Key Takeaways from Emma Hudson, Content Director
The Festival of Education is always a highlight of the calendar, offering a chance to dive headfirst into the latest ideas, challenges and innovations in UK education. This year was no different, bringing together teachers, publishers, assessment providers, educational leaders and policy makers – all sharing their perspectives on where education is headed.
Here are my top takeaways from the day:
- To learn independently, you have to be a reader
Author and former teacher Doug Lemov gave a fantastic talk on the science of reading, focusing on children beyond primary school. Recent reports, such as those from the National Literacy Trust, show a worrying decline in reading engagement. This could be due to parents reading less with children at home, or the impact of increased screen time on attention and cognitive habits.
For publishers and content creators, the message was clear: to help students become truly independent learners, we must continue to find ways to spark a love of reading and maintain their engagement with text-rich resources. Providing background context, examples of reading aloud, and clear directions during discussions can help students focus and fully understand the text they are accessing.
- Sustainability leads: a 2025 milestone
The DfE has laid out a strategy for all education settings to appoint a sustainability lead and create a climate action plan by the end of 2025. The plans could range from practical building improvements – one school reported saving £40,000 a year simply by turning off lights more consistently – to embedding green skills and climate education throughout the curriculum.
There’s a growing opportunity here for educational publishers to create resources that support climate literacy and sustainability skills, not only as standalone subjects but woven throughout wider subject areas.
- AI in schools: finding the right balance
The Pearson School Report, published in early July, reported that only 4 in 10 teachers felt confident using AI for planning lessons, writing reports or reducing workload; and 44% of teachers felt that students were not prepared for an AI-driven world, although over half expect AI to play a significant role in the future of education.
Now is the time for schools to develop policies to guide teachers on how best to use AI: for both reducing workload and enhancing classroom learning. Educational resources should look to include options for schools that do want to incorporate AI, especially in meaningful ways that promote critical thinking.
- Oracy needs time and thoughtful progression
Voice 21 shared powerful insights into how oracy – the ability to articulate ideas, develop understanding and engage with others through spoken language – needs to be more than just vocabulary building. It’s about helping students understand how different types of conversations work, and how to communicate effectively in varied situations.
With oracy included in the terms of reference for the government’s review of the curriculum, now is the ideal time to consider ways in which oracy can be threaded through learning resources for all subjects.
Are you exploring ways to bring any or all of these ideas into your educational resources? Contact us to arrange a chat about how our customisable solutions can help you.