There has never been a more important time for the teaching profession to come together

to define the purpose of our education system…

As the UK’s only independent membership organisation for all schools, with the largest UK and international network, SSAT exists to work with you to lead this agenda – by schools, for schools.

We don’t believe that education should be measured solely by exam results.

We believe that students need a curriculum that will prepare them for the challenges of the 21st century. We believe that you – the school leaders and teachers who know education better than anyone – are best placed to lead the redesign of schooling to shape a world-class education system. We know we can’t work harder, so we need to work smarter. School leaders must be empowered to support teachers to try new approaches, to do things differently to do them better.

We call this innovating learning, which is the theme of this year’s conference.

That is why the SSAT National Conference 2012 brings together a world-class line up of speakers - and more outstanding practice from schools - than ever before…

…to explore the big questions surrounding how we can innovate learning and redesign schooling to prepare students for the 21st century. Questions like…

Co-construction

How do we develop a model of teaching that is centred around teachers and students co-constructing learning?

Ewan McIntosh has spent the last five years developing a set of pedagogies that engage students in co-constructing their curriculum and understanding their own learning - freeing the reins of learning from the hands of the teacher.

Ewan’s keynote will: • suggest processes to create the space for

innovation• explore what collaborative, student-designed,

and student-led learning looks like• provide practical ideas to develop effective

project-based learning through ‘Design thinking to put more learning in the hands of students’.

Collaboration

What are the building blocks to ensure students, teachers, and schools are better able to work together to address shared challenges?

Bill Lucas is co-director of the Centre for Real-World Learning at the University of Winchester. Bill’s work has transformed how teachers work together collaboratively. His keynote will be on ‘Pedagogy unplugged – how the learning sciences can help leaders, teachers and pupils create outstanding teaching and learning.’ He will unpack the pedagogies behind peer teaching and demonstrate why these approaches are so effective in developing deep learning.

Eric Mazur’s ‘Flipped Learning’ approach is now employed by educators across the world. It involves students working through material in advance, bringing to the classroom problems and questions they have identified, and working collaboratively to solve them, with the teacher’s role to support and guide. Professor Mazur will share how he developed this approach. Two schools will present a showcase to share their experience of ‘flipping the classroom’.

Creativity

How do we design a curriculum that offers academic rigour while encouraging the creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship that learners need to develop for life in a globalised world?

‘If we allow students to be innovative and make things they are passionate about, they’ll start to see the bigger picture. I want today’s students to realise that they really can make a difference and design something that can change people’s lives.’

25 year old Emily Cummins is an award-winning innovator and young entrepreneur. By the time she left school, she had designed a sustainable refrigerator ‘powered’ by dirty water. She spent five months in Africa training local people to make her fridges - tens of thousands are now in use in sub-Saharan Africa.

Emily will share her story to examine how she was able to develop the skills that have helped her develop solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems – and will argue for a curriculum that enables other students to do the same.

Culture

How can school leaders encourage teachers to innovate learning?

‘There are no limits to what our teachers can achieve if we support them in the right way.’ Dylan Wiliam will open the conference with a challenge to current policy by asserting that it is teacher expertisenot academic achievement that has the greatest impact on learning. Dylan will focus on how leaders can embed AfL and create a culture in which teachers are actively encouraged to take risks.

Don Passey is the leading academic in understanding how digital technologies can enhance and support learning. Don will share his recent research on the use of learning technologies and unpack how leaders can create a culture in which creativity can flourish. ‘For me, culture is something that is managed and created by vision and leadership, and within that, the elements of co-construction, collaboration and creativity emerge, develop or are created.’

How can leadership bring about lasting change and influence the redesign of schooling?

Is the drive for accountability an icon of conservatism, or can it be an agent of innovation?

SSAT’s 20th National Conference is the event of the year for school leaders and teachers to debate and share their responses to these questions.

Extensive networking opportunities - build and extend your contacts with UK and international schools See outstanding and innovative

practice- more school rondevals than ever before A variety of keynotes, workshops and

showcases - discuss ideas with keynote speakersImmersive professional development

Be inspired, energised and get practical ideas to take back to your school

Together, we can set the agenda to innovate learning and redesign schooling, but we need YOU to be there to add your voice and represent your school.

Book your place: www.ssatuk.co.uk/nationalconference

SSAT’s 20th National Conference4-5 December 2012AAC, Liverpool