This session will provide you with top tips of managing your relationships through pre-opening to ensure continued success of your school by effective pupil recruitment and community engagement.

Through this session, you will learn the key principles of:

• Establishing relationships with stakeholders
• Marketing
• The admissions process
• Managing the growth of your school

This session is recommended for individuals in the following roles:

• Project lead
• Project manager
• Principal designate

This session will be delivered by Lisa Godfrey, recruitment specialist.

This session will cover the fundamentals of managing your site. It will help you understand the journey of your free school site through to opening.

Through this session, you will learn the key principles of:

• How the build process operates, and potential implications of Covid-19
• How to prepare for, and respond to, site challenges
• Best practice for working with stakeholders on your site
• Tools for effective estate management
• GEMS

This session is recommended for individuals in the following roles:

• Project lead
• Project manager
• Site lead
• Finance lead

This session will be delivered by Sharon McHale, Ron Rampling, and Simon Lindsay from the Department for Education’s Free Schools Capital.

Through this session, you will gain an understanding of:

• Establishing a focussed project steering group
• Successful virtual project management
• Building a deliverable project plan
• Managing the project development grant

This session is recommended for individuals in the following roles:

• Project lead
• Project manager
• Finance lead

This session will be delivered by Susan Poole, project management specialist.