Attendance is a symptom. Engagement is the cause. With school attendance still not back to pre-pandemic levels, many leaders are asking deeper questions about belonging, relevance, and what makes young people want to be in school. On 5 March 2026, Schools of Tomorrow and Whole Education bring together school, trust and system leaders in London for our Leadership Conference 2026: 'From attending to thriving - addressing the engagement gap behind the attendance crisis'. This year’s conference focuses on what the ImpactEd report describes as “the engagement gap” — and how we can collectively create schools where every child, regardless of background, can thrive. Expect a day of research-informed insight, practical workshops, and shared learning with leading voices in education, leadership and youth policy. With keynotes and workshops from speakers: Rylie Sweeney, Richard Gerver, Robin Dunbar, Hywel Roberts and Jenny Anderson