17 January 2023 09:00 – 18:00
This event was organised by Edge in partnership with HMC, ASCL, Rethinking Assessment and St Paul’s Girls’ School.
We brought together leading educationalists, thought leaders and panellists to discuss their visions for the future of assessment. We learned about rigorous, high quality alternative assessment methods and heard evidence from the latest studies, pilots, and research in this space.
⬇ Agenda ⬇
Tuesday Jan 17th 2023, Drapers’ Hall, Throgmorton Avenue, London EC2N 2DQ. 9:00- 18:00
9:00-9:30 Registration and welcome refreshments
9:30-10:15 Conference welcome
with keynote addresses from Andrew Haldane, Royal Society of Arts and Beatriz Pont, UNESCO International
Institute for Education Planning
10:15-11:00 Panel Debate 1 – How do you make change happen?
Chaired by Rachel Sylvester (The Times) with panellists Chris Husbands (Sheffield
Hallam University), Jane Walton (FSB), April McMahon (University of Manchester)
and Sally Dicketts (DD Consulting)
11:05-11:25 Refreshment break and the Assessment Innovation Showcase
11:25-12:10 Breakout sessions A & B - please select your chosen session
(places are on a first come, first served basis)
Breakout A - Livery Hall
A youth panel; a vision for a more inclusive future
Chaired by Jonas Andrew-Philip with panellists Kerrie Portman, Ife Obasa, Billiejean
Goodyer, Lottie Cooke and Maanya Patel
Breakout B – Court Drawing Room
Challenge Led Learning, Extended Project Qualifications and School Citizen
Assemblies: Educating and assessing young people in civic engagement, climate
change and sustainability
Presented by Chris McClean, University of Manchester
12:10-1:00 Lunch, networking and the Assessment Innovation Showcase
1:00-1:55 Panel Debate 2 – The movement for change
Chaired by Geoff Barton (ASCL) with panellists Olly Newton (Edge Foundation), Sarah
Fletcher (St Paul’s Girls School), David Gallagher (NCFE), Rebecca Boomer-Clark
(Academies Enterprise Trust) and Bill Lucas (Centre for Real World Learning &
Rethinking Assessment)
1:55-2:40 Breakout sessions C & D - please select your chosen session
(places are on a first come, first served basis)
Breakout C - Livery Hall
Rethinking assessment to ensure greater equity
Chaired by Rachel Macfarlane (Herts for Learning) with panellists Nicola Mason
(School 21), Gavin O’Loughlin (Golftyn CP School), Al McConville (King Alfred School),
Kimberley Elms (Livingstone Academy Bournemouth) and Helena Good (Daydream
Believers)
Breakout D – Court Drawing Room
The future of assessment: four trends
Presented by Sue Attewell & Paul Bailey, Jisc
2:40-3:00 Refreshment break and the Assessment Innovation Showcase
3:00-3:45 Breakout sessions E & F - please select your chosen session
(places are on a first come, first served basis)
Breakout E - Livery Hall
How learner profiles can recognise breadth of student learning and achievement
Chaired by Roșie Clayton (Rethinking Assessment) with panellists Fran Wilby
(Rethinking Assessment), Gavin O’Loughlin (Golftyn CP School), Al McConville (King
Alfred School) and Mike Flanagan (Mastery Transcript Consortium)
Breakout F – Court Drawing Room
Assessment for the future
Presented by Anton Béguin and Dominique Turner, International Baccalaureate (IB)
3:45-4:30 Panel Debate 3 – Fresh thinking for the 21st Century
Chaired by Alison Peacock (Chartered College of Teaching) with panellists Wayne
Holmes (UCL & Council of Europe), Gabrielle Finn (University of Manchester), Tom
Richmond (EDSK) and Mary Curnock Cook (Pearson Education)
4:30-5:00 Conference close
5:00-6:00 Drinks reception – everyone welcome
Conference hosts: Olly Newton (Edge Foundation) and Sarah Fletcher (St Paul’s Girls School).
The Innovation Assessment Showcase includes; The King Alfred School, Daydream Believers, School
21, Livingstone Academy Bournemouth and Golftyn CP School.
