The event opened with a warm welcome from our very own Maddie Lingard, Head of Marketing at Ubiq, to set the tone for the next two days. Maddie then welcomed Ubiq 's CEO Daniel Clarke to the stage, who reinforced the event’s central theme: daring to be different. 

Dan built on this; acknowledging marketing as a strategic driver of growth and reputation, at a time when school teams face rising competition, higher expectations, and increasing pressure to do more with less. He also unveiled a series of exciting upcoming products and developments for AMAIS™, designed to help teams create and deliver more human, personalised experiences at scale.

This theme carried through the morning, with the Blackbaud team sharing how connected systems and joined-up thinking unlock a clearer, more consistent experience across the entire admissions journey.

From there, the conversation shifted to one of the most talked-about panels of the day: Why Dare to be Different? The powerhouse panel included:

• Sean West , Digital Marketing Manager at North London Collegiate School ,
• Jacqueline Keller , Director of Marketing and Communications at Avon Old Farms ,
• and Sabrina Moutarde , UK Marketing Director at Inspired Education Group.

Together, they explored the reality of standing out, moving beyond polished but predictable messaging, embracing bold creative decisions, and building brands that people actually remember. Because in today’s landscape, attention is earned, not assumed.
 

Relive 2026 Agenda

Between sessions, the Fairground became a destination in its own right. Attendees refuelled on genuinely tasty food, coffee in hand, while moving between activations, conversations, and the steady hum of energy.

From Ubiq’s basketball challenge to Weglot ’s flag grab, HubGem's “crack the code”, Blackbaud ’s ball pit, Amplify's silent disco, and Kampus' dance machine, every corner offered something unexpected. And deliberately different.

Alongside the action, a curated mix of exhibitors brought ideas to life, including Rise Productions , RSAcademics , 360 Marketing Lab , Impamark , Feel Good Films , Next Level Camps , FORTO Agency and ITQ Metis . Each adding their own perspective to what modern independent school marketing mix can look like in practice.

For those looking for more focused support, the Consultancy Corner offered a quieter moment within the buzz. Attendees could pull up a seat and “order” tailored advice from Amy Lindley (Lovett Marketing & Communications), Sophy Walker, FCIM DipM (Marketing 4 Success), and Andrew Elias (Growth Story Advisory), turning big ideas into practical next steps. No reservations required, just a healthy appetite for change.

The morning keynote from Dr Leeya Hendricks , Managing Director and Global CMO Advisory at Hark Consultants (ex. IBM, Accenture and Oracle), elevated the conversation further, positioning marketing not as a support function, but as a strategic growth driver within schools.

She highlighted how marketing is often under leveraged at leadership level, despite its role in shaping positioning, experience, and long term value.

But this was not just a talk you listened to. Attendees quite literally built their own seat to bring to the table, constructing a physical chair using the framework as a reminder that marketing’s role in leadership is not given, it is claimed.

More than theory, the session equipped attendees with a clear, practical framework to step into leadership conversations with confidence and play a more active role in shaping the decisions that define their school’s future.

Learn More About Leeya's Framework

Breakout Sessions That Pushed Boundaries

The afternoon breakout sessions in East Dock, dived straight into the realities of modern school marketing. Equal parts strategic, creative, and refreshingly honest.

• Sean Cornell , Founder and (Mis) Chief Creator at Wonderment , introduced Edjoycation, reframing joy as a strategic advantage in building brands that feel human, memorable, and trusted.

• Ed Holmes , Director of Marketing and Communications at Westminster School, London, unpacked the power of language and tone, showing how even the most sophisticated strategy can fall flat without the right words behind it.

• Emilee Alexson , Event Manager at Ubiq , challenged schools to stop running open days and start creating experiences, designed to engage every sense and leave a lasting impression long after families leave your school.

• Becci Dive , former Head of Marketing UK & Ireland at Pret A Manger, brought a fresh perspective to planning, encouraging attendees to ditch rigid school calendars and instead build marketing around the real lives of parents.

Explore Breakout Slides

Keynote: Why Schools Don’t Have Fans (Yet)

Dani Rayner , former Director of Marketing at Netflix, delivered a standout keynote that challenged schools to rethink their focus, shifting from chasing attention to building genuine affinity.

Drawing on the concept of fandom, she explored how loyalty is rooted in emotion, identity, and belonging, not just visibility or reach. She highlighted how schools are uniquely positioned to create this; with daily touchpoints, deep emotional moments, and long term relationships already built in. Yet often we default to messaging centred on credibility instead.

Her message was clear: stop borrowing attention, and start earning loyalty. Create memorable moments, build community, and design experiences that people genuinely feel part of.

Discover Dani's Slides

Breakout Sessions That Redefined the Rules

The final set of breakout sessions on day one of Ubiq X LIVE raised the bar, pushing attendees to rethink what’s possible across digital, creative, and global strategy.

