David Galloway Annual Education Lecture 13 October 2026

We are delighted to welcome and host Sinéad McBrearty, Chief Executive Officer of Education Support, the mental health and wellbeing charity for the education workforce across the UK, to deliver a lecture on the topic of teacher mental health and wellbeing.

Sinéad advocates for a systemic approach to wellbeing for the education workforce, attending to the individual, the workplace and the wider policy environment. She works with governments in England and Wales, using independent mental health and wellbeing research to amplify the voice of the education workforce.

Sinéad spent the first part of her career at KPMG before moving to leadership roles in the not-for-profit sector. She has worked as an organisational development consultant and a university lecturer and has been a school governor and charity trustee.

The lecture will be followed by a panel discussion.

Venue: Collingwood College, Penthouse Suite, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LT

Schedule:

17:00-18:00 Welcome and keynote lecture ‘Teacher mental health and wellbeing’ by Sinéad McBrearty, Chief Executive Officer of Education Support

18:00-19:00 Panel discussion. The panellists include:

Sinéad McBrearty, Chief Executive Officer of Education Support

Michael Wright, Head Teacher, Framwellgate School Durham

Jane Kennedy, Lead Advisor Professional Learning & Commercial Engagement, Education Durham, Durham County Council

Professor Aimee Quickfall, Director of Initial Teacher Training, School of Education, Durham University

Professor Nadia Siddiqui, School of Education, Durham University

Chaired by Professor Martin Evans, Executive Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Durham University