements Assessor, with a consistent focus on improving outcomes and life chances for young people.

Throughout her career, Helen has championed inclusive practice, helping learners overcome barriers to achievement and ensuring every student has the opportunity to develop, grow and succeed. Her experience spans student support, SEND leadership, safeguarding, curriculum development, learner development and student voice.

At Hartlepool College, Helen leads services that support learner wellbeing, engagement, retention and progression. She oversees the college’s strategic approach to learner development and enrichment, ensuring opportunities are embedded across the curriculum and wider student experience to enhance personal development, employability, wellbeing and progression outcomes.

Helen believes that education should extend beyond qualifications, providing opportunities for young people to discover their strengths, broaden their aspirations and prepare for successful futures.

Ruth Marvel is a UK charity leader, campaigner and CEO of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Ruth has held senior leadership roles at Girlguiding and Scope and is also a Trustee of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), Chair of Trustees for the Co-op Foundation and Chair of the Enrichment for All coalition.

A Fellow of the Clore Social Leadership Programme and the Windsor Society of Leadership Fellows, Ruth is passionate about social justice. She has a particular interest in advancing opportunities for young people, social innovation, and the power of design thinking to solve social problems. Ruth was awarded an OBE for services to young people in 2024.