Teachers in Fenland and East Cambridgeshire will meet today (July 17) to discuss how they can support and inspire young people.

The inaugural Golden Thread Conference in Littleport will see teachers' share experiences from some of the £500,000-funded Opportunity Area (OA) projects.

It will celebrate some of the work projects have funded in the area, including communication and reading skills in young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and supporting those with mental health concerns.

It comes as the DofE revealed pupils across the Fens and East Cambridgeshire are less likely to achieve the national expected standard in reading, writing and maths by the age of 11.

East Cambridgeshire and Fenland Research School lead and conference co-organiser, Rebecca Pentney, will share the best ways to use teaching assistants in helping pupils become independent learners during the conference at Littleport and East Cambridgeshire Academy (LECA).

She said: "We are really excited to celebrate, support and inspire each other at the conference.

"We have worked so hard with this funding to have incredibly positive outcomes across the teacher sector.

"The conference will focus on the hardwork that has gone on in the area and focus on how that has impacted all pupils."

Headteacher Kate Bonney, from Robert Arkenstall Primary School, in Haddenham, will also showcase her OA-funded project to help families in more rural areas.

Christopher Jones, conference organiser and lead practitioner of teaching and learning at LECA, said: "Giving every young person the best start in life, whatever their background and wherever they come from, is a mission that unites teachers.

"Today is a great chance for us to get together and share what works so we can make Fenland and East Cambridgeshire the best place to be a teacher or student."

Other keynote speakers will include Daniel Muijs, Ofsted's deputy director for research and evaluation, and Alex Quigley, national content manager at the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).

Francois Nieuwoudt, a restorative justice expert, will talk about tackling behaviour issues by encouraging bullies, truants, or constant lesson disrupters to face up to their actions and the impact it has on others.

Children and Families Minister, Nadhim Zahawi, said: "It's hard to understate the difference a good teacher can have on a child's outcomes, and specifically for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

"The person stood at the front of a classroom can inspire and ignite that potential that exists in every child.

"That's why it is so important that we invest in training and continued professional development for the teaching profession - as they can be a driving force for improving social mobility."

The conference is funded by the OA and supported by The Active Learning Trust's LECA alongside East Cambridgeshire and Fenland Research School.