⬇ Speaker details ⬇
Keynote: Andrew G Haldane, Chief Executive Officer, Royal Society of Arts (RSA)
Andrew Haldane is the Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA). He was formerly Chief Economist at the Bank of England and a member of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee. Among other positions, he is Honorary Professor at the Universities of Nottingham, Manchester and Exeter, Visiting Professor at King’s College, London, a Visiting Fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford and a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Academy of Social Sciences. He has authored around 200 articles and 4 books. Andrew is Founder and President of the charity Pro Bono Economics, Vice-Chair of the charity National Numeracy, Co-Chair of the City of London Task-Force on Social Mobility and Chair of the National Numeracy Leadership Council. Andrew was the Permanent Secretary for Levelling Up at the Cabinet Office from September 2021 to March 2022, and as of June 2022, chairs the Levelling Up Advisory Council.
Keynote: Beatriz Pont, Global Training Practice Lead, UNESCO International Institute for Education Planning (IIEP)
Throughout her career, Dr. Beatriz Pont has worked on education policy, education change and school leadership internationally. As Global Training Practice Lead at UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP), she currently leads a team of specialists to deliver, coordinate, and assure the quality of all IIEP training. These programmes are focused on strengthening the capacities of education policy-makers and planners to analyze and formulate sound education policies and implementation plans.
At the OECD Directorate for Education and Skills, she launched and led OECD countries’ education change and implementation support, and has worked with many different countries in their school improvement reform efforts. She also spearheaded a comparative series on education reforms Education Policy Outlook, on school leadership, equity and quality in education and adult learning. Previously, she was researcher in the Economic and Social Council of the Government of Spain.
She holds a Phd in Political Science from Universidad Complutense de Madrid, a Master’s in International Relations from Columbia University, and a BA in political science from Pitzer College, Claremont, California. She also holds an Honorary Doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University. Dr. Pont teachers Comparative Education Policy at Sciences Po School of International Affairs, Paris and keynotes internationally on leading education change.
Panel Debate 1: How do you make change happen?
Chair: Rachel Sylvester, Chair of The Times Education Commission and political columnist at The Times
Rachel Sylvester is a political columnist at The Times and Chair of The Times Education Commission. She started writing about politics in 1996 and was a lobby correspondent on The Daily Telegraph before becoming political editor of The Independent on Sunday. Rachel joined The Times in 2008 and also presents the Times Radio podcast Past Imperfect with Alice Thomson. They have recently released a book based on their interviews called What I Wish I’d Known When I Was Young.
Professor Chris Husbands, Vice-Chancellor, Sheffield Hallam University
Professor Sir Chris Husbands is a university leader, academic, educationist and public servant. He has served as Vice-Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University in the UK since January 2016. Prior to joining Sheffield Hallam, Sir Chris was Director of the Institute of Education (2007-2015) and then Vice-Provost at University College London (2014-2015).
Sir Chris is also Chair of the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF) and Board Chair of the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and the Doncaster Opportunity Area Partnership Board. He was appointed to the Board of UUK in August 2019 and joined the Emerge and Jisc Edtech Advisory Board in October 2020.
Sir Chris is an Honorary Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge and Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. He was knighted for services to Higher Education in 2018.
Jane Walton, Chair Education & Childcare Policy Unit, FSB
Jane has a background in education, local government and cultural heritage. For the past 22 years, she has been involved in local, regional and national campaigns and projects aimed at increasing people’s entrepreneurial awareness, skills and aspirations. Jane has extensive knowledge and experience of leading and supporting organisations particularly those that have a social purpose.
Jane is the director of a micro-enterprise which aims to promote and develop a culture of enterprise and entrepreneurship across Yorkshire. Jane provides mentoring and training for individuals and organisations to develop their skills, knowledge and confidence in order to progress and make a difference to themselves and others.
Jane is a non-executive director of Yorkshire Mentoring CIC which provides mentoring programmes across the region working with a range of people including young people needing support with mental health and those looking to start a business.
Professor April McMahon, Vice President Teaching, Learning and Students, University of Manchester
Professor April McMahon has been Vice-President for Teaching, Learning and Students at the University of Manchester since October 2019. Previously, she held academic and leadership roles at the Universities of Cambridge, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Aberystwyth and Kent. Her main priorities are equality of access, awarding and progression for all students; partnership working with students; enhancement of teaching quality and student experiences; and recognition and reward for excellence in teaching.