• Chris Hibbs , Director of External Relations at Charterhouse School , alongside Ubiq’s Creative Director Kris Jeary and COO Joanna Short , explored what happens when you break the rules of school websites, sharing the thinking behind a bold, gamified digital experience.
• John Thornton , Senior Creative at SURREAL , proved that imperfection, humour, and creative risk often outperform polished campaigns, showing that sometimes the smartest move is doing something less innocent and a little more… surreal.
• Elizabeth P. , Head of Content & Brand at Weglot , tackled the nuances of global expansion head-on, sharing practical strategies for connecting with international families through localisation, trust, and smarter use of AI.
• Hanisha Kotecha , Director of Marketing and External Relations at North London Collegiate School , challenged the idea that marketing alone can solve growth challenges, instead urging schools to strengthen their proposition and product alongside their messaging.

Explore Breakout Slides

Ubiq X Bingo (…with a few surprises)

No great event is complete without a little chaos. And Ubiq X Bingo delivered exactly that.

Attendees grabbed their cards and listened out, not for numbers, but for Ubiq platform terminology. From AMAIS™ to admissions calculator to DXP, every mention felt closer to a full house.

Eyes on the board, pens at the ready, and plenty of hopeful glances around the room as people tried to work out if they were one square away or wildly off. Of course, it didn’t all go perfectly to plan. The slides progressed. People scribbled. A few confident nods. Still, no one shouted the highly anticipated “BINGO.”

But never fear, Maddie was her usual cool, calm and collected self - she knew there were still plenty more prizes to be had. Hidden beneath selected seats were golden tickets to the recently announced Ubiq X LIVE 2027, turning a lighthearted game into something much bigger! Phew.

Not bad for a round of bingo. And next year, we’ll see if we can get that Lambo approved by finance.

Keynote: The Modern Marketing Funnel 

Grace Andrews former Brand Director at The Diary Of A CEO , closed the day with a keynote that cut through the noise, showing how to modernise marketing without a full reinvention.

She challenged the idea of a traditional funnel, instead reframing it as a messy, non linear reality where people scroll, search, compare, and decide across multiple touchpoints all at once. The takeaway was simple but powerful: the job is no longer to broadcast, it is to build influence.

Her three step playbook brought clarity to that shift. Get clear on what you want to be known for. Turn that into consistent, repeatable signals across every touchpoint. And use experimentation to build momentum, confidence, and results over time.

Practical, sharp, and refreshingly straightforward, it gave attendees a clear path forward, proving that meaningful change does not need to be overwhelming, just intentional.

The Party: Celebrating Five Years of Ubiq

Ubiq’s fifth birthday party at Motel Studios in Shoreditch brought everybody together in a space that felt just as considered as the conference itself. An incredibly groovy venue, buzzing from the moment doors opened. Sponsored by Blackbaud, the night was filled with great food, flowing drinks, and a packed dance floor from the start.

There were tacos (excellent ones), waffles on a stick (equally important), and a perfectly on-brand Blackbaud blue cocktail on arrival. The photo booth was in constant demand, capturing everything from polished portraits to slightly questionable poses.

At the centre of it all, a huge yellow cake marked five years of Ubiq. Bright, unapologetic, and impossible to miss. Just the way we like it. And, of course, the dancing. From tentative starts to full commitment, with a few unexpected salsa moments thrown in - the night leaned fully into throwback anthems.

Then somewhere towards the end of the night, four incredibly grateful but slightly overwhelmed marketers stood together, taking it all in.

A quick pause. A bit of disbelief. And a quiet moment of “wow, we’re really doing this.”

And then it was back to the dance floor for one last song.

Ubiq X LIVE: Day 2

Day two picked up exactly where day one left off. Slightly slower starts, coffees in hand, but zero drop in energy.

The Fairground came back to life as attendees filtered in, catching up on the night before, revisiting stands, and easing into the day with ideas still fresh from the previous sessions.

Panel: Stop Marketing Like a School

The opening panel on day two brought together David Brewerton , Director of Marketing at Monzo Bank , Kristof Fahy , CMO at Moonpig , and Katie DaRin , Fractional Marketing Director at Ubiq , to explore what schools can learn from the world’s most effective commercial brands.

Parents are no longer comparing your school to the one down the road. They are comparing it to the last great experience they had. Whether that is Amazon, Netflix, or Monzo.

From personalisation and pace to creativity and customer obsession, the session challenged schools to rethink what good really looks like and where they might be holding themselves back.

Breakout: Turning Insight into Action

The morning breakout sessions focused on exactly that, giving attendees practical frameworks they could take away and apply immediately.

