The inaugural edition of Outstanding Schools Middle East ran on 10th and 11th November 2020 online to widespread acclaim

You can view the full conference agenda, speakers and sponsors on these pages

There are over 50 hours of CPD content still viewable on-demand and hundreds of live connections to be made for delegates via the event platform

Full Conference Agendas

  • DAY ONE - TUESDAY 10TH NOV 2020
  • DAY TWO - WEDNESDAY 11TH NOV 2020
  • PRE EVENT - TUESDAY 3rd to MONDAY 9th - FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASES
8:45 am
Opening Remarks from the Chairperson

Lord Jim Knight was a UK government minister whose portfolios included rural affairs, schools, digital and employment.

He founded Tes Institute in 2014, which is now the fifth largest qualifier of teachers in England; he has also managed Tes Resources, a global teacher community of 13.5 million users.  Jim is a founder of XRapid, using artificial intelligence to power the diagnosis of malaria and asbestos fibres using iPads and microscopy.

9:00 am
Plenary Keynote Panel Discussion: International Schools in the Gulf – Forming Resilient and Future-Proof Communities
  • Discussing the roles and social responsibilities of schools in the Gulf in supporting the development and growth of their staff and pupils
  • Exploring the commitment of international schools to drive innovation and support the future prosperity of education in the Middle East
  • Sharing examples of best practice and strategies for forming strong and resilient leadership teams
  • Discussing how to best support your school community during this unprecedented time
9:40 am
Keynote: What is the difference between Good and Outstanding?
  • What actually makes an outstanding school outstanding?
  • Leadership as a relentless restlessness for improvement
  • Identifying and knowing your weaknesses and tackling them swiftly and effectively
10:00 am
Presentation: The Student Arc - From Formative through Summative Assessment, a Data Driven Approach to Learning & Development
  • A framework for guiding students through their academic year, from baseline to summative assessment, creating a data-driven approach to engagement and learning.
  • Baseline assessments that support educational tracking measure a student’s potential and progress, while diagnostic assessments help inform teachers where interventions may be helpful to improve outcomes. A gap analysis to identify areas where students may be falling behind, especially due to the changing learning environments caused by the Covid pandemic.
  • Once student data is available, a comprehensive, research-based curriculum is necessary to remediate and drive engagement and learning, while continuing teacher development and access to digital resources allows students to progress through remote or hybrid learning models
  • Rigorous Assessment for Learning (AFL) is an approach to teaching and learning that creates feedback which is then used to improve students’ performance, assessing what is of greatest value to our students –deep subject knowledge, conceptual understanding and higher order thinking skills.
10:20 am
Keynote Presentation: How to keep the school doors open
  • Mid-pandemic; what is the outlook for schools looking to stay open in Dubai
  • What are the most common mistakes schools are making currently that can easily be rectified
  • What can schools expect if COVID-19 cases rise again
10:40 am
Live Q&A

Throughout the presentations, delegates can add questions to the online chat function. The Chairman, Lord Jim Knight, will now select questions for each of the session’s speakers.

11:00 am
Morning Facilitated Networking

Delegates have option to join a Video Breakout Room for a meet and greet, sponsored by Cambridge.

Alternatively delegates can use this 20 minute break to connect 1-to-1 with individual attendees

11:20 am
Case Study: A Year of Opportunity and Innovation for Digital and Remote Learning
  • Outlining how and why online and remote learning at GEMS has been so effective in 2020 and discussing the structures GEMS have put in place to excel going into the next school year
  • Discussing the importance of tailoring curriculum content and delivery according to parent expectations
  • Effectively managing teachers throughout the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure they were provided with the necessary level of guidance without removing autonomy
  • Successfully measuring and assessing students’ wellbeing and attainment and outlining how GEMS identified gaps and made a recovery plan for this academic year
11:40 am
Keynote: Leading with Impact – Outlining the Importance of System Leadership in Improving Pupil Outcomes
  • How do schools effectively develop improvement strategies to raise standards? What are the indicators of a successful improvement plan and how do leaders assess its impact?
  • The importance of building capacity to sustain improvement by making clear the role that talent management, and how governors and boards can oversee the strategy
  • The power of collaboration as a networking tool between schools. What makes effective collaboration and how do you inject purpose into it?
12:00 pm
Case Study Presentation: ADEK Activity Platform, an one stop shop for learning and edutainment activities

ADEK Activity Platform was created in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic but it is a long term initiative. The platform has been designed as a one-stop resource for students (children to young adults) to continue learning, innovating, staying active and exploring new areas.

