Events for GSS members

There are a range of regular events available for members of the Government Statistical Service (GSS) to join coming up in 2026. This page includes details of events which are available and information about how to gain your invite.

If you are unsure whether you are a member of the GSS, please read the About the GSS and GSG webpage.

If you have questions about the content on this page or would like to add an event, please email GSSNet@statistics.gov.uk.

Quarterly events

The following events take place every three months. Each event takes place on its own three-month schedule pattern.

This quarterly event takes place online. It brings together all members of the GSS with the GSS Deputy Heads and members who wish to present. There will be opportunities to gain updates, share knowledge, and ask questions during these sessions.

Upcoming sessions

The next call will take place on Thursday 14 May from 10am until 11am. The theme of the call is Strengthening Skillsets.

Registration details will be shared through your Head of Profession shortly. You can also sign-up on the GSS LearningHub.

Note: Please check whether you have a LearningHub account using the ‘forgotten password’ function before signing up through the LearningHub registration form.

GSS member networking sessions are open to all members of the GSS. These sessions take place in the weeks following GSS Community Calls, and have the same theme as the call.

During each session, you will have the opportunity to complete a collaborative activity and to meet other members of the GSS in breakout rooms, with prompt questions to support your conversation.

Upcoming sessions

The theme of these sessions is supporting one another to make an impact.

  • Thursday 21 May from 1pm until 2pm – open to all members of the Analysis Function
  • Thursday 4 June from 11am until 11:30am – open to GSS members only

Please sign-up on the GSS LearningHub.

Note: Please check whether you have a LearningHub account using the ‘forgotten password’ function before signing up through the LearningHub registration form.

GSS Deputy Head drop-in sessions provide a less formal opportunity to meet the Deputy Heads of the GSS, ask questions, and share ideas relevant to the GSS. They take place in the weeks following GSS Community Calls.

Upcoming sessions

The next session will be on Friday 22 May from 11am until 12pm, with a theme of strengthening skillsets.

Please sign-up on the GSS LearningHub.

Note: Please check whether you have a LearningHub account using the ‘forgotten password’ function before signing up through the LearningHub registration form.

Head of Profession (HoP) Knowledge Sharing Sessions are aimed at senior leaders or experts in particular topics, which differ for each event. Your departmental Head of Profession will invite up to two attendees per session, depending on the relevance of their role to the topic. If you would like to gain information about sessions, please contact your HoP for an invite, or attendees for lessons learned.

The latest session took place in January 2026, on the theme of avoiding misinformation in statistics.

Upcoming sessions

The next session will take place on Wednesday 15 April and will focus on user engagement. Please contact your departmental Head of Profession if you are an expert in this topic and would like to attend.

If you would like to present on the methodology of your work at a future session, please contact your departmental HoP.

Yearly events

The GSS Conference takes place each year. This event brings members of the GSS together for a variety of sessions and networking opportunities.

Committee recruitment for 2026 is currently open:

Learn, connect and deliver: join the GSS Conference Committee

We’re delighted to invite volunteers for this year’s GSS Conference Committee. The committee plays a central role in delivering the GSS Conference – our flagship annual event. As a member, you’ll build on the conference’s ongoing success with support from the co‑chairs, develop skills aligned to your professional interests, and regularly collaborate with a new network of colleagues from a range of government departments.

This is an excellent opportunity to learn, connect, and contribute to delivering a valuable experience for those associated with the GSS across the Civil Service.

We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds who can offer around 1–2 hours per week from April to November. To apply, please agree that you can commit the required time with your line manager, then email GSSNet@statistics.gov.uk. We look forward to hearing from you.

 

Details about our latest conference, which took place in November 2025, are available on the conference webpages.

Additional events

We welcome all members of the GSS to join a panel session on Tuesday 14 April from 12:30pm until 1:15pm, with the Chief Statisticians of the devolved governments. This session will look ahead to 2026/27 in the UK Statistics System and attendees will have the opportunity to ask the following panellists questions:

  • Sue Leake, Head of Education and Social Justice Statistics at Welsh Government
  • Ally McAlpine, Chief Statistician at Scottish Government
  • Phillip Wales, Chief Statistician at Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA)
  • Mary Gregory, Head of Profession at Office for National Statistics (ONS)

The event will take place on Microsoft Teams: sign up through Microsoft Forms to receive your invite.

If you would like to add an event to this space, please email GSSNet@statistics.gov.uk.

If you would like to add an event to the Analysis Function website calendar, please email Analysis.Function@ons.gov.uk.

Submit a blog

We welcome blogs all year from members of the GSS, to showcase the collective power of statistics across government.

We’re interested in a range of blogs, whether you’re focusing on your career journey, your motivation to work with statistics, or a project that you’re proud of. Submit your blog to GSSNet@statistics.gov.uk.

  • Blogs which tell a story and have a friendly, professional tone gain the most views.
  • You may wish to consider subheadings to support the reader’s journey.
  • Avoid acronyms and technical jargon. If you are using these, explain them the first time you include them.
  • Use plain English: the reading age we aim to meet is around 9, which is the national average.
  • Our maximum word count is 1000 and our minimum is 500.
  • Please include your name, job title, a short biography (1-2 sentences), and a jpg profile image with your draft, for the author spot.

We will support you throughout the editorial process once you submit a draft.