April is a Fellow of the British Academy, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and the Learned Society of Wales. Within the British Academy, she currently chairs the Audit Committee. She has a lively interest in leadership training and development. With a strong commitment to enhancement of education and student experiences, she has been closely involved with the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework, most recently as Chair of the TEF Subject Pilot Humanities Panel and a member of the Subject Pilot Main Panel. She is an Honorary Fellow of Selwyn College, Cambridge, and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Sally Dicketts, CBE
Sally has been a senior leader in schools and colleges for the past forty years. She has led two successful, innovative colleges – Milton Keynes (1996-2003) and Activate Learning (2003-2022). Whilst, at Activate Learning she and her team transformed a medium sized failing institution into a high quality, financially strong group of seven innovative colleges across three counties, three training providers, six schools and international work with a turnover of 150 million pounds. To achieve this Sally led over four mergers and acquisitions. Sally’s key interest is in creating learning organisations where people develop both their emotional and thinking capabilities. To this end she developed a Learning Philosophy which become the cultural heart at Activate Learning.
She is a keen advocate for vocational education and was the President of the Association of Colleges July 2020 until October 2022. She has chaired and been a member of a range of local regional and national boards. She is chair of Learning with Parents. She coaches/mentors’ senior leaders and works with a range of organisations on culture change and redesigning the curriculum. Sally was awarded the CBE in October 2013.
Panel Debate 2: The movement for change – where could we go?
Chair: Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL)
Geoff Barton is General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, a professional association representing more than 20,000 educational leaders from maintained and independent schools across the United Kingdom. Prior to this, he was headteacher for fifteen years at King Edward VI School, Bury St Edmunds, an 11-18 community school of 1600 students.
Geoff attended Walton High School, a comprehensive in Stafford (1974-81); then read English and Linguistics at Lancaster University (1981-84); then trained as a teacher at Leicester University (1984-5). He has taught in Leeds, York, and Suffolk. He is patron of the English & Media Centre, a Founding Fellow of the English Association, and a trustee of the Pearson National Teaching Awards.
Olly Newton, Executive Director, Edge Foundation
Olly Newton spent 12 years in the Department for Education working on policies including 14-19 diplomas, raising the participation age and finally as Head of Apprenticeship Strategy. Olly is now Executive Director of the Edge Foundation, where he oversees a programme of primary research, is lead author on the charity’s policy reports and runs the Edge Future Learning delivery programme for schools and colleges. Olly was Specialist Adviser to the House of Lords Committee on Youth Unemployment and a Commissioner on the Independent Assessment Commission.
Sarah Fletcher, High Mistress, St Paul’s Girls’ School
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 leads the HMC group Reform of Assessment and is a member of Rethinking Assessmenttoo. 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.
David Gallagher, Chief Executive, NCFE
David Gallagher is Chief Executive Officer at NCFE, an educational charity and leader in vocational and technical learning. Having initially joined NCFE as Managing Director of its EPA operations, David was appointed Chief Executive in 2019. He is a Non-Executive Director of the Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB), as well as Chair of the FAB Policy Board. David also supports Together for Children (Sunderland Children and Families Services) as a pro-bono Non-Executive Director. David has enjoyed a successful career in employment, education and skills for over 20 years. His diverse leadership experience spans public, private and charitable organisations within the sector. Throughout David’s career he has been focussed on delivering social impact, from frontline delivery in some of the most disadvantaged communities in the UK through to advising sector bodies and stakeholders on the development and delivery of new policy and programmes.
Rebecca Boomer-Clark, Chief Executive, Academies Enterprise Trust
Rebecca Boomer Clark is the Chief Executive Officer of Academies Enterprise Trust. An experienced school leader, she was Director of Secondary at Ark Schools from 2017 to 2021. Prior to that, she worked for the DfE as Regional Schools Commissioner for South-West England. Rebecca also worked at Oasis Community Learning for eight years in a variety of roles, initially as a vice principal and principal in Bristol, before becoming a Regional Director and then National Education Director at the multi-academy trust. Rebecca is also a Trustee at Ambition Institute and Jamie's Farm.
Professor Bill Lucas, Director, Centre for Real World Learning and Co-Founder, Rethinking Assessment
Bill’s research focuses on understanding those dispositions for learning which help people success and flourish in life, how they can be cultivated and how they can be evidenced. In 2017 Bill was appointed to be the co-chair of the strategic advisory group of the new PISA 2021 (2022) test of Creative thinking. For 5 years he has advised the State of Victoria in Australia as it develops online tests of critical and creative thinking. Bill is an academic adviser to the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation and chairs Eton College’s research and innovation centre. Bill is a founding member of the Rethinking Assessment movement.
