CISC Annual Conference
6-7 February 2025
DoubleTree by Hilton Oxford Belfry, Milton Common, Thame OX9 2JW
We look forward to welcoming you to CISC Conference 2025, taking place in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside at the DoubleTree by Hilton Oxford Belfry, a wonderful venue to host our customary balance of challenge, discernment and friendship.
We’re thrilled to announce that our programme will be led by internationally renowned author and speaker David Wells who, along with other guests, will accompany support, challenge and extend our thinking within the unique spirit of the CISC Conference experience.
So come and join us in Oxford for our 2025 Conference: Hearts on Fire, Feet on the Move. There’s a CISC welcome awaiting each and every one of you!
The programme is firming up with the usual mix of keynote addresses, hosted conversations and workshops. Approximate timings and the programme schedule are outlined below.
Outline programme:
Thursday 6 February
9.30am – 10.45am – Arrival exhibition, refreshments and networking
10.50am – Welcome – Sarah Barreto, General Secretary
10.55am – Morning Prayer
11.05am – 11.15am – Chair’s Welcome
11.15am – 12.20pm – Keynote Address
12.20pm – Lunch reception with exhibitors
1.20pm – 2.30pm – Keynote Address
2.40pm – 3.10pm – CISC AGM
3.10pm – 4.00pm – Exhibition and refreshments
4.00pm – 5.30pm – Workshops
6.00pm – 6.30pm – Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
7.00pm – Pre-dinner drinks reception with exhibitors
7.45pm – Conference Dinner
Friday 7 February
9.15am – 10.15am – Celebration of Mass
10.15am – 11.15am – Exhibition, refreshments and networking
11.15am – 12.15pm – A Hosted Conversation
12.15pm – 12.30pm – Conclusion and thanks
12.30pm – 1.30pm – Lunch reception with exhibitors and depart
Bookings can be made through our partner TryBooking from 2 September 2024. We hope that their expertise in event bookings will ensure a smooth experience for you. Preferred payment is online card payment. For those without this facility or who may require an invoice, please contact us for instructions on how to process this online in advance of making your booking.
DELEGATE BOOKINGSAs always, we are on hand to assist you in this process should you need it so please do get in touch via email to info@catholicindependentschools.com if you have any questions.
CISC Event Cancellation Policy
2025 Sponsors & Exhibitors
The CISC Annual Conference generally attracts in the region of 80-100 delegates, with an exhibition for around 20 businesses. This is one of the most popular educational conferences in the calendar: big enough to be worthwhile in terms of business leads with time enough to allow for meaningful conversations and relationships to be initiated. In addition, CISC organises a programme of short conferences and webinars for key groups of staff in CISC schools, such as heads, governors, deputies, bursars and Heads of RS.
CISC is known for building meaningful and ongoing relationships with sponsors through reciprocally beneficial collaborations. As such, we have three sponsor relationships available across a broad range of cost options. There are also additional opportunities to sponsor key Conference events such as pre-dinner drinks or the Conference dinner, creating additional exposure for your organisation.
Sponsors and exhibitors interested in joining us at this event can find further information here: CISC EXHIBITOR AND PARTNER INFORMATION
EXHIBITOR BROCHURE EXHIBITOR BOOKINGS
For further information or for any questions, please contact info@catholicindependentschools.com
2024 Sponsors & Exhibitors
Stone King
Our legal expertise in the Education and Charity sectors means we are top-ranked by independent legal guides Chambers and Legal 500 and named a best law firm by The Times. Education, Charity and Faith is at the heart of our firm with over 70% of our work being related to these sectors.
Contact: Helen Tucker
E: helentucker@stoneking.co.uk
W: Stone King
Moore Kingston Smith
We are one of the leading firms auditing and advising the sector. We work with over 200 organisations including leading Catholic independent schools, academies, multi-academy trusts, performing arts schools and religious orders. We also look after a growing number of Oxford colleges, exam boards, professional training providers and large international commercial groups.
Contact: Anjali Kothari, Head of Education
E: akothari@mks.co.uk
W: Moore Kingston Smith
Alder
Alder is a crisis PR firm specialising in support for the school’s sector. We represent a wide range of educational establishments, from multi-academy trusts to independent schools and further education colleges.
E: enquiries@alder-uk.com
W: Alder UK
Community Playthings
Children need simple, natural environments that promote open-ended, imaginative play. Since 1947 Community Playthings, has designed and manufactured solid wood furniture and play equipment, drawing on expertise from childcare professionals across the UK and internationally. Our products inspire play, support all aspects of child development and come with a 15-year warranty.
E: sales@communityplaythings.co.uk
W: Community Playthings
Furlong Schoolbase
SchoolBase boasts two decades of excellence as the most customisable Management Information System (MIS) on the market. Tailored to meet diverse school needs, our robust platform seamlessly integrates administrative tasks, providing schools with unparalleled flexibility and efficiency in managing their academic data and operations, as well as top-notch support.
Contact: Paul James
E: paul.james@furlongsolutions.com
W: Furlong Schoolbase
Gillman & Soame
At Gillman & Soame we can cater for all your photographic needs. From the largest group to the smallest child. It’s all under one roof. A company with a fabulous heritage forging its way into the 21st Century with great new products and unrivalled levels of service.
