YORK PREPARES TO HOST NATIONAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE

12.00.00am GMT Tue 22nd Dec 2009

As many in York put the finishing touches to their Christmas preparations City of York Council staff are finalising plans to host one of the country's biggest and most prestigious education conferences.

NEEC 2010 (formerly the North England Education Conference) will take place from 6th to 8th January 2010 and will see events taking place across the city in venues including the Royal York Hotel, York Minster, the National Railway Museum, the University of York, York St John University and York College.

Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Children and Young People's Services, Councillor Carol Runciman said she was looking forward to welcoming delegates to York. She said, "It is a great honour to be able to host NEEC 2010 in York. The conference is the largest of it's kind and has run for more than a hundred years, I am delighted that that we have been able to bring the conference to the city."

As well as welcoming education professionals from across the country the conference will also be attended by key political figures including Vernon Coaker, Minister of State for Schools and Learners; Michael Gove, Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families; and David Laws, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.

Councillor Runciman said delegates at the conference would discuss a wide range of issues relating to education and children's services.

She said, "There will be keynote speeches on safeguarding children, child poverty, creativity in education, policy changes that impact on education and a wide range of other topics."

"The conference will also give professionals from across the country the change to discuss key issues and learn from each other."

Councillor Runciman said the conference would help further enhance York's reputation as a leading city for education. She said, "Earlier this month York was rated in the top 10 local authorities in the country for children and young people's services."

"We received an 'Excellent' rating from Ofsted and our exam results put our education services among the best nationally."

"I hope that we will be able to showcase some of this success and good practice to the national policy makers at the conference."

More information on NEEC 2010 is available on the conference website http://www.neec2010.co.uk/