The ability to read, write and communicate with confidence opens doors, shapes futures and gives every child the chance to be heard.

Quite simply, it is a fundamental entitlement of education in our country.

But this is set against a national background where the number of pupils who are struggling with literacy is increasing, while the complexity of children’s needs also grows.

While we know that excellent practice exists throughout schools, we also recognise that too many pupils still face challenges in becoming the confident readers, writers and speakers that they deserve to be.

For this reason, Unity Schools Partnership is delighted to be hosting secondary, primary and special schools from across the East of England as well as some fantastic national voices at our forthcoming Literacy for All conference.

The event on Wednesday 22nd April will bring together a community of education professionals united by a powerful and shared commitment – that every young person, regardless of background or barrier, gets the support they need in literacy.

Backed by some of the most prominent voices in literacy education and including a number of insightful and collaborative sessions, the event will enable all attendees to challenge and to strengthen their collective understanding of what it truly means to deliver literacy for all.

We are very proud to have so many of our Unity colleagues contributing to the ‘In Action’ slots, sharing the great work that we know goes on in our classrooms and inspiring teachers and leaders to think about how they can support every learner to thrive in every lesson.

The aim is to ensure attendees leave with ideas that will ripple outward into classrooms, schools and communities, and create actions for teachers to put in place for their pupils.

The event will extend beyond professional learning. It is part of a wider movement to ensure that every child’s voice matters and every child’s potential I s recognised.

This conference is open to all schools in the East of England and we are delighted to be welcoming more than 120 people to Adastral Park for the event.

Any proceeds from the conference will be donated to the Teach Us Too charity to continue their amazing work campaigning for literacy education for all pupils, including those with the most complex needs.

The Literacy for All conference takes place on Wednesday 22nd April at Adastral Park in Ipswich.

By Lauren Meadows, Curriculum Director, Unity Schools Partnership