AP acts as an aggregator of top edutainment and learning programs delivered by some of the UAE’s leading edutainment vendors and entities. Created full of enrichment programs, competitions, edutainment exercises, academic support, and physical and wellbeing challenges across four learning pillars: STEM and Innovation; Enrichment; Arts, Culture & Languages; and Physical Education and Wellbeing so students can choose what interests them most

12:20 pm
Live Q&A

Throughout the presentations, delegates can add questions to the online chat function. The Chairman, Lord Jim Knight, will now select questions for each of the session’s speakers.

12:40 pm
Presentation: Online Learning - A Jump-Start for Your School

If you want to make the most of online learning in your school, tap into two decades of experience in providing complete virtual schools for primary and secondary students.

  • What kinds of content work best?
  • What tech tools are most important?
  • And what new skills do teachers need?  
1:00 pm
Lunchtime facilitated online networking break

Delegates have option to join a Video Breakout Meeting Room for a meet and greet, sponsored by Pearson.

Alternatively delegates can use this 40 minute break to connect 1-to-1 with individual attendees.

1:40 pm
VIDEO ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION - CURRICULUM
VIDEO WORKSHOP - SAFEGUARDING
Curriculum Personalisation and Innovation

As part of our Flipped Conference format, this Video Roundtable Meeting is hosted by our specialist teaching & learning speakers. You can watch each of their presentations before the event. For this 80 minute discussion, delegates will have the opportunity to question each speaker on their presentations and engage further in the debate. Please turn your video on and come prepared to participate

Matthew Farthing, Principal, Nord Anglia International School asks:

  • Is the curriculum feasible in its current form?
  • How can schools be more agile and flexibile in the face of evolving student expectations and demands?

Beccy Earnshaw discusses oracy;

  • Through a high quality oracy education pupils learn through talk and to talk. This is when they develop and deepen their subject knowledge and understanding through talk in the classroom, which has been planned, designed, modelled, scaffolded and structured to enable them to learn the skills needed to talk effectively.
  • The deliberate, explicit and systematic teaching of oracy across phases and throughout the curriculum will support children and young people to make progress in the four strands of oracy outlined in the Oracy Framework.
  • Understand the physical, linguistic, cognitive, social and emotional skills that enable successful discussion, inspiring speech and effective communication
  • How talk-based strategies can be used for teaching any subject
Transforming Child Protection & Safeguarding Practice – A Strategic Model

Mike Glanville, a former Assistant Police Chief Constable, who led on a number of critical incidents and major crime investigations involving vulnerable children and adults, will lead this interactive workshop. Using a case study exemplar, the workshop will explore the concept of ‘strategic safeguarding’ and look at how senior leaders can make a real difference by adopting a systematic, whole school approach to their child protection and wellbeing practice. Mike will guide participants through a strategic model that can be applied to any organisation, with questions and discussion around each stage of the framework encouraged. 

2:40 pm
VIDEO ROUNDTABLE - TEACHING & LEARNING
VIDEO ROUNDTABLE - WELLBEING
Blended Teaching & Learning Strategy Roundtable Discussion

As part of our Flipped Conference format, this Video Roundtable Meeting is hosted by our specialist teaching & learning speakers. You can watch each of their presentations before the event. For this 80 minute discussion, delegates will have the opportunity to question each speaker on their presentations and engage further in the debate. Please turn your video on and come prepared to participate

Pre-event presentations to watch:
1. Kai Vacher‘s Case Study: FlexEd – Delivering International Blended Learning from Muscat to Salalah
  • How we pulled resources from British School Muscat, British School Salalah and international partners CENTURY Tech to provide an entire GCSE/iGCSE curriculum
  • How we blended face to face, synchronatic and asynchronatic teaching. How did we ensure quality and equity for participating pupils
  • What has been the impact on pupil outcomes, wellbeing and the broader community