Bill is also a prolific writer, and has explored the ways key dispositions for learning can best be cultivated at school in a series of books, most recently Zest for Learning: Developing curious learners who relish real-world challenges.
Panel Debate 3: Fresh thinking for the 21st Century
Chair: Alison Peacock, Chief Executive, Chartered College of Teaching
Professor Dame Alison Peacock is Chief Executive of the Chartered College of Teaching, a new Professional Body that seeks to raise our status through celebrating, supporting and connecting teachers to provide expert teaching and leadership. Prior to joining the Chartered College, Dame Alison was Executive Headteacher of The Wroxham School in Hertfordshire. Her career to date has spanned primary, secondary and advisory roles. She is an Honorary Fellow of Queens College Cambridge, Hughes Hall Cambridge and UCL, a Visiting Professor of both the University of Hertfordshire and Glyndŵr University and a trustee for Big Change. Her research is published in a series of books about Learning without Limits offering an alternative approach to inclusive school improvement.
Wayne Holmes, Associate Professor, University College London and Lead Expert on AI and Education, Council of Europe
Wayne Holmes (PhD, University of Oxford) is an Associate Professor in the UCL Knowledge Lab at University College London. His research takes a critical studies perspective to the teaching and application of Artificial Intelligence in educational contexts (AI&ED), and their human, social, and ethical implications. Wayne is leading the Council of Europe’s project: Artificial Intelligence and Education. A Critical View Through the Lens of Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law; he is Consultant for the Technology and AI in Education unit at UNESCO, for which he co-wrote AI and Education: Guidance for Policy-makers; and he is Senior Researcher in AI&ED for the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence under the auspices of UNESCO. Wayne’s recent co-edited book is The Ethics of AI in Education. Practices, Challenges and Debates, while his previous books include Artificial Intelligence in Education. Promise and Implications for Teaching and Learning.
Professor Gabrielle Finn , Vice Dean (Teaching, Learning and Students), Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester
Professor Gabrielle Finn is Vice Dean for Teaching, Learning and Students at the University of Manchester for the Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health. She is Professor of Medical Education in the School of Medical Sciences. Gabrielle has published over 150 research outputs using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Her research interests are broad ranging but include fitness to practise, identity, assessment, and gender discrimination. Gabrielle is a National Teaching Fellow and Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She has been successful in securing research income from a range of funders and regulatory bodies.
Tom Richmond, Founder & Director, EDSK
Tom has spent almost 20 years in the world of education. He began his career teaching at one of the country’s leading state schools. After three years in teaching, he spent almost a decade working on policy development and research across the education, skills and welfare sectors. This culminated in spending two years as an advisor to ministers at the Department for Education. After leaving the Department he taught at a Sixth Form College before returning to education policy and research. In 2019 he launched the ‘EDSK’ think tank, which aims to design new solutions to difficult problems across the education and skills landscape including schools, colleges, apprenticeships and universities.
Mary Curnock Cook CBE
Mary Curnock Cook is an independent education expert serving in a non-executive capacity on a number of Boards.
From 2010-2017, Mary was Chief Executive of UCAS. Earlier in her career she held executive and non-executive positions in the education, hospitality, food and biotech sectors.
Mary is chair of Pearson Education, its UK arm, and also chairs the governing body of the Dyson Institute. She is a non-exec Director at the Student Loans Company, the London Interdisciplinary School, the Student Room and Education Cubed, and a Trustee at the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI). She has the role of Network Chair for Emerge Education, the leading edtech investor in Europe.
In 2021, Mary took on the Chair of the UPP Foundation Student Futures Commission, set up to ensure successful student futures following the pandemic. She is a regular speaker and commentator on HE policy and practice and a recognised champion of the student interest.
Mary has an MSc from London Business School and was awarded an OBE in 2000, and a CBE in 2020 for services to further and higher education. She is an honorary Fellow of Birkbeck and Goldsmiths and has an honorary doctorate from the University of Gloucestershire.
⬇ Breakout sessions and speakers ⬇
Assessment Innovation Showcase
During lunch and the conference breaks five organisations will be available to network and demonstrate to delegates practical and innovative examples of how rethinking assessment can work.
- Livingstone Academy, Bournemouth
- The King Alfred School, London
- Daydream Believers
- School 21
- Golftyn CP School
Breakout Sessions
There will be 6 breakout sessions throughout the conference and delegates can select to attend 3 of their choice (subject to availability).
