BRILLIANT Festival

Are your pupils smarter than a Stone Age engineer? Helen Mulley investigates in this episode of Teachwire Talks, alongside Jennifer Wexler from English Heritage  and maths communicator Thomas K Briggs. Together, they unpack how Stonehenge was constructed and precisely aligned to the solstices, revealing extraordinary ancient engineering and maths. They also chat about how these prehistoric problems can spark powerful STEM learning in today’s classrooms. Find out how you can bring prehistory to life with a school visit to Stonehenge . About the guests Jennifer Wexler  is the historian of prehistoric sites at English Heritage, and former project curator on the Grave Goods Project and World of Stonehenge Exhibition at the British Museum. Her research interests include archaeological and mortuary landscapes, digital heritage, forgotten histories, and the public presentation of archaeology. Thomas K Briggs  is a learning and education consultant for museums, galleries, libraries and archives, in the heritage sector and beyond. He is the author of  The Mathematician’s Library , about the books that unlocked the power of number, and has also set up the  History and Mathematics in Education Network  (HaMiEN) to encourage and facilitate connections between people interested in history and maths.

In this webinar, David Byrne and Mark Heffernan will explore the importance of discussing voice and persona with learners. With the development of AI, it’s become even more important for learners to know their voice, to know how they want to come across, and to stand out from AI generated content. This content is available to Modern English Teacher subscribers.

Are today’s classroom technologies really making teachers’ lives easier? In this episode of Teachwire Talks, Helen Mulley is joined by Ashleigh Kennedy from Dell Technologies and product marketing consultant Richi Fontaine to explore whether edtech is living up to its promise. Together, they discuss how technology has transformed schools, from interactive whiteboards to AI, and examine why workload remains such a challenge, even as new tools continue to emerge. Finally, they share practical insights into using digital tools more strategically, helping you save time while improving teaching and learning. About ED360 Teachers are under growing pressure to manage heavier workloads, respond to diverse student needs, close learning gaps, and confidently adopt new digital and AI-enabled approaches in the classroom. To support them effectively, schools need practical tools and accessible professional learning that can make an immediate difference. A clear next step is to register to join ED360 – Dell’s hub for smarter teaching – where educators can explore practical ideas, tackle common challenges, and see how modern technology and AI can support teaching and learning. The platform includes webinars, podcasts, classroom-ready resources, and expert-led content designed to help schools embrace future-ready IT and bring AI-driven learning into the classroom. Alongside ED360, educators can also benefit from other valuable resources such as Microsoft Learning Zone and Intel Skills for Innovation. Intel Skills for Innovation helps educators integrate technology into everyday learning through ready-to-use lesson plans, professional development, and real-world projects that build digital, problem-solving, and innovation skills. Microsoft Learning Zone is an AI-powered education app from Microsoft designed to help teachers create interactive lessons and learning activities more quickly. Register to join ED360 here . By encouraging teachers and school leaders to engage with ED360 and these wider resources, we can help reduce pressure, build confidence, and give educators practical support to create more engaging, inclusive, and future-ready learning experiences.

Watch this session to discover everything our subject excellence programme has to offer: dedicated school support, subject-specific CPD, assessment, and comprehensive teaching and learning resources. Download sample resources: https://bit.ly/4g2wDIQ Book a call with our Partnerships team: https://bit.ly/4jYEurr

Explore the transformative impact of AI tools on higher education, with discussions on practical applications, ethical concerns, and the evolving role of educators in an AI-enabled world. In the fifth session of the free CODE learning and teaching webinar series , we will explore the positive and challenging impact on learning and teaching in Higher Education by Gen AI tools. In particular, we will discuss practical applications of using AI-powered systems in the curriculum and how these can enhance learning and teaching while also considering the concerns, issues around equity and privacy, and how the role of the educator needs to evolve to prepare students for an AI-enabled world. The session will draw from recent UK case studies and international best practices. 

What is the webinar about? Children and young people are growing up alongside AI tools that respond instantly, adapt to them, and feel surprisingly conversational. These moments can spark curiosity and connection, but they also introduce pressures that may shape how young people feel, relate and regulate - and the pace of change is faster than our understanding of its emotional impact. Join us for a fireside conversation where Thrive’s Viv Trask-Hall is joined by digital education specialist, Anthony Magee, and Safeguarding and Mental Health GLF Trust Lead, Fiona Jarman, to explore the emerging ways AI is shaping children’s emotional and social worlds, and how schools can respond. You’ll gain a high-level understanding of the emerging impact of AI, drawing on data and behavioural insights, alongside relational perspectives on supporting young people’s wellbeing as technology evolves.

Episode Date: Thursday 2nd April 2026 Computing, IT and cyber security is one of the fastest-moving areas in post-16 education, and one of the most directly affected by qualification reform. As large applied qualifications are phased out, colleges delivering digital programmes must rethink how they structure provision to meet both learner needs and an industry that evolves by the month. In Episode Four of Defunded, Not Derailed, we move from science to digital, applying the same subject-specific lens to explore what strong Level 3 computing, IT and cyber security provision looks like from here. What qualification alternatives are available? How can colleges design programmes that keep pace with rapid industry change? And what role might V Levels and mixed study programmes play in shaping digital pathways? Gavin O'Meara is joined by Vinay Thawait, Subject Advisor at Cambridge OCR, Aman Purewal from Coventry College, and Kris Hyde from Callywith College, to explore how digital specialists are navigating reform and what curriculum leaders should be considering now. Defunded Not Derailed was produced by FE News in partnership with Cambridge OCR.

Release Date: Wednesday 24th September, 2025 Hear from our expert panel of school and MAT senior leaders regarding all things AI including the challenges, benefits and how they are embracing AI in their schools and across MATs.

In the sixth session of the free CODE learning and teaching webinar series , we will explore how we can design assessments that have purpose: to both measure whether students have met their learning outcomes, and also act as a learning opportunity in themselves. We will consider how the purpose of assessment can be to encourage not only learning, but also creativity and criticality, and what this might look like across different disciplines or institutions. How can we do this in the context of GenAI where students might be less motivated to focus on their own thoughts or responses in fear of getting it wrong, or in a situation when they feel too time-poor to successfully complete assessment? This session will explore some answers and approaches to this wicked problem. Purposeful assessment also needs to enable compassion and inclusivity, to ensure that all students feel able to get the most out of assessment opportunity - so these considerations will also be foregrounded during the session. 

Webinar series: AI in Primary History Session 4: AI Black