2. Pirjo Suhonen‘s Case study: The Implementation of Double Flipped Teaching

  • Outlining how the Finnish Education system became one of the most successful and cost effective systems in the world
  • Understanding how blended learning can support the development of 21st century competencies in pupils
  • Sharing forms of innovation, including the ‘double-flip pedagogy’ where the responsibility of teaching a coding class is given to pupils

3. Kareem Farah‘s Case study: Outlining the Benefits of The Modern Classroom Designed for Teachers, by Teachers

  • Integrating self-paced and mastery-based principles and technology into your teaching to help pupils develop abilities to engage in self-directed learning
  • Learn how to design a classroom, in any school, grade level or subject area where all pupils can learn
  • Understanding how the one-size-fits-all method of teaching is broken and how blended-learning supports better more tailored learning experiences for pupils
  • Sharing the impact the modern classroom model has had on teachers and pupils, including supporting the development of 21st Century skills such as perseverance, tech fluency and self-direction

Maryam Malekigorgi‘s Case Study: Delivering Outstanding Blended Learning and Innovation in Response to COVID-19

  • Sharing first-hand the experience of delivering blended learning to pupils in China during the COVID-19 pandemic and discussing what worked, what effective teaching looked like and how pupil learning was supported
  • Understanding how blended learning models can be applied across all levels of curricula, from universities to schools
  • Making blended learning a more flexible way of teaching and a universal design for learning
  • Exploring innovative ways of engaging with pupils when traditional ways are no longer optimal

Alex Gray‘s Outlining Practical Classroom Strategies for Improving Maths and Science Outcomes

  • Discussing strategies which you can take back to the classroom for improving maths and science outcomes
  • Assess and reflect on your current teaching strategies using the GROW model
  • Design a new plan to help develop yourself as a teacher and your classroom system to achieve outstanding results
How to approach student trauma and whole school wellbeing

As part of our Flipped Conference format, this Video Roundtable is hosted by our specialist wellbeing speakers. You can watch each of their presentations before the event. For this 80 minute discussion, delegates will have the opportunity to question each speaker on their presentations and engage further in the debate. Please turn your video on and come prepared to participate

Sean Bellamy will share some ideas around

  • how to recognise and respond to general and also COVID-19 specific trauma, as well as exploring how schools can be more receptive to trauma.
  • The evolution of the school system, in which leaders receive guidance in how to create schools that are trauma responsive, in which the voiceless are asked their opinion, the powerless are offered autonomy and those who doubt explore the value of trusting. In this there will be healing.
  • The antidote to the trauma will be agile schools that listen to all, that lead with empathy and are excited to listen and inspired to trust.

Ian Thurston asks: Making Homework Optional – Does it Work?

  • Case study of how one UAE school made homework optional. Did it work?
  • What is the impact on various subjects?
  • What are the drivers for local and expat parents?
  • What is the impact on wellbeing?
Tomas Duckling shares his Case Study: Using Discovery Learning to Promote Character-Based Education
  • Discovery based learning techniques to support the building of integrity, inclusivity, generosity and compassion
  • Using this approach to answer specific questions designed to build strength, confidence and understanding of wellbeing: How do systems influence us? How does logic influence our thinking? How do concepts of time, space and place influence our perception of the world? How does perspective influence our understanding of knowledge?
4:00 pm
WORKSHOP - LEADERSHIP
WORKSHOP - WELLBEING
VIDEO WORKSHOP: Understanding Different Management and Leadership Styles

Our Video Workshops are led by highly experienced training professionals. Please turn your video on for this session for active participation.

  • Explore a number of management styles and how to lead diverse groups of people successfully
  • Know how to cement your role as a leader  and be perceived positively  by your colleagues
  • Realise the challenges and opportunities of all managers, whether new, existing or experienced
  • Identify and evaluate your position as a leader – your strengths, limitations and what leadership style suits you and your team best
  • Know how to adapt your style depending on who you are communicating with
Supporting Wellbeing, Emotional Resilience and Learning (SWERL)

Supporting pupils in school with their social, emotional and mental health needs through a domains-based approach.

