Welcome to The Bridge Newsletter
Edition #8
In this issue we launch BridgEd: The Education Podcast, collaborate with The Bridge - China, highlight the upcoming Festivals of Education around the world, share the latest article to be published in The Journal of Educational Research and Theory, showcase our new ONLINE courses, International NPQ’s and upcoming courses and events for 2025-26.
Happy reading!
Introducing BridgEd: The Education Podcast from The Bridge.
Iain Henderson and Karen Taylor introduce a new series of podcasts where they are joined by a host of interesting guests, talking about some of the most topical issues in education.
You can listen to all episodes of BridgEd on Apple Podcasts and DukeBox Radio
With special thanks to Jacob Hepworth-Wain for making this possible.
The Bridge and The Bridge China
It is exciting to envisage the future of The Bridge and The Bridge China as we develop collaborative projects to lead educational thinking across the Wellington College Education Family of schools, to sit alongside other projects that might be more specific to individual contexts. Jeremy Birk, Director of The Bridge China, and Iain Henderson, Director of The Bridge, have developed and aligned priorities in 3 specific areas;
• Flourishing and Thriving
• AI in Education
• Oracy, Multilingual Learning and Dialogic Teaching
The Bridge has already begun to work together with powerful expertise and influences in the area of Human Flourishing, the central question for education in the 2nd quarter of the 21st Century. The establishment of WCE’s Institute for Human Flourishing is a deeply committed manifestation of that. Similarly, setting up an Institute for AI will also bring together the best of strategic thinking in China, the UK and well beyond. There is much inspiring and impactful work to be done in all of these areas!
The Bridge China is hosting the following two outstanding in-person events through contacts brought together by the collaboration with The Bridge.
Instructional Coaching Institute
Shanghai 16th-20th May 2026
We have been developing work with Jim Knight of the Instructional Coaching Group, and Growth Coaching International, since 2019, and we are delighted to see how, thanks to the leadership of Dean Clayden, this connection has grown to Wellington College Education China, where they will now be holding the 2nd Instructional Coaching Institute to take place in China. Jim is the world authority on Instructional Coaching, having worked in this field for well over 25 years, . This is an opportunity is not to be missed. There are many imitators, but only one originator.
To learn more and register, click here
The Multilingual Learner: From Theory to Practice
Shanghai 15th-16th November 2025
Our connection with Dr. Eowyn Crisfield comes through Dr. Karen Taylor, Head of Educational Research at The Bridge. Eowyn is an Honorary Fellow at The University of Oxford, and a world leader in Multilingual Learning and Intercultural Education, both essential and foundational features of the individual and global identity of all Wellington College Education schools.
To learn more and register, click here
The 3rd Festival of Education in the USA
The Bridge has been working with EducationScape and the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning at St Andrew’s Episcopal School to bring together the 3rd USA Festival of Education on October 4th. We have an outstanding programme for attendees featuring content strands on the Science of Learning, Artificial Intelligence in Education, Coaching for Educator Development, Belonging, Flourishing and much more. The three varied and inspiring keynotes will be delivered by Professor Yong Zhao, Baroness Nicky Morgan, and Richard Culatta, who bring expert and global perspectives from both experience and research.
Last minute tickets are still available here !
The 3rd Festival of Education in Thailand
The 3rd Thailand Festival of Education will take place on November 8th at Wellington College International School, Bangkok. Building on the first two, once again we welcome teachers and leaders from all over the region to share, learn and be inspired. We have multiple schools in the region as Education Partners, helping to grow the connection and influence of the Festival to the benefit of the wider education sector.
The speaker application process brought forth a huge number and a wide range of excellent proposals. Saying no to some of these was practically impossible, but we only have a certain number of rooms available! The lineup of classroom practitioners, middle and senior leaders, heads and external experts has pulled together a rich and varied programme, with speakers and attendees travelling from the UK, USA, Australia, China and beyond to add to the rich expertise in the local region around Bangkok. We have content strands on The Science of Learning, Coaching, AI, Leadership and much more.
Our inspiring keynotes will be delivered by:
Cindy Sirinya Bishop – actress, activist, UN Goodwill Ambassador Francesca Martinez – author, comedian, actress and self-styled “wobbly”, whose campaigning for compassionate belonging is both renowned and compelling.
We also welcome Jim Knight, Chris Munro, and Tom Sherrington amongst many others.
The current schedule is here and will be updated if changes occur.
Tickets are still available here – book yours now!
The 15th Annual Festival of Education in the UK
The UK Festival of Education 2025 was without doubt the best that we have yet managed! We have been inundated with positive feedback and thanks following an exceptional two days in early July. Almost 6000 people flooded the grounds of Wellington College to enjoy a feast of exceptional educational thought leadership, CPD, networking and growth, to head into the final part of the school year with hope, positivity and a commitment to making things better in their context.
The 2025 Festival is neatly captured in this short film and podcast.
Speaker Applications for the 16th Festival of Education 2026 are open here until the end of November.