• Amie Caswell, Head of Brand at Lick , brought a hands-on perspective to what it really means to disrupt a traditional industry. Sharing how Lick has built a distinctive brand through bold ideas, unexpected partnerships, and influencer-led thinking.
• Charlie Lytle , Senior Manager, Solutions Consulting at Blackbaud, and Elyn Roberts , Director of K12 at Blackbaud , tackled one of the biggest friction points for schools today. They explored how bridging the gap between website behaviour and admissions data can transform follow up, moving teams from reactive to proactive. More relevant conversations, and fewer missed opportunities.
• Jacqueline Keller , Director of Marketing and Communication, and Susan Kohn , Chief of Staff to the Head of School at Avon Old Farms , challenged marketing teams to step forward and lead, reimagining the role of marketing within schools as a driver of creativity, reputation, and influence.
• Steve Spriggs , Founder of Kampus , challenged schools to rethink personalisation through the lens of the world’s most effective brands. Drawing comparisons to Amazon, Netflix, and Spotify, he showed how expectations have shifted, and why broadcasting to everyone no longer works.

Explore Breakout Slides

Wellbeing Built In: A Different Kind of Energy

In true Ubiq X LIVE style, day two also made space for something different.

Some attendees swapped strategy for movement in the high-energy Hot Stepper session, others slowed things down with yoga, but there was one clear crowd favourite.

Puppy therapy. Ten golden doodle puppies, to be exact. And yes, they absolutely stole the show. At any given moment, there was a steady chorus of “awws” echoing through the room, as attendees paused for a quick cuddle, a well-timed head scratch, or just a few minutes of pure serotonin.

You could say it was paws-itively the most popular session of the day. And honestly, we can’t blame you.

Because sometimes the best way to reset your thinking… is to stop, sit down, and let a very small, very fluffy friend do the work instead. Ubiq X LIVE truly went to the dogs, in the best possible way.

[Be First In Line For a Puppy Cuddle]

The Ubiq X Awards

As the Fairground filled once again, attention turned to one of the most anticipated moments of the event. The Ubiq X Awards.

Announced over lunch, the awards celebrated the schools and teams pushing boundaries across marketing, communications, and experience. Set against the buzz of the Fairground, it felt less like a formal ceremony and more like a shared moment of recognition across the community.

From bold creative to innovative use of AI, each winner reflected what it means to do things differently and do them well. Because great work deserves to be seen. And celebrated.

[Read full write up on winners here]

Breakout: Looking Outwards

The afternoon breakout sessions shifted the focus outward, exploring how schools can respond to a changing landscape, new audiences, and growing global opportunity.

Andrew Elias , Founder of Growth Story Advisory , brought together a sensational panel with Anita GLEAVE , CEO at QED Schools Group , Karen Lane , Founder and Group MD at Plus 1 Communications , and Darrell Barnes , Director of Business Development at Malvern College International , to explore what it really takes to expand internationally. What works. What does not. And what schools need to consider before making the leap.

• Bianca Brown , Senior Account Manager at Edelman, unpacked the next generation of parents, exploring how their values, behaviours, and expectations are reshaping how families make decisions about education.
• Firat Bora Dogmen , Digital Marketing Manager at Amplify by Ubiq, explored the future of search, showing how AI driven discovery is already shaping how families find and evaluate schools, and what it takes to show up when it matters most.
• Wonnie Sayama , Head of Admissions at Sydenham High School GDST , reframed the parent journey, shifting the focus from process to experience, and from touchpoints to the moments that truly shape how families feel, decide, and act.
• Jamie P. , School Director at The International School of Bremen , shared an honest reflection on entering new markets, and what happens when opportunity finds you before you are fully ready. He offered a rare, behind the scenes look at expansion in practice.

[Check Out Speaker Slides]

Keynote: Be More Pirate

The final keynote of Ubiq X LIVE was delivered by Sam Conniff , best selling author of Be More Pirate. He brought the event to a close with the kind of energy you could feel. It was palpable.

Drawing on the mindset of history’s most successful rule breakers, he challenged attendees to question convention, rethink the systems they operate within, and act with intent rather than habit.

It was not about disruption for the sake of it. It was about knowing which rules are worth keeping, and which ones are holding you back. A reminder that doing things differently is not always comfortable. But it is often where the most meaningful progress happens.

A pretty fitting close to two days built on exactly that idea.

[See Event Photo Highlights]

A Moment to Say Thank You

As the final keynote wrapped, the Ubiq team took a moment to bring everyone together one last time. A chance to pause. To look around the room. And to recognise what had just been created.

Because Ubiq X LIVE was never just about the agenda (though we promise it will always be epic). It’s about the people who make it what it is.

From attendees and speakers to partners and collaborators, every part of the experience is shaped by the community around it.

A huge thank you to our headline partners who helped bring it all to life, including our Visionary partner Blackbaud , our official school partner QED Schools Group , Trailblazer partner Weglot , and Pioneer partner HubGem . As well as the wider network of consultants, contributors, and supporters who made the event undoubtedly special.

And last, but certainly not least, thank you to the Ubiq team supporting to make this happen. The planners, the problem solvers, the people making things happen behind the scenes. The early starts, the late finishes, and everything in between. We go again!