Keynote Speaker: Dr Katharine Hoare, Schools and Young Audiences Education Manager. The British Museum

Presentation: This presentation focuses on what does good SEND provision look like in a museum, art gallery or heritage organisation and how can staff make creative use of their space to enhance learning opportunities for this audience?

Bio: Dr Katharine Hoare works at the British Museum as a Schools and Young Audiences Education Manager in the Department of Learning & National Partnerships. She has worked as a secondary and primary school teacher and as an education advisor for the London fire Brigade. Katharine has a background in Archaeology and History, and a practical interest in creative heritage learning for SEN, EYFS/KS1 and KS2 students and their teachers.

Keynote Speaker: Sam Bowen, Museum Development Officer, Kent & Medway. South East Museum Development Programme

Presentation: This 20 min presentation will outline why SEND access to museums is important and showcase project work that SEMDP has done to support best practice in this area. It will also offer advice on what works and how staff can advocate for working with SEND in their museums.

Bio:Sam Bowen is a Museum Development Officer with over 20 years museum experience. She is a SEND parent and proactive campaigner for SEND inclusion in Museums, including Changing Places Toilets. Sam lead on two SEND in museum partnership projects and is the author of the Special Schools and Museums Toolkit.