EVENT REVIEW
Improving the future through education Bett is known for bringing together everyone with a passion for improving the future through education, and showcasing the very best the global education marketplace has to offer. Here are the event highlights from 2017 With Bett 2017 scheduled after a year of significant change within the education sector, visitor numbers were expected to be high. Issues such as academisation, governance, selective schooling, teacher retention and the outcome of the EU referendum were set to attract thousands of educators looking for solutions to support these changes. PASSION FOR THE FUTURE With a history spanning over three decades, Bett is known for bringing together everyone with a passion for improving the future through education, and showcasing the very best the global education marketplace has to offer. Bett once again offered invaluable insight to everyone in the education sector – from teachers and school leaders to policy makers, suppliers and industry experts. Programmes on governance; continued professional development (CPD); educational technology; special educational needs (SEN); STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) and creativity in education achieved this. IMPROVING THE EDUCATION SECTOR More than ever teachers are looking for ways to efficiently and effectively improve what they do, so it was no surprise that the free CPD seminars were very well attended. The Bett practitioner-led Learn Live CPD seminars and workshops addressed key issues in contemporary education and provided useful insight into the latest research, practices and policies affecting education worldwide. Sessions ranged from the practical ‘hands on’ ideas to enhance your teaching sessions, to major electrifying speakers such as Sir Ken Robinson, Heston Blumenthal and Ed Stafford. Unsurprisingly, Ed Stafford’s session saw people squeezing in around the edge of the arena to catch sight of the renowned
adventurer, explorer and broadcaster. Ed shared his views on why the spirit of exploration is so important in today’s world, and underlined the importance of technology in encouraging children’s natural desire to learn. He also gave all attending visitors ideas on how to ignite this inquisitiveness in their students. Along similar lines, Eric Sheninger, senior fellow at International Centre for Leadership in Education, revealed his innovative research‑based practices; giving teachers ideas of how to implement these to bring back a sense of awe to learning. Throughout the session he stressed the importance of instilling this wonderment in the classroom. Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal may not be an obvious speaker at Bett, but his session
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Bett 2017
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probably attracted three times more people than there were seats. He spoke passionately about creativity in education and the opportunity it brings to explore and discover. He encouraged teachers to welcome questions and failure in the classroom, believing this is the basis for constructive learning. Looking at the ‘teacher led’ sessions, Maarit Rossi and Kazaya Takahashi hosted a panel discussion made up of Global Teacher Prize winners and finalists, discussing what makes a world-class teacher. This was a lively event with the audience getting involved in a debate, offering suggestions, comments and ideas. I doubt anyone left this session with less than five ideas of how to enrich their teaching. Whether they attended best practice teacher led sessions or those delivered by celebrity speakers, visitors were given practical advice, insight, inspiration and tools to help them become educational game-changers. SCHOOL LEADERSHIP SOLUTIONS Ensuring there was something for everyone, Ascential, the organisers of Bett, once again excelled in the delivery of CPD sessions for school leaders. The School Leaders Summit, explored the most significant challenges facing senior leadership teams (SLTs) and addressed how these can be tackled. This summit provided an opportunity for school business managers and senior leaders to network and collaborate to come up with forward-thinking solutions to improve school leadership. Turning to the exhibitors, despite budget cuts they appeared to be taking more orders than ever. Nik Tuscon, CEO of tablet and content supplier LearnPad said:“We’ve had people queueing up, it’s been insane and the interest level for Class VR has been astounding.” E
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