PDA Society Education Conference

Educators’ Conference

Thursday 30 April | 9:30am–4pm | Live Online (Zoom)

A focused, practical one-day conference for education professionals committed to improving outcomes for PDA learners.

Hosted by the PDA Society, this fully live event brings together leading specialists, experienced practitioners and PDA adults to explore what genuinely works in educational settings.

Live Ticket: £149

Annual Professional Subscribers attend free as part of their subscription. Please contact us for your discount code.

Explore subscription options here.

Why attend?

You will:

• Deepen your understanding of PDA in educational contexts

• Gain practical, classroom-ready strategies

• Reflect on real case examples and lived experience

• Problem-solve alongside experienced professionals

• Leave with greater clarity and confidence

This is not a passive webinar. It is a fully facilitated professional learning day.

Speakers

Ruth Fidler – Education Consultant specialising in complex presentations of autism, including PDA
Foundations of PDA in the classroom

Clare Truman – Education Consultant, author and founder of Spectrum Space
Curriculum planning and practical classroom strategies

H. Arlo Harris – Teacher and PDA adult
Teaching as a PDAer: lived experience and reflection

Jacy Thomas – Director of Brains Wellbeing
Supporting PDAers through exams and assessment

Sandy Turner – Former Headteacher of a specialist SEND school
Creating a PDA-friendly school: specialist practice and mainstream application

Mica Jane Colman-Jones – Head of Provision, Lilya Lighthouse Trust
Reintegration and trauma-informed return to learning

Asher Jenner and Paula Linford – Lived experience contributors
Lessons learned navigating the education system

Rachel Crutcher and Lorna Parle – PDA Society Lead Trainers
Peer workshops and conference facilitation

Interactive workshops explore classroom challenges, working with families, reintegration, attendance barriers and complex case problem-solving.

What’s included

Your ticket gives you:

• Full live access to all presentations, workshops and Q&A

• Guided facilitation throughout the day

• A safe, thoughtful professional space

• 14-day access to presentation recordings

Plus additional professional learning value:

• £150 worth of self-paced interactive training modules to build foundational knowledge: Introduction to PDA: Understanding and Supporting demand avoidance

• 30% discount on future CPD, redeemable against:

  • The CPD-accredited Educators Interactive E-Learning Course (10 hours, launching summer term), or

  • The live CPD-accredited PDA for Educators course (September 2026)

The included training alone matches the cost of the ticket — making the full live conference exceptional value.

Live interaction and workshops are available only to those attending on the day. Individual presentation recordings will be available to purchase after the event.

Who is this for?

Teachers, TAs, SENDCOs, school leaders, school improvement partners and professionals working alongside PDA learners in education settings.

Parents are welcome. To maintain a reflective professional space for educators, parents will have access to a separate facilitated breakout room.

Accessibility

• Live subtitles

• Cameras optional

• Scheduled breaks

• Low-pressure environment

For access requirements, please contact training.support@pdasociety.org.uk.

Our approach

No quick fixes.
No rigid scripts.

This conference supports deeper understanding, practical flexibility and reflective professional growth — grounded in lived experience and real educational contexts.

We look forward to welcoming you.