Dorset Education Conversation

The Dorset Education Conversation is coming to Rockwater Branksome on Wednesday 26 August, starting at 5:30pm. It's run by Poppy Parmar-Phillips, who founded Poppy's Tutoring Company, and it's billed as the first event of its kind. The whole idea is to get families, educators, schools and local specialists into the same room so parents can speak openly with experts about things that usually feel a bit separate or hard to pin down.

There's a fair bit on the table to talk about. The conversation covers special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), neurodiversity, children's mental health, entrance exams, school choices and educational psychology. If you've spent any time navigating those things, you know how quickly they can start to feel like a full-time job in itself, and how often you end up jumping from one professional to another without much of a bridge between them. This puts them all in one place.

The room will be a proper mix of people. Confirmed attendees include representatives from Mind, an educational psychologist, neurodiversity specialists, the president of the Tutors' Association, experienced educators and local schools. It's not just a panel to listen to; the point is that you can actually talk to them.

Parmar-Phillips herself knows the ground. She was named Professional Tutor of the Year, Secondary Tutor of the Year and SEND Tutor of the Year at the National Tutoring Awards. She describes the aim as making support feel more accessible, human and joined-up, without judgement, pressure or confusing educational language, so that parents leave better informed, more confident and reassured they aren't navigating these challenges alone. It's at Rockwater Branksome in Bournemouth on Wednesday 26 August, from 5:30pm.