Speaker line-up announced for school’s education festival

Some of the most influential speakers on education in the UK today will be coming together at a high-profile event next month.

Wrekin College in Shropshire will be hosting a Festival of Education on June 28 aimed at professionals working in both the secondary and primary sectors.

It is part of a consistent approach by the school to encourage better practice when it comes to developing and nurturing independent and confident learners.

Speakers include David Didau who has published a series of books challenging assumptions on how children learn including Making Kids Cleverer and Intelligent Accountability.

His blog, The Learning Spy, is one of the most influential educational blogs in the UK.

He will be joined by David Hyner, one of the country’s top motivational speakers on goal setting and purpose having presented to more than 1.3million people over the past 23 years.

Also included in the line-up will be Olivier Award-winner Sinead O’Callaghan who has worked in the UK, Australia and America.

“This event provides a forum for leading figures from the education sector to share their expertise about how students can be empowered to take ownership of their own learning and to develop the understanding and skills necessary to grow into independent, confident, and creative thinkers,” said Ben Smith, Deputy Head Academic at Wrekin College.

“It will feature internationally acclaimed speakers, published authors, and highly experienced practitioners offering a fresh perspective on how to create a vibrant, student-centered learning culture in the classroom.”

Mr Smith said it was an ideal opportunity to be a part of what promises to be an insightful and inspiring day.

The other speakers are Dafydd Smith who has 36 years of experience in the classroom as a modern languages teacher and Alex Battison, Chair of Educational Futures at Harvard’s Human Flourishing Programme and also Senior Deputy Head at Lord Wandsworth College.

The event is £75 per delegate including all talks, networking, refreshments, lunch, and free parking.