FET Annual Conference 2025

Katharine Birbalsingh is Headmistress and co-founder of Michaela Community School and former Chair of the Social Mobility Commission. She is known as ‘Britain’s Strictest Headmistress’, following the ITV documentary about Michaela. Michaela draws over 800 visitors a year from across the world. Michaela’s Progress 8 score places the school top in the country. OFSTED graded the school as ‘Outstanding’ in every category. Katharine read Philosophy & Modern Languages at The University of Oxford and has always taught in inner London. She has made numerous appearances on television, radio, podcasts and has written for several publications. Katharine has also written two books and edited another two, the last of which is The Power of Culture, about Michaela. Whether you agree with Katharine or not, she will make you think. Katharine was appointed Honorary Fellow of New College, Oxford in 2021 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2020. Follow Katharine on X at @Miss_Snuffy

Miriam Cates is the former Member of Parliament for Penistone and Stocksbridge and while an MP was involved with various All-Party Parliamentary Groups to do with the family and instigated a review into inappropriate relationship and sex education. Miriam was born and brought up in Sheffield, and for over a decade lived with her husband and three children in Oughtibridge. A former science teacher, Miriam currently works as a presenter for GBNews and has continued to write on themes of politics and culture, contributing to UnHerd, The Critic and The Telegraph amongst other publications. Follow her on X at @miriam_cates

Dr James Orr is an associate professor of philosophy of religion at Cambridge University and a leading figure behind the national conservative movement in the UK. After studying Classics at Balliol College, Oxford, Dr Orr became a corporate lawyer first at Freshfields, then Sullivan & Cromwell, in London. Thereafter, he returned to academia to take an MPhil and PhD in Philosophy of Religion at the University of Cambridge. In recent years, Dr Orr has publicly commented on topics including conservatism, religion, and current affairs. Follow Dr Orr on X at @jtworr

Connor Tomlinson is a contributor to Courage Media and the New Culture Forum. He co-hosts Deprogrammed for the New Culture Forum, and writes regularly for the Critic and the European Conservative. He is a political commentator for GB News and Talk TV, and has appeared on podcasts such as Triggernometry and Timcast IRL. He was a co-founder and Head of Research at the British Conservation Alliance (2019-2022); and authored the research paper “It’s Easy being Green” for the Adam Smith Institute, which shaped the Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (2022). He is an alumni of the first UK cohort of contributors for Young Voices, and holds a Masters in English from the University of Kent. Follow him on X at @Con_Tomlinson