Contact: Tracey Russell
E: tracey.russell@gillmanandsoame.co.uk
W: Gillman & Soame
Modulek
Modulek specialise in building design and delivery to the independent school market. Providing a viable alternative to building projects that have been specified in traditional materials but exceed a project budget. Using a blend of MMC with traditional finishing, we design from a blank canvas and
offer a turnkey service.
E: sales@modulek.co.uk
W: Modulek
Practice Pal
Only two years old, and already relied upon by over 200 music departments in the UK, Practice Pal Music is the market leader for music department management in schools. Our platform, driven by our purpose-built AI algorithm, serves as an extension of your school’s MIS. It empowers music departments to effortlessly schedule weekly timetables with just one click, accounting for constraints such as restrictions, lesson rotations, teacher availability, and student attendance. It also provides innovative solutions for safeguarding, attendance, progress-tracking, billing and participation insight.
Contact: Amanda Sklair Delgado
E: amanda@practicepalmusic.com
W: Practice Pal
Redwood Collections
The established and trusted name in debt recovery for independent schools. Authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority, we represent more than 950 schools. A reliable partner when school fees have not been paid, providing both effective recovery with unmatched service and communication. A traditional service, in a modern manner.
Contact: Michael Rogers
E: mrogers@redwoodcollections.com
W: Redwood Collections
S & C Slatter
S&C Slatter is a leading provider of Artificial Grass Pitches, Multi-Use Games Areas, Courts and Athletics facilities. We’re renowned for our high levels of customer service, a trustworthy approach to deliver contracts and aftercare levels that leave our customers feeling valued. We’ve worked successfully with Prep and Senior schools across the country, consistently delivering outstanding sports facilities for the Independent Schools sector.
E: info@sandcslatter.com
W: S & C Slatter
Schoolblazer
Schoolblazer are the UK’s leading supplier of uniform and sportswear to independent schools, with a deep commitment to sustainability and fair trade. We are online experts, focussed on providing design and product innovation to our schools and shopping convenience for our parents, with free name-taping and Intelligent Sizing.
Contact: Chris Roberts, Limitless Business Development Manager
E: Chris.roberts@schoolblazer.com
W: Schoolblazer
SDS Group
- SDS Group – School Archives
- Capture and present your school’s history and archives on a website.
- SDS specialise in digitising archives to help your school engage with Alumni to aid with development/fundraising
- Harvest posts from social media
- SDS are digital archivists for HMC, ISBA, AGBIS, BSA, GSA, ISA, IAPS and ISC.
Contact: Mark Coombes, Account Director
E: mcoombes@sds-group.co.uk
W: SDS Group
Stevensons
Stevensons is the largest independent school uniform and sportswear provider in the UK serving over 550 schools nationwide. Selling quality school uniforms, sportswear and sports equipment through our various supply channels be it high street shops, on-line, on-campus shops, pop-up shops or direct to school.
W: Stevensons
Student Voice
The Student Voice Contextual Safeguarding tool is an all-through (7-18), child-friendly and led experience that removes barriers for young people to report serious issues to their schools and supports school early-intervention work. It assists safeguarding teams in understanding where extra-familial harm happens to their students and enacting KCSIE to seek the voice of the child in all aspects of their work.
E: ask@thestudentvoice.co.uk
W: The Student Voice
Teaching Personnel
Teaching Personnel has a long history of working with Catholic schools. We provide bespoke staffing solutions to individual schools, school groups, clusters and multi-academy trusts across England and Wales. We support your ethos, educational goals, quality standards and financial objectives by creating a bespoke package tailored to your staffing needs.
Contact: Alison Lincoln
E: Alison.lincoln@teachingpersonnel.com
W: Teaching Personnel
The Tablet
The Tablet is a Catholic weekly journal that has been published continually since 1840. It reports on religion current affairs, politics, social issues, literature and the arts with a special emphasis on Roman Catholicism while remaining ecumenical. It is committed to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council.
W: The Tablet
Thomas Franks
The leading privately-owned caterer in the independent school sector, bringing award-winning nutrition and support through close partnerships.
With charity and community at our heart, we focus on local suppliers and looking after our people. Our clients love our flexibility, our open-book communication and our dedication to exceptional food and service.
Contact: Claire Long, Business Development Director
E: claire.long@thomasfranks.com
W: Thomas Franks
True Adventure
At True Adventure we are passionate about providing young people with ambitious adventures that are truly life-changing. Fundamentally, we believe that every school and pupil are different and so every adventure should be too.
Contact: Tom Trueman, Managing Director
E: Tom@true-adventure.co.uk
W: True Adventure
Zenergi
Zenergi supports and empowers your journey to net zero. We help more than 3,000 education customers, including 200 independent schools, achieve major reductions in costs, energy consumption and carbon emissions with our market-leading procurement service; informed advice, and unrivalled engineering expertise.
Let us simplify and accelerate your journey to a more sustainable future.
E: bepositive@zenergi.co.uk
W: Zenergi