The 7 domains are:

Supported and Knowledgeable Staff
Graduated Response to Need:
Role of the Teacher
Enabling Environment
Whole School Systems and Planning
Building Relationships
Robust Communication Systems
l Planning Transitions
This session will be informed using case studies from the below schools:

Elseley Primary School
Hitherfield School
Queens Park School
Woodford Green Preparatory School

5:00 pm
Close of Day One

*Final programme subject to change

8:45 am
Opening Remarks from the Chairperson

The Chairperson for the day is Tarek Alami, who oversees Education Development Trust across the Middle East, North Africa and India. A dynamic and experienced leader, Tarek works closely with governments and partners to realise ambitious and far-reaching reform in both public and private education systems. With extensive knowledge of system reform, inspection and school management, Tarek actively works with governments and agencies globally to support solutions that improve learning outcomes for children and empower teachers and principals.

9:00 am
Keynote Presentation: Finding Happiness and Innovation in a Crisis
  • Why this is the greatest chance of a lifetime for innovation and creation
  • Why teaching leadership is teaching character
  • How can digital truly empower pupils and staff
9:20 am
Keynote: The Creative Brilliance of Dyslexia
  • How can dyslexic students be best supported? How can we recognise and harness dyslexic skills? How can we harness that talent to the benefit of Gulf schools and society?
  • Identifying skillsets -how dyslexics effectively make sense of the bigger picture, connecting stories and seeing patterns in narratives where others do not. How dyslexics are great at simplifying, stripping away unnecessary detail to create clear compelling messages. As such they are great communicators.
  • Other identification tools and skills to nurture; How dyslexics are unusually empathetic with a greater ability to sense, understand and respond to how others feel. They are passionate and curious and know how to engage hearts and minds
9:40 am
Case Study: How to Seamlessly Incorporate Wellbeing into the Curriculum
  • How to approach wellbeing programmes; The importance of integrating data-driven and evidence-backed programmes rather than bolting on experimental projects
  • How one programme to introduce weekly mindfulness into the curriculum was implemented and what lessons can be drawn
10:00 am
Making the Most of your Time in the STEM Classroom – Synchronous, Asynchronous, and Independent to Achieve Maximum Student Growth

In a blended, hybrid, or remote situation (and even in the face to face classroom) teachers and students need to strategically use the time to maximize outcomes.  This session will explore how to get the most of the three segments in any day – Synchronous, Asynchronous and Independent time.  By using each wisely, the teacher and student can maximize the impact of each.  The session will explore specific strategies for getting the most out of each.

10:20 am
Case study: Inspiring the Next Generation of Innovators
  • Exploring how to deliver maths and science lessons which inspire pupils and equip them with the tools required to face the challenges of the future
  • Understanding how maths and science can be applied to support the skills and thinking of the 21st Century
  • Embedding technology in your teaching in a meaningful and impactful way to support the delivery of maths and science lessons
  • Using technology to provide an educational experience which goes beyond the classroom and supports pupils digital literacy
10:40 am
Live Q&A

Throughout the presentations, delegates can add questions to the online chat function. The Chairperson, Tarek Alami, will now select questions for each of the session’s speakers

11:00 am
Morning Facilitated Networking

Delegates have option to join a Video Breakout Room for a meet and greet, sponsored by McGraw Hill.

Alternatively delegates can use this 20 minute break to connect 1-to-1 with individual attendees

11:20 am
Presentation: Training and Developing New Teachers
11:40 am
Presentation: Developing 21st Century Leaders for a Global Education System
  • Outlining the importance of high-quality leadership within schools
  • Exploring the additional challenges faced by international schools, such as high staff turnover, in leadership development and how to overcome them
  • Developing recruitment and retention strategies specifically for leadership positions
12:00 pm
Case Study Presentation: Rize University Preparation and Career Guidance Program: Preparing Emirati young talent for future careers

The program is a strategic initiative by ADEK to develop, prepare  and pipeline young UAE nationals  for the country’s job market demand; it covers guidance on processes to ensure students in grades 9-12 preparedness for standardized test exams (SAT/EMSAT/IELTS),  enrich their knowledge about different industries,  and develop their ability to select University Majors and gain admission at their preferred universities

12:20 pm
Live Q&A
12:40 am
Has COVID-19 changed assessment for ever – and what will it look like in the future?
  • How has the cancellation of exams in Summer 2020 impacted on high stakes assessment?
  • What do teachers want? What do students want? What do governments and regulators want?
  • How is the English system addressing these challenges?
  • How has the future of assessment changed as a result of this year’s events?
1:00 pm
Lunchtime Facilitated Online Networking and 1-to-1 Meetings

Delegates have option to join a Video Breakout Room for a 40 minute meet and greet, sponsored by Oxford AQA.

