14 November 2024 09:30 – 15:30
Schools of Tomorrow in partnership with the Edge Foundation are delighted to present the Sustainable Education Summit 2024 with a theme of 'Building Social Value, Justice and Compassion' at the Windmill Village Hotel, Coventry on 14 November 2024.
Our world is in a state of crisis: a now or never moment. We need to stop destruction and reconnect with the world, with others and ourselves. We cannot wait. This needs to be a priority for us all now.
This in person conference will bring keynote speakers and fresh voices together with school leaders and their students. The conference will explore how we can work together to make a difference by focusing on the way we think, the way we behave and the way we prioritise the things that matter to us.
Chaired by Azita Zohhadi, Director, Schools of Tomorrow and Olly Newton, Executive Director, Edge Foundation. Collaboration and networking will form a core part of the programme via round table discussions and activities. The morning will include separate workshops for school leaders and students and the afternoon will include joint activities to share best practise and learning. The conference will culminate in joint deliberations involving a panel of experts and a Q&A session, aimed at charting a course forward with pledges and commitments.
Keynote Speakers
Shafat Khan, Community and Partnerships Manager, Ashoka
Shafat will focus on the topic of Compassion. Guiding us through what inhibits us and what motivates us, helping us to recognise that there is room for everyone to find a deep sense of contribution and belonging – rooted in place, purpose, and community. Shafat is focused on supporting young people across the UK education system and surfacing untold stories to create more equitable narratives in society. He has a background in building programs to activate changemaking journeys, facilitating ideation sessions, marketing and communications.
Dr Bethan Garrett, Educational Research, MBC, Lancaster University
Beth will look through the lens of Nurturing Social Value with examples from The Morecambe Bay Curriculum on encouraging and empowering children and young people to become the change-makers and innovators our planet needs. Beth is a Lecturer in the Morecambe Bay Curriculum at Lancaster University and co-leads the North-West Beach School Network, which supports teachers in developing their practice in coastal education.
Lucy Supperstone, Director of Innovation and Standards, Leadership Skills Foundation
Lucy will guide us through the importance of Leadership to drive student agency with the sustainability agenda. Lucy and Jon will share a new WWF and RSPB Environment Leaders Programme that is specifically designed to encourage young people’s inherent optimism and determination. Lucy joined the Leadership Skills Foundation in 2008 and has supported education organisations in 42 different countries to develop leadership skills in over 1.5 million young people.
Jon Turner, Head of Education, WWF-UK
Jon is passionate about environmental education and advocacy for young people. He has worked in informal and formal education settings including The Wildlife Trusts and WWF-UK for the last 25 years.
Grange Academy and Goldington Green Academy
Students and staff will reflect on Social Justice and how it shapes their vision, values, school activities and opportunities.
Key Conference Themes
- Can a school really tackle social injustice whilst juggling the many challenges and directives we face?
- How do we authentically prioritise the wellbeing of ourselves and others in an education setting? Are we able to ensure that social value is integral to our ethos and vision?
- How do we lead with compassion? How well do we know the challenges and suffering of those within our school community? Why is this important?
- Self-Compassion: action versus wellbeing. Do we get the balance right?
Conference Aims
- Have a deeper understanding of the conference themes and how they are intrinsically linked with sustainability
- Have the motivation and commitment to drive forward the sustainability agenda through social value, justice and compassion through school vision, ethos and outcomes
- Be empowered to share your ideas, meet new people and recognise your value;
- Reflect upon your school vision, ethos and outcomes, making commitments and pledges to build positive change and a brighter future.
Sustainable Education Summit 2024
Windmill Village Hotel, Coventry 14 November 2024.
All delegates will have free access to a digital toolkit which will include resources and links.