Brighter Futures Forum 3.0

Return On Education

Monday 8th June 2026 | North London Collegiate School | 9:30pm-4:30pm

A senior-level forum for education leaders navigating recruitment, retention and long-term value.

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ABOUT THE FORUM

A working forum – not a passive conference

Brighter Futures Forum brings together senior leaders from across international education to examine the realities shaping student recruitment, retention and long-term institutional success.

At BFF 3.0, the conversation moves to its most critical stage yet. In an era where scrutiny is increasing and expectations are higher than ever, schools and education businesses must clearly demonstrate the full value of what they offer — not just academically, but across the entire student journey. This Forum will explore how outcomes across academic achievement, personal development and future-ready skills can be tracked, articulated and used to strengthen credibility, recruitment and long-term growth.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Practical insight you can apply immediately

Join Us - BOOK YOUR SEAT

High-calibre speakers with real sector experience

Honest, thought-provoking discussion

A senior, decision-maker-led audience

Practical takeaways that can be implemented immediately

Networking with people who make things happen

Who's In the room

Meet your event speakers, panelists and hosts

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS & PANELISTS

Charlotte Chang

Charlotte Chang is a third-year undergraduate at USC in the U.S. who seems to have skipped the memo about taking it easy.

She is an Investment Fellow at Entrepreneurs First and a Scout for Microsoft for Startups, backing student founders while still attending lectures. Before that, she spent seven years at NLCS, culminating as Head Girl, so leadership has been in her system for a while. She now co-leads TroyLabs, USC’s largest student-run accelerator, and works as a Product Manager at Im’peccable Chicken. Equal parts operator and observer, Charlotte brings energy, curiosity and a sharp instinct for people to what success might actually look like.

Christine Cunniffe

Christine Cunniffe is Executive Principal of LVS Ascot and the LTC Education Group, and Chair of the Society of Heads (2025/26).

A nationally recognised education leader and author of Transforming School Culture, she is known for driving innovation, inclusion and future-focused pathways, including the integration of AI in teaching and learning. Christine has led significant organisational change, developing distinctive school models and building strategic partnerships that expand opportunity for young people. Her work is underpinned by a clear belief that education, when thoughtfully designed and delivered, has the power to transform lives at scale.

David Hawkins

David Hawkins is one of the world’s leading independent university counsellors and the only Certified Educational Planner in the United Kingdom.

With an MA from Oxford and a PGCE, his career spans senior roles including Head of College Counselling at the International School of Brussels and Head of Careers at Taunton School.

David specialises in guiding students not just into top universities, but towards the right ones, where they will thrive, not simply arrive. His work sits at the critical junction between aspiration and fit, helping families navigate choice with clarity, rigour and long-term perspective in an increasingly complex global admissions landscape.

Emma Bressington

Emma Bressington is co-founder of Core Ambition Tutors, a specialist consultancy supporting international students as they transition into UK independent and boarding schools.

Her work focuses on what happens after enrolment - the academic, cultural and personal adjustments that determine whether a student truly settles and succeeds.

Emma works closely with schools and agents to provide tailored, ongoing support that bridges the gap between expectation and lived experience. Her approach is collaborative and ecosystem-driven, grounded in the belief that strong outcomes are rarely delivered by schools alone, but by the quality of support surrounding the student beyond the school gates.

Fulya Yalezan

Fulya Yalezan is Founder of Test Education Centre and a highly respected international education consultant with over 25 years of experience.

A graduate of University of Kent, she specialises in guiding students and families through complex global education pathways with clarity and precision. Fulya is the only Turkish educational guardian accredited by the Boarding Schools’ Association and among the first advisors recognised by the British Boarding Schools Network. Known for her strategic insight and deeply personalised approach, she helps families make confident, informed decisions in an increasingly competitive international education landscape.

Guy Bloodworth

Guy Bloodworth is Director of Operations and Senior Consultant at HubGem, where he helps schools and organisations turn messy data into systems that actually work.

With over five years in CRM (and a previous life at another provider), he has led implementations across teams of all shapes and sizes — translating complexity into clarity. Guy is also an enthusiastic AI tinkerer, constantly testing how new tools can make work faster, smarter and a little less painful. Known for his practical mindset and dry humour, he sits firmly at the intersection of tech, people and the reality of getting things done.

Hayley Appleby Burtt

Hayley Appleby-Burtt is the founder of Orange Lamb, a brand strategy and design agency helping individuals and organisations stand out with clarity and confidence.

With over a decade in the entertainment industry managing high-profile talent, she brings a deep understanding of visibility, audience connection, and brand perception.

Since launching Orange Lamb in 2020, Hayley has worked with coaches, educators, and service-based brands to create professional, engaging identities that truly reflect who they are. She combines strategic thinking with creative design to ensure brands not only look strong but communicate clearly and connect in a meaningful way.

Jon Peach

Jon Peach is Head of International School Recruitment at King’s School Canterbury, with nearly two decades in global student recruitment spanning both universities and boarding schools.