We welcome applications on the following topic areas:
• Access to HE
• Accountability
• AI & Ed Tech
• Alternative & Specialist Provision
• Apprenticeships
• Assessment
• Attendance/Families
• Audit
• Behaviour/Culture
• Careers
• Coaching
• Cognitive Science
• Creative Subjects
• Curriculum: Further Education
• Curriculum: General
• Curriculum: Primary
• Curriculum: Secondary
• Disadvantage/Inequality/Social mobility
• Early years
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Estates
• Finance
• Further Education
• Governance
• HR
• Inclusion/Exclusion/Belonging
• Initial Teacher Education
• International Education
• IT
• Leadership
• LGBTQI+
• Literacy/Reading/English
• Mental Health (Children & Young People)
• Oracy
• Policy & Research
• Professional Development
• PSHE
• Race/Ethnicity
• Recruitment & Retention
• Safeguarding
• STEM
• SEND
• Student Voice
• Sustainability
• Teaching: Further Education
• Teaching: General
• Teaching: Primary
• Teaching: Secondary
• Wellbeing: Staff
• Workplace Learning
Dr Karen Taylor
Head of Educational Research, The Bridge
Here we are at the beginning of another school year and The Bridge is pleased to share the latest article to be published in The Bridge Journal of Educational Research and Theory. In a thought-provoking exploration of the elusive nature of engagement, Gillian Judson, Robin Ulster and James D. suggest that “the emotional and cognitive dimensions of engagement often lie within the elusive realm of what educators can’t see.” Equally inspiring is the nature of their professional collaboration. Well worth the read!
Read the full article here:
A Collaborative Exploration of Engagement in Teaching and Learning: Imagination, Wonder, and a #2 Pencil OR
The purpose of our journal is to create a community of inquiry into the interconnectedness of educational theory, research, practice and purpose. Our aim is to foster close collaboration between classroom practitioners and university researchers in a dialogic space of mutual exchange that challenges hierarchical notions of knowledge sources while enabling a transformative, collective and deep understanding of learning and teaching. We are open to the many varied forms of research and committed to empowering practitioner-researchers as we build a shared body of knowledge that addresses the complexities of contemporary education.
I encourage you to share your research interests and theoretical or philosophical musing with us. We explicitly welcome submissions in a wide range of media so long as they are grounded in theory and/or well evidenced so don’t hesitate to be creative! We are also seeking peer reviewers for submissions. Simply send an email with your address, institutional affiliation, and area of interest or expertise to: ktaylor@wellingtoncollege.org.uk.
Reconnecting with Purpose: The Reason for Teaching
Dates: 7th October 2025 to 16th June 2026
Join a global community of engaged practitioners to explore the big questions and challenges at the heart of what it means to be a teacher.
Anne de Leon, I design and deliver tailored programmes for educators, to explore, question, and develop their professional practice and personal skills.
Patrick Alexander, Professor of Education and Anthropology. Research Lead for Education, Oxford Brookes University.
Teaching in the Flow
Dates: 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th November 2025
On Emergence, Uncertainty & the Art of Thinking Together. A 4-Week Course for Reflective, Adaptive, and Slightly Rebellious Educators.
Transforming Perceptions of Childhood
Dates: 10th February to 2nd June 2026
Have you ever wondered what childhood really is? Or how our conceptions of children affect the experiences we create for them—as parents, teachers, mentors and allies? How can we build meaningful relationships between children and adults?
Dr. Natalie M. Fletcher, Affiliate Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Montreal; Founding Director and Senior Trainer of the educational charity Brila
International National Professional Qualification (NPQ)
Delivered in partnership with LLSE, The Forest Learning Alliance and Wellington College International, The Bridge is delighted to offer the following NPQ’s to our International family of schools and beyond.
Headship (NPQH)
Designed for school/college leaders who are, or aspire to be, a headteacher, principal, head of school/college with responsibility for leading a school/college.
Starts: November 2025
Duration: 18 months
Time: 1.5 - 2.5 hours per week
Click here for more info on NPQH
Senior Leader (NPQSL)
Designed for school leaders who are, or aspire to be, a senior leader with crossschool responsibilities.
Starts: November 2025
Duration: 18 months
Time: 1.5 - 2.5 hours per week
Click here for more info on NPQSL
Leadership Training (NPQLT)
Designed for teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading teaching in a subject, year group, key stage or phase.
Starts: November 2025
Duration: 12 months
Time: 1.5 - 2.5 hours per week
Click here for more info on NPQLT
Are you interested in becoming an international NPQ facilitator, or finding out more about the role. If so, please get in touch: thebridge@wellingtoncollege.org.uk
Upcoming CPD/Events
• 4th October - Festival of Education - (USA)
• 7th October - Reconnecting with Purpose (Online)
• 8th-9th October - Foundational Coaching (Crowthorne)
• 10th October - 20th Annual Head of School Conference 2025 (Crowthorne)
• 4th November - New and Aspiring Middle Leaders (Crowthorne)
• 4th November - Teaching in the Flow (Online)
• 5th-6th November - Advanced Coaching (Crowthorne)
• 8th November - Festival of Education (Thailand)
• 13th November - New and Aspiring Senior Leaders (Crowthorne)
• 17th November - Teaching and Learning in International Contexts (Online)
• 19th November - Leading for Impact (Crowthorne)
• 20th November - Classroom Climate: Communicating Belonging (Crowthorne)
• 25th November - Tough Conversations (Crowthorne)
• 27th November - Compassionate Leadership in Action (Crowthorne)
• 10th February - Transforming Perceptions of Childhood (Online)
• 18th-19th March - The Flourishing Summit (Harvard University)
More dates and events are available on our website.
Please scan the QR Code above or click here For all enquiries please email: thebridge@wellingtoncollege.org.uk
The Bridge
Wellington College
Dukes Ride
Crowthorne
RG45 7PU
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Email: thebridge@wellingtoncollege.org.uk
Web: thebridge.wellingtoncollege.org.uk
Phone: +44(0)1344 444 238