Alternatively delegates can use this 20 minute break to connect 1-to-1 with individual attendees

1:40 pm
WELLBEING ROUNDTABLE
LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLE
Game Over - When Gaming Becomes a Problem
  • Hear from first-hand experience what it is like living with gaming addiction and depression and how it manifests itself within the family setting. Over the past few years, Yes We Can Youth Clinics has seen a dramatic rise in young people suffering from gaming disorders.
  • Best practice in supporting families affected by gaming addiction and other issues coming along with gaming addiction like depression, bullying and anxiety
  • Hear from a Senior Family Counsellor how Yes We Can Youth Clinics helps young people to become responsible human beings coexisting with technology without being ruled by it
  • The presentation helps professionals in the educational field, but also parents and carers to explore and identify key anchors towards the start of meaningful conversations and offers guidance on how to develop early intervention dialogues within the family setting
  • One will leave with a better understanding as to why gaming and depression are such an infiltrators in the lives of some young people
Piet Jansen
Piet Jansen
Managing Director
Yes We Can Youth Clinics, Netherlands
Confirmed
Leadership: Building Resilient Networks, Governance and Effective Stakeholder Management

As part of our Flipped Conference format, this Video Roundtable Meeting is hosted by our specialist Leadership & Management speakers. You can watch each of their presentations before the event. For this 60 minute discussion, delegates will have the opportunity to question each speaker on their presentations and engage further in the debate. Please turn your video on and come prepared to participate

2:40 pm
T&L ROUNDTABLE
INCLUSION ROUNDTABLE

What does it mean to have an EPIC classroom?

Definition of Epic: 1. A story or narrative centred around a hero 2. Spectacular; impressive; memorable.

Epic Learning is a project based learning method that uses the power of storytelling and brain science to give educators practical and proven practices to achieve real pupil engagement.

Stories have this power to stick with us, to create a permanent transformation.

Educators can intentionally design learning experiences to be stories pupils remember. Stories with authentic conflict and challenges that pupils need specific knowledge and skills in order to solve. Learning experiences become stories pupils can reflect on.

In return, learning that is permanent and memorable. Any teacher, in any subject area, and in any grade level can use the story-centered project based learning framework to transform their classrooms into settings where pupils are engaged, challenged, and transformed.

You will learn:

How to increase pupil engagement
How to lead engaging and effective classroom collaboration
How to plan and execute effective high quality project based learning experiences
Specific strategies for leading engaged pupils
Outlines and tools to plan, manage, and assess projects
Methods to increase academic performance in pupils
How to make learning authentic

Student Inclusion Identification and Provision

As part of our Flipped Conference format, this Video Roundtable Meeting is hosted by our specialist teaching & learning speakers. You can watch each of their presentations before the event. For this 80 minute discussion, delegates will have the opportunity to question each speaker on their presentations and engage further in the debate. Please turn your video on and come prepared to participate

4:00 pm
WORKSHOP: Developing Teachers into Leaders

In this practical workshop hear and learn how you can support the training and development of your staff to support their career progression. 

  • Effectively training teachers to take on leadership roles within schools
  • Using CPD, mentoring and coaching to support teachers in their career progression
  • Outlining methods for supporting early leadership in teachers and how this supports their long-term progression pipeline
  • Identifying and developing specific leadership qualities for the international school environment
5:00 pm
Close of Conference

*Final programme subject to change

2:00 pm
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - TUESDAY 3RD - CASE STUDY INTERVIEW: Teaching in a Crisis - Not All Classrooms Have 4 Walls (Stories from a Million Dollar Teacher)

Maggie MacDonnell, winner of the Varkey Global Teacher Prize is beautifully reunited with fellow Prize nominee (and Founder of the outstanding and revolutionary Sands School), Sean Bellamy…we couldn’t have picked a better opening presentation for 2020!