(Breakout session A) A youth panel; a vision for a more inclusive future
chaired by Jonas Andrew-Phillip with panellists: Lottie Cooke, Kerrie Portman, Billiejean Goodyer, Maanya Patel, Ife Obasa
Edge’s Youth Network brings together 5 panellists, chaired by Jonas, to discuss their experiences of assessment and education with a particular focus on accessibility. Exploring questions of inclusion and equality, their lived experiences offer a valuable insight into the way assessment is working for our young people.
Chair: Jonas Andrew-Phillip
Jonas is a Young International Multi-Award-Winning TEDx Speaker, Workshop Facilitator and Host. He facilitates career and personal progression workshops, programmes and speeches for young people. Using his own personal transformation story of wasteman to winner Jonas supports his peers to have an understanding that they have the untapped potential to achieve whatever they want in their life irrelevant of their background or circumstance. He also hosts the 'Let's Talk Facts' podcast where he interviews professionals, entrepreneurs and young people for the education and entertainment of others. When he is not delivering dynamic content Jonas likes to play basketball, meet new people, watch Football whilst eating Cookie Dough ice-cream or playing his PlayStation and many more things.
Kerrie Portman
Kerrie Portman is an autistic Care Leaver currently studying the Foundation Year at Cambridge University, amongst the pioneering cohort of the program for disadvantaged students. Kerrie has a background in research into neurodiversity and education, is Director of North Herts Pride, a campaigner on Care Leaver homelessness and is a writer. This year, she was one of MHP Mischief’s 30 To Watch Politics Award winners.
Ife Obasa
Ife is currently on a One-Year Placement working as a Paralegal and outside of her law career interest, she has an avid interest in education particularly pertaining to the development of young people. Words usually used to describe her are passionate, innovative, and forward-thinking. Previously serving as an Inter-Religious Commonwealth Youth Ambassador for the Commonwealth Jewish Council and Council Member for The British Youth Council, she has first-hand experience in leading and representing young people. This year, Powerlist Magazine recognised Ife as one of 150 Future Leaders of African/African-Caribbean Descent in the United Kingdom.
With her experience as Founder & CEO of social enterprise Empowering Younger Generations, Ife has worked tirelessly to provide resources and empowerment to support the next generation of trailblazers. Having worked as a Student University Mentor at the Financial Times, Ife regularly developed resources and hosted events for students she mentored. Her passion for creating space at the table for young decision-makers gives her the opportunity to speak and advise businesses looking to break into the education and talent space and partner with organizations to produce content around helping students find their purpose and careers.
Billiejean Goodyer
Billiejean Goodyer, is the Student's Union President at Leeds City College. She is also a competitive cheerleader and dancer and she loves drag race! As part of her role as SU President, Billie launches campaigns, organises events, has lots of meetings, works to represent student voice throughout the college and much more. Billie loves her job as President of the SU and is grateful to have it at her age.
Maanya Patel
Maanya ARSM is the Director of Outreach for the British Conservation Alliance, the Largest Youth-led environment network in the UK championing pro-market environmentalism and youth engagement. She is also a regular political contributor for BBC Asian Network, and has also featured on ITV, Channel 5 and Times Radio. She was on the Chatham House panel in London Climate Week discussing youth engagement and education in climate action. She also sat on the parliamentary round table in Portcullis House discussing how we can educate young people on the Online Safety Bill with MP Damian Collins. Last year she worked extensively in education philanthropy and development, working in St Paul’s School and St Peter’s college, Oxford development offices and wishes to share her experience and ideas for reformation.
(Breakout session B) Challenge Led Learning, Extended Project Qualifications and School Citizen Assemblies: Educating and assessing young people in civic engagement, climate change and sustainability
presented by Dr Chris McLean, University of Manchester
Educating and empowering young people with a wide range of knowledge, skills and values is key to creating a future where individuals, communities and the planet can flourish and thrive. Challenge led learning (CLL) develops a wide set of learning outcomes aligned with creativity, compassion, collaboration and critical thinking; while also complementing other approaches to teaching, learning and curriculum design. Within this session, we will examine the assessment of different CLL approaches (School Citizen Assemblies and a new Extended Project Qualification), in addition to qualifications designed for different key stages of education (HPQ, FPQ and primary project qualifications).
