The Learning Skills Trust Conference

The Learning Skills Trust Conference

Thursday 22 June 2023

Hosted By:

Queen Anne’s School

6 Henley Road

Caversham

Berkshire

RG4 6DX

Book Tickets here.

Innovate - Research – Progress 

Iro Konstantinou (Eton College)

Steven Berryman (King’s College, London)

David Hawkins (The University Guys)

Sarah Fletcher (St Paul’s Girls’ School)

Tom Arbuthnott (Eton College)

Programme

0930     Arrival, Registration & Refreshments (Café 6)

0950     Welcome (The Forum)

1000     Iro Konstantinou (The Forum)

What Makes Great Teaching: Findings from Eton College

Very often research looks at the question ‘What makes great teaching?’ from students’ perspective. In recent years there has been little empirical research looking at this question from the perspective of teachers. This talk will present the findings from a recent research project we conducted at Eton College. Iro will outline the three main areas that Eton teachers believe make great teaching and what they think is a hindrance to teaching and learning. The talk will also offer practical strategies for senior leaders to enable teachers to engage in the areas that we identify as the main contributors to great teaching.

1100     Steven Berryman (The Forum)

Making Space for Creativity 

There are concerns educational policy can hinder the space for creativity, arts and culture in pedagogy and curriculum design, and this talk explores recent research that attempts to reposition creativity as a priority. Importantly, this talk offers a balanced view and challenge to the creativity agenda and the growing campaigns for change. Fundamentally it attempts to answer what do we lose if we make space for creativity in the curriculum, or what might we gain. Steven will share some examples of how creativity, arts and culture can be embedded into the curriculum, and how sustained partnerships with cultural organisations can enhance the experience for students in and through the arts. 

1200     Break (The Forum)

1215     David Hawkins (The Forum)

Advising Students on Life After School in a Time of Change and Transformation

The old certainties about a route from school to a traditional degree to a career in the "the professions" are changing. Economic challenges, global opportunities, increased competition at selective universities, name-blind recruitment and the changed cost of higher education mean that students and families may not find the routes beyond school that many assumed they would. In this changed world, how do educators guide their families? In this session, David will explain how the world beyond secondary schools has changed rapidly, and the options now available to school leavers.

1300     Lunch (Café 6)

1400     Sarah Fletcher (The Forum)

Reform of Assessment

Assessment in universities post pandemic is changing.  There is a greater focus on problem solving, presentations, collaboration and digital solutions.  What are the key trends, the benefits and pitfalls, and what are the implications for schools? 

1500     Tom Arbuthnott (The Forum)

How Cross-Sector Partnerships are Making a Difference to Children's Lives

Partnerships between state and independent schools have expanded both their range and their depth in recent years, and understanding has been building about how to design impactful, sustainable partnerships which make a difference. In this presentation, Tom Arbuthnott will discuss his work at Eton College and at the School Partnerships Alliance on how partnerships are developing throughout the education system, their usual trajectory from 'outreach' to 'partnership' and what needs to be done now to harness their power fully.

1600     Depart

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Iro Konstantinou

Dr Iro Konstantinou is Head of Research and Impact at Eton College, based at the Tony Little Centre for Innovation and Research in Learning. Iro was Academic Lead for Research and Development at Pearson while consulting Eton on research programmes. Her current work focuses on research in teaching and learning, leadership, wellbeing, and cross-sector partnerships. In 2018, Iro launched the Eton Journal for Innovation and Research in Education and is currently Editor-in-Chief. Iro also holds a visiting research position in Education Studies at the University of Warwick.

Steven Berryman

Dr Steven Berryman is Director of Creativity, Music and Culture at the Charter Schools Educational Trust, and President of the Chartered College of Teaching. Steven has worked for nearly twenty years in education, teaching music in a variety of schools, universities, and conservatoires. He was part of the expert panel for the refreshed DFE National Plan for Music Education and continues to work with a range of arts and cultural organisations to champion a creative and cultural education. Read more at www.steven-berryman and on Twitter @steven_berryman 

David Hawkins

David is one of a small number of independent counselors to hold the gold-standard international affiliation with the Council of International Schools. David holds memberships in the International Association for College Admissions Counseling, IECA, COBIS, HECA and the Council of International Schools. As Director of The University Guys, he and his team provide bespoke, individual advising to families pursuing global university options.

Sarah Fletcher

Sarah has had the privilege to teach in a number of schools at home and abroad, boarding, day, single-sex, co-educational, state and independent. She has a strong interest in curriculum reform and in encouraging creativity in teaching & learning. She was involved from the outset in the development of the Extended Project Qualification and the Cambridge Pre-U, sitting on the Pre-U Steering Committee from inception to launch.  She values the opportunity to work in partnership and believes strongly in the importance of sharing and collaboration as the most important foundation for a more innovative and enlightened future.  She was appointed Head of Kingston Grammar School in 2009, Head of the City of London School in 2014 and is currently High Mistress of St Paul’s Girls’ School. She is lucky enough to be a board member of The School and Family Works, a brilliant social enterprise company which supports families in resolving deep seated familial and behavioural issues. Amidst this busy professional life, Sarah finds time for her passions: the clarinet, art, theatre, the countryside and fresh air.

Tom Arbuthnott

Tom Arbuthnott is Deputy Head (Partnerships) at Eton College and oversees the school's strategies to widen access to talented boys from diverse backgrounds. He oversees Eton's strong and multiple relationships with state sector schools and the community engagement programme, as well as the annual summer schools and school communications. Tom took degrees from both Oxford and Cambridge universities and worked in Brussels and London for a European Parliament think tank before retraining as a teacher in 2004. From 2010-2016, Tom led an award-winning outreach programme at King Edward's School, Birmingham.  An Old Etonian himself, he returned in 2016 as Eton's first Director of Outreach and Partnership and in 2017-18, he served as Chair of the Schools Together Group. Tom is currently leading Eton's collaborative project with Star Academies to establish new state-funded sixth forms in coldspot areas of the Midlands and North.

Blog: crosssectorschoolpartnerships.wordpress.com

Twitter: @arbuthnotttom

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Book tickets here.

Contact Details:

James Barnes: James Barnes [email protected]

Mark Richards: Richards Mark [email protected]

Ann Long: Long Ann [email protected]

Rebecca Morris: Rebecca Morris [email protected]