9th Annual Conference

Preparing Young People For Their Futures

This year, our conference theme is Preparing Young People For Their Futures. It
raises a number of questions: What does the future hold - for life, learning and
work? What will the jobs market look like for young people starting school today?
What should school’s role be? How can we help young people take ownership of
their futures?

The theme calls to mind the wealth of confusing, often conflicting, news
headlines and research reports presenting sometimes dystopian visions of the
future. We do not accept the most extreme of these- of robots and automation
leading to mass joblessness, of increasingly divided societies fractured by fake
news and social media. Some jobs will disappear, but others will change or be
created. There will be both upheaval and opportunity. There will be winners and
losers; our nagging concern is that with our current trajectory these may replicate
or exacerbate existing inequalities. Date | 26th February 2019
Many discussions about the future suggest that much of what schools do is
obsolete. We disagree. Many of the things that schools do will continue to be Venue
relevant. At the conference you will have the opportunity to discuss with, and hear Coin Street Conference
from, experts, practitioners and other leaders on how schools and systems can Centre
better prepare young people for their future.
108 Stamford Street,
We will build on our 2018 conference Attainment is Not Enough, where Andreas London
Schleicher argued there is an urgent need for us to take a broader approach to SE1 9NH
preparing young people for their futures. We will look at which competencies and
domains of knowledge are increasingly important and how to develop them. Nearest station | Waterloo
Overall we seek to provide inspiration, challenge and thoughtful reflection for you Twitter
- school and system leaders up and down the country committed to an evidence @WholeEducation
informed approach to better preparing young people for their futures.
 Programme | Conference Agenda

10:30 Perspectives from leading global thinkers on preparing young people for their futures
Leading international experts including Venki Ramakrishnan and Rose Luckin will provide short
provocations and inputs on how we better prepare young people for their future. This will be followed
by panel discussion from a range of experts like Alex Beard, Alex Quigley and Sam Twiselton.

Big debate: Big debate: Big debate: A whole community

What are the What does evidence What tools can we or locality approach
ingredients in a rich and practice say we use to make learning to preparing young
curriculum diet for can do to attract and irresistable, lifelong people for the future
lasting success? develop great teams? and lasting for all?
& table sessions
Followed by a Followed by a Followed by a including:
choice of table choice of table choice of table
sessions including: sessions including: sessions including: + Local self-improving
systems roundtable
+ Role of vocational + Teacher coaching + Flipped pedagogy + Stakeholder
+ Engaging science for sustained + Metacognition engagement
+ Outstanding EYFS development + Collaborative + Big Education
+ Where ‘arts’ thou? + Teacher motivation learning Conversation
+ The coherent + Flexible working + Oracy schools pilot
curriculum + Initial teacher + Delivering for + A locality approach
training: what’s learners with to tackling
next? SEND disadvantage

Lunch, networking and exhibition stands

Making your What can teacher Collaborative How can we learn

curriculum work for motivation research learning: improving from neuroscience
every child now and tell leaders about outcomes while to make teaching
in their future improving retention developing life skills & learning more
Mick Waters Sam Sims Christine Howe effective
Learnus

Making your Effective models of How metacognition Natural born

curriculum work for coaching to improve can improve learners:
those who need it learning at all levels attainment and Workshop followed by
most and prepares in your school futureproof learning discussion with Alex
them for the future Rachel Lofthouse Alex Quigley Beard
Various

16:30-17:30 Reflecting on what you can do to better prepare young people for the future
Sir Tim Brighouse will be with us all day as a participant. In the closing session he will feedback what
he has heard and challenge delegates on what we can do differently in schools, MATs or localities.

*Session titles still to be finalised and subject to change

 Programme | Speakers & Panelists

Professor Sir Venki Ramakrishnan Professor Rose Luckin

Venki received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in
2009 and was knighted in 2012. In 2015, he was
elected as President of the Royal Society for a
five-year term. In 2017 he gave a speech at the
Royal Society’s Broad and Balanced Curriculum
Symposium arguing for a broader education for
all young people.
Rose is Professor of Learner Centred Design
at the UCL Knowledge Lab in London. Her
research involves the design and evaluation of
educational technology using theories from the
learning sciences and techniques from Artificial
Intelligence (AI). She is an international expert
on the effects of AI on education.

Other invited speakers include:

Alex Beard, Author of Natural Born Learners

Alex Quigley, Senior Associate, the EEF

Professor Sir Tim Brighouse

Professor Christine Howe, University of Cambridge

Professor Ruth Lupton, University of Manchester

Simon Knight, Director, Whole School SEND

Katherine Mathieson, Chief Executive, British Science Association

Vivienne Porritt, Founder, WomenED

Sam Sims, IFFT

Professor Sam Twiselton, Sheffield Hallam University

Professor Mick Waters

With more speakers and practitioners to be announced!

 Conference Dinner | Tuesday 26th February | Central London

The Whole Education Conference dinner (18:30)

Taking a scenic walk across the Thames to our St Paul’s dinner venue for a drinks reception
followed by dinner. The conference dinner is a wonderful chance to network and reflect on the
day with colleagues and peers in a more informal setting. You will also hear from an exciting,
inspiring dinner speaker to be confirmed.

Conference Information

Price
Conference tickets
Early Bird WE price | £195
WE Members | £295
Standard Admission | £395

Dinner

Whole Education Schools | £49

Standard Price | £85

Contact us today to reserve!