His career began in higher education at London South Bank University and Queen Mary University of London, leading recruitment across South Asia and MENA, before moving into the school sector with Earlscliffe and Dukes Education.

Jon’s work sits at the frontline of relationship-building - where trust, instinct and timing shape outcomes. In August 2026, he becomes Director of Marketing and Admissions at Scarborough College.

Mark Brooks

Mark Brooks is Founder of Mark Brooks Education and a UK Department for Business & Trade Export Champion, with 25 years in international education.

Known for his deep work in West Africa, particularly Nigeria, Mark operates at the intersection of market insight and human trust. His MBA research into how families choose schools underpins a relationship-led approach that goes far beyond recruitment.

He advises leading UK independent schools on strategy, market entry and sustainable enrolment and is the architect behind initiatives such as UK Boarding Schools Week. Mark’s work is defined by one belief: the strongest outcomes begin with the right relationships.

Mark Mortimer

Mark Mortimer is Director of Education at QED Schools Group, bringing a rare combination of military, consulting and school leadership experience to the question of how institutions grow without losing their core.

A former army officer and management consultant, he went on to lead three HMC schools and has spent over a decade shaping leadership development across the sector.

An ISI inspector and Henley MBA graduate, his work centres on standards, leadership and institutional coherence. Outside education, he has twice rowed the Atlantic, cycled through the Arctic Circle and ran the Marathon des Sables - experiences that mirror his approach to leadership: resilience, endurance and clarity under pressure.

Michelle Holmes

Michelle Holmes is a strategic immigration advisor and founder of a specialist consultancy supporting independent schools, high-net-worth families and corporate sponsors

Her work sits at the intersection of compliance and long-term planning, helping organisations navigate complex immigration frameworks with clarity and confidence. Known for combining technical expertise with commercial insight, Michelle has built a reputation as a trusted partner in high-stakes, cross-border matters. Her firm delivers scalable, subscription-based solutions that simplify sponsor licence management and international mobility. Michelle’s approach is defined by precision, discretion and a focus on outcomes that extend well beyond the point of visa approval.

Sarah Bellotti

Sarah Bellotti is Head of Mill Hill International at Mill Hill School, where she leads a globally diverse student body with a focus on academic ambition, pastoral care and whole-person development.

Working within the Mill Hill Education Group, she operates at the intersection of group strategy and individual student experience - balancing shared standards with the distinct needs of an international cohort. With extensive experience in international education, Sarah is known for combining clarity with compassion, and for creating environments where students are both supported and stretched. Her work reflects a belief that strong outcomes are built on both structure and care.

MEET YOUR HOSTS

Sarah Kershaw

Sarah Kershaw is Founder of The September Consultancy and a leading voice in international school recruitment and admissions strategy.

With nearly three decades in the sector, she has held senior leadership roles responsible for enrolment, marketing and institutional performance, giving her a perspective shaped from the inside.

Sarah works with schools, foundations and education groups on global recruitment planning, admissions process design and conversion strategy. She is known for combining commercial clarity with a deep understanding of how families make decisions and how trust is built over time. As co-founder of Brighter Futures Forum, she brings operational realism to strategic conversations about growth.

Susan Fang

Susan Fang is Founder of OxBridge Consulting and UKGuardianship and she works at the intersection of UK school advisory and international student mobility, with over two decades spent strengthening trust between families, schools and the professionals who sit between them.

Her focus is on what sits beneath successful cross-border education: standards, systems and accountability. She has established independent benchmarks for ethical advisory practice and developed structured training programmes for education consultants operating across markets.

Through her UK-based teams, Susan works closely with schools and accredited partners to ensure placements translate into supported, successful student journeys. As co-founder of Brighter Futures Forum, she brings a systems lens grounded in daily practice.

Sarah Capewell

Sarah Capewell is Founder of Aster Academy and an international education consultant and former Head of English, working at the intersection of admissions insight and cross-border partnerships.

She has built a premium advisory practice supporting schools, agents and families across the UK, China and Europe. Her work focuses on admissions positioning, student preparation and long-term relationship building, with a close view of how decisions are shaped in practice.

Sarah is known for her ability to translate between cultures and expectations, helping institutions understand what families value and where credibility is won or lost. As co-founder of Brighter Futures Forum, she brings frontline insight into how trust is built across borders.

our sponsors

Holmes & Partners - sponsor of Brighter Futures Forum

Orange Lamb - sponsor of Brighter Futures Forum

HubGem - sponsor of Brighter Futures Forum

TESTIMONIALS

What Previous Attendees Say

"Once again I came away from an event organised by the legendary 'Three Ss' feeling I was PART of something. Fantastic speakers, location, hosts...and lunch. MUCH looking forward to seeing you all in the rather warmer month of June."

"It was a great event. Thank you so much to all of you who worked so hard behind the scenes to deliver such a brilliant, insightful day. A lovely venue, wonderful attendees, fantastic food - a winning combination!"

"A fantastic day of learning, sharing ideas and networking. It was brilliant to discuss the importance of prioritising retention, particularly looking at the connection to replacing slogans by telling stories instead."