Dr Chris McLean, University of Manchester
Chris McLean is an academic and educationalist with a keen interest in curriculum design, assessment, civic engagement and sustainable education. She is based within the Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS), at the University of Manchester and is academic lead of the University of Manchester School Governors Initiative. Chris is also lead of the RSA Innovative Education Network and has been working with primary and secondary schools for many years. She is particularly interested in helping to promote the incredible and inspirational work currently provided by schools and supporting them to develop further teaching and learning approaches that seek to empower young people as active citizens within their local and global communities.
(Breakout session C) Rethinking Assessment to ensure greater equity
a panel discussion with the five schools from the Assessment Innovation Showcase
Find out what schools are doing to shift the dial in assessment practices to recognise the full breadth of a young person’s strengths and achievements. Teachers and practitioners from across the UK share their thinking and examples of the tools and approaches they have developed, their journey, impacts and challenges along the way.
Chair: Rachel Macfarlane, Director of Education Services Herts for Learning
Rachel joined the Herts for Learning Executive team as Director of Education Services in April 2018, bringing with her a wealth of experience from an extensive and varied career in education.
As Director of Education Services, Rachel is the strategic lead for all of our education services to schools across all phases. Prior to joining HfL, Rachel was the Principal of Isaac Newton Academy in Ilford, in the London borough of Redbridge. Alongside her headship experience, Rachel has been extensively involved in leading school improvement programmes and system leadership both in primary and secondary phases. She joined the London Leadership Strategy in 2007 as a Consultant Headteacher, supporting new headteachers through The London Leadership Strategy’s (LLS) Moving to New Headship programme. In 2009 Rachel set up Going for Great (G4G), now a flagship programme designed for leaders of outstanding primary, secondary, mainstream and special schools to continue to develop and learn from each other and support the schools around them
Helena Good, Director of Daydream Believers
In January 2017 Helena launched Daydream Believers, a unique programme of engagement supporting educators, employers and designers to create resources that put creativity at the heart of education. Daydream Believers is supported by global brands, universities and colleges.
In October 2022 Daydream Believers was included as part of the HundrED Global collection, this recognises 100 inspiring innovations that are changing the face of education in a post covid world.
Al McConville, Deputy Head King Alfred School
Al McConville is Deputy Head at King Alfred School and Co-Founder of Rethinking Assessment. Al studied Theology, which he still loves, but he mostly teaches Latin and runs various project-based learning activities at KAS. He juggles being an inspector, sometimes writing for the TES, co-authored a book about “learning how to learn”, is on the steering group for Eton College’s Centre for Innovation and Research in Learning and has just started the School Directed Courses Consortium.
Dr Kimberley Elms, Principal, Livingstone Academy Bouremouth
Kimberley been an educator for over 20 years. It is her mission to create a school where teachers are empowered and supported to be creative professionals who engage in innovative teaching that is student-centered and students experience deep, authentic learning that gives them the inspiration, competencies and mindsets to thrive in modern life. To equip people to make changes the world needs, we must change our schools. To change our schools, we must change our systems. To change our systems, we must change our thinking. Schools don't just need to be better, they need to be different.
Nicola Mason, Headteacher, School 21
Nicola is the Headteacher of School 21, a school which resonates with her for its strong core purpose of empowering young people to take on the world and the commitment to innovative practices and to changing the shape of education in the UK. Nicola was previously Head of St Julian's School in Lisbon, Portugal, a leading British International school in Europe with a reputation for strong academic results as part of an inclusive, holistic approach to education. Prior to this Nicola was Head of Secondary at Garden International School, which has a reputation for innovation, skills-based learning and high quality professional learning in Kuala Lumpur. Coming to education following a career in scientific research, Nicola is passionate about engaging students in real world learning experiences that prepare them for life beyond formal education.
(Breakout session D) The future of assessment: four trends
presented by Sue Attewell, Head of Edtech, Jisc and Paul Bailey, Head of Co-design, Jisc
Jisc, as the premier body supporting digital in UK higher and further education, provides trusted advice and guidance on tech in learning and teaching, for example its influential report ‘The future of assessment: five principles, five targets for 2025’ (https://www.jisc.ac.uk/reports/the-future-of-assessment), providing a blueprint for authentic, accessible, appropriately automated, continuous and secure assessment. This work draws more widely on Jisc’s work on learning data, student and curriculum analytics, and its forward-looking vision of personalised AI-enabled digital learning. In this workshop we will focus on identified trends in assessment within HE and FE, then open up and explore with delegates the potential overlap and synergy with the school sector, with the potential to identify and follow-up as appropriate on areas of common interest.
Sue Attewell, Head of Edtech, Jisc
Sue Attewell has a strong background in education and skills having worked in the sector for the last fifteen years. She has a wealth of diverse experience having worked across charities, government agencies, local colleges, councils and LEPs. Most of this activity focussed on skills and economic development where the emphasis was on meeting the needs of employers by building a skills pipeline responsive to future needs of employers and ensuring all individuals have the necessary skills and support to move into sustainable employment.
At Jisc as Head of Edtech Sue Attewell is responsible for developing new products and services for the sector and overseeing the projects we are developing to achieve that vision. I manage the National centre for AI in tertiary education. And our edtech activity, working to identify emerging trends and interesting new products to share with our members to fuel their innovation and drive their edtech maturity.
Paul Bailey, Head of Co-design, Jisc
Paul Bailey is the head of co-design at Jisc. He has over 25 years’ experience working in education and technology. He is an expert in learning technology and organisational change within universities and colleges. Paul is currently exploring the future of assessment and the use of digital to transform practice. His previous portfolio has included developing a learning analytics service, creating a student entrepreneurship competition and developing a support programme for edtech start-up companies.
(Breakout session E) How learner profiles can recognise breadth of student learning and achievement
presented by Roșie Clayton, Fran Wilby & Al McConville, Rethinking Assessment and Mike Flanagan, CEO of Mastery Transcript Consortium
This session will give participants an overview of working examples of learner profiles in use in schools across the UK and internationally. Participants will explore the Rethinking Assessment learner profile framework which draws together best practice across the sector. The session will explore the different key components; how learner profiles can contribute to broader recognition of learning and better progression; and enable innovation in curriculum and assessment.
Al McConville, Deputy Head King Alfred School
Al McConville is Deputy Head at King Alfred School and Co-Founder of Rethinking Assessment. Al studied Theology, which he still loves, but he mostly teaches Latin and runs various project-based learning activities at KAS. He juggles being an inspector, sometimes writing for the TES, co-authored a book about “learning how to learn”, is on the steering group for Eton College’s Centre for Innovation and Research in Learning and has just started the School Directed Courses Consortium.
Dr Fran Wilby, Project Manager, Rethinking Assessment
Dr Fran Wilby is Project Manager for Rethinking Assessment, working with schools, education professionals and researchers to make the case for change, and provide effective tools and solutions for teachers and leaders. Previously, her most recent role with Lumiar Education involved leading and training teachers to implement a progressive project-based methodology in progressive and traditional schools. She designed and delivered training, designed curriculum and project content. She is passionate about redesigning education and was Head of Education for the first UK Lumiar school, later promoted to Head of International Implementation.
Rosie Clayton, Program Lead Rethinking Assessment
Rosie coordinates the Rethinking Assessment movement - a coalition of state and independent schools, Universities, researchers, employers, policy makers and education experts - who are seeking to change how our assessment system works.
Rosie has been working on innovative projects and initiatives spanning education, skills, technology and lifelong learning for nearly a decade, and is increasingly involved in large scale initiatives which translate ideas into action.
Mike Flanagan, CEO of Mastery Transcript Consortium
Mike Flanagan is the CEO of Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC), leading the strategy and development for both the Mastery Transcript and for services for member schools. He is an experienced education technology executive, a father of teenagers, and on weekends he coaches CrossFit near his home in Winchester, MA.
(Breakout session F) Assessment for the future
presented by Anton Béguin, Chief Education Officer, International Baccalaureate (IB)
This presentation will discuss the nature and functions of assessment in education, now and in the future. Focusing on digital assessments IB will provide examples from the IB Middle Years Programme and discuss digital's potential to assess different skills, increase validity and effectiveness and create flexibility in assessment.
Dr Anton Béguin, Chief Education Officer, International Baccalaureate (IB)
Anton Béguin is responsible for the assessments and curriculum and learning design for the IB programs. Prior to his work at IB he worked at AQA in the UK and Cito, Institute for Educational Measurement in the Netherlands being responsible for the national assessments and exams in the Netherlands. He started CitoLab - the innovation department of Cito- that has a focus on research and prototyping of new assessment and measurement procedures. As a researcher he has been working in the broad field of educational assessment with a focus on statistical and psychometric procedures, linking and scaling of K12 assessments, research projects on quality and usefulness of assessment, standard setting and equating. Next to his work he served on a number of committees related to education, research and assessment.