  • How teaching in an inuit community required continuous student relationships within the community beyond the school doors
  • Lessons in motivation and engagement; How focusing on life skills programmes encouraged students to return to school and engage in subjects that motivated them
  • Recognising the role of identity as central to mental wellbeing; How to simultaneously strengthen both local community identity and empower them via global connections.How to honour individual cultures and recognise global unity.
  • Sean Bellamy brings his own expertise around identifying and managing student trauma, especially COVID-related Trauma and pushes the question of how teachers  should build relationships with students.
2:00 pm
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - TUESDAY 3RD - LEADERSHIP PRESENTATION: How to Transition from Principal to Executive Leader
  • What to expect when going from managing a few hundred pupils to thousands
  • How to build resilient supportive networks
  • Understand the practical implications of your change in role and communicate that change effectively to all stakeholders
  • How to effectively delegate and which personnel you should utilise
  • Exploring how to make positive use of additional agencies/professionals
  • Outlining how to step away from operational activity
  • Analysing what effective communication looks like and how to embed a vision
7:00 am
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - WEDNESDAY 4TH - WELLBEING CASE STUDY PRESENTATION: Using Discovery Learning to Promote Character-Based Education
  • Discovery based learning techniques to support the building of integrity, inclusivity, generosity and compassion
  • Using this approach to answer specific questions designed to build strength, confidence and understanding of wellbeing: How do systems influence us? How does logic influence our thinking? How do concepts of time, space and place influence our perception of the world? How does perspective influence our understanding of knowledge?
7:00 am
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - WEDNESDAY 4TH - TEACHING & LEARNING CASE STUDY PRESENTATION: Outlining the Benefits of The Modern Classroom Designed for Teachers, by Teachers
  • Integrating self-paced and mastery-based principles and technology into your teaching to help pupils develop abilities to engage in self-directed learning
  • Learn how to design a classroom, in any school, grade level or subject area where all pupils can learn
  • Understanding how the one-size-fits-all method of teaching is broken and how blended-learning supports better more tailored learning experiences for pupils
  • Sharing the impact the modern classroom model has had on teachers and pupils, including supporting the development of 21st Century skills such as perseverance, tech fluency and self-direction
7:00 am
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - WEDNESDAY 4TH - LEADERSHIP CASE STUDY PRESENTATION: Our journey to engaging parents
  • How we set up the Parent Council; Town hall meeting style with new constitutions, elections and board member
  • How we successfully involved the Parent Council in important decisions around distance learning, traffic management, uniform, health & safety, curriculum, reports and more
  • How we opened up a clear and open communications systems without getting overwhelmed to set ourselves up for success through the pandemic
  • How parent engagement continues to strengthen our blended learning provision

(14 mins)

7:00 am
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - THURSDAY 5TH - EXPERT PRESENTATION: Delivering Outstanding Blended Learning and Innovation in Response to COVID-19
  • Sharing first-hand the experience of delivering blended learning to pupils in China during the COVID-19 pandemic and discussing what worked, what effective teaching looked like and how pupil learning was supported
  • Understanding how blended learning models can be applied across all levels of curricula, from universities to schools
  • Making blended learning a more flexible way of teaching and a universal design for learning
  • Exploring innovative ways of engaging with pupils when traditional ways are no longer optimal
7:00 am
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - THURSDAY 5TH - LEADERSHIP CASE STUDY PRESENTATION: Leading in Uncertain Times – Developing Agility

After briefing sharing the context here at Kellett, the presentation draws out lessons for school leaders on Educational Continuity Planning arguing that schools should be prepared to toggle from face-to-face, screen-to-screen and mask-to-mask teaching. It then moves on to outline some general principles for leading in uncertain times. The presentation finishes with a discussion of some lessons learned from Covid-19 using a model of the Allocation of Scarce resources. (15 mins)

7:00 am
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - FRIDAY 6TH - CASE STUDY PRESENTATION: The Implementation of Double Flipped Teaching
  • Outlining how the Finnish Education system became one of the most successful and cost effective systems in the world
  • Understanding how blended learning can support the development of 21st century competencies in pupils
  • Sharing forms of innovation, including the ‘double-flip pedagogy’ where the responsibility of teaching a coding class is given to pupils
7:00 am
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - FRIDAY 6TH - EXPERT PRESENTATION: Governance and accountability: seeking and demonstrating assurance that risk is being effectively managed

The global pandemic has brought into very sharp focus the key role that the assessment of risk plays in the management of schools.  This roundtable will be an opportunity for school leaders and board members to discuss:

  • Strategic or operational – where does risk sit in your organisation?
  • Policies and procedures for managing risk – who determines these and how?
  • How in practice, is risk evaluated – systematic top down or evolving bottom up?
  • The stakeholder role – who should be involved and at what level?
7:00 am
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - FRIDAY 6TH - CASE STUDY PRESENTATION: Practical Classroom Strategies for Delivering Outstanding Science Teaching Outcomes
  • Dubai British School was rated outstanding by the KHDA in 2020. Here Alex shares the blended and hybrid models that have enabled him to deliver outstanding science lessons through the pandemic and beyond
  • Discussing strategies which you can take back to the classroom for improving and science outcomes
  • How do you maintain progression – to keep students engaged and how do you monitor and track that progress?
  • Assess and reflect on your current teaching strategies using the GROW model
  • Design a new plan to help develop yourself as a teacher and your classroom system to achieve outstanding results
  • This is an especially good resource for blended teaching & learning
7:00 am
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - SATURDAY 7TH - WELLBEING/BLENDED CASE STUDY PRESENTATION: What is the impact of making homework optional?
  • Case study of how one UAE school made homework optional. Did it work?
  • What were the initial results during Distance Learning?
  • What are the results as hybrid and blended models have been put in place?
  • How has optional homework change the conversation and relationship between teachers, parents and students
  • What has been the impact on each subject?
  • What are the drivers for local and expat parents?
  • What has been the impact on overall student wellbeing?
7:00 am
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - SATURDAY 7TH - TEACHING & LEARNING CASE STUDY: FlexEd - Delivering International Blended Learning from Muscat to Salalah
  • How we pulled resources from British School Muscat, British School Salalah and international partners CENTURY Tech to provide an entire GCSE/iGCSE curriculum
  • How we blended face to face, synchronatic and asynchronatic teaching.
  • How did we ensure quality and equity for participating pupils
  • What has been the impact on pupil outcomes, wellbeing and the broader community
7:00 am
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - SUNDAY 7TH - TEACHING & LEARNING KEYNOTE: The Collaborative Classroom
  • Become the teacher ever student remembers; How educators can increase student engagement
  • Outlining why collaboration is industry’s in-demand skill that today’s pupils need if they are to be successful in later life
  • Teaching pupils how to work together now and for the rest of their lives
  • How collaboration can help teachers and pupils in the aftermath of COVID-19
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - MONDAY 9TH - SAFEGUARDING EXPERT PRESENTATION: Transforming Child Protection & Safeguarding Practice – A Strategic Model
Mike Glanville, a former Assistant Police Chief Constable, who led on a number of critical incidents and major crime investigations involving vulnerable children and adults, explores the concept of ‘strategic safeguarding’ and look at how senior leaders can make a real difference by adopting a systematic, whole school approach to their child protection and wellbeing practice.
Join his follow workshop on Tuesday, where he will guide participants through a strategic model that can be applied to any organisation, with questions and discussion around each stage of the framework encouraged.
7:00 am
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - MONDAY 9TH - INCLUSION EXPERT PRESENTATION: SEND is Not an Issue
  • SEND is an early, mainstream, cultural, equalities and local issue
  • How can we encourage a unified joined up response by overcoming a complex web of attitudes and relationships between parents, teachers and institutions?
  • How have the roles of Inclusion Champions and SEND-coordinators evolved within the community? Are they more empowered? How have relationships with parents and institutions evolved? How can these relationships be better handled?
7:00 am
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - MONDAY 9TH - INCLUSION EXPERT PRESENTATION: Working to Improve the Educational Experience of Children with Special Educational Needs through Setting Aspirational Outcomes
  • Exploring the challenges faced by families who have a child with additional needs and the importance of developing a family’s resilience and confidence in supporting their child.
  • Developing and utilising baseline assessments to develop impactful interventions, which are designed to promote independence.
  • Setting achievable and aspirational outcomes with families, in the context of a multidisciplinary team.
  • Implementing classroom wide strategies which benefit all learners, including those with special educational needs
7:00 am
FLIPPED CONTENT RELEASE - MONDAY 9TH - CASE STUDY PRESENTATION: Transforming Life Outcomes for People of Determination
  • The Gulf’s most ambitious employment programme for people of determination
  • How has ATMAH, the region’s first Social Impact Bond been rolled out in term 1
  • How will it be measured and how will it deliver meaningful outcomes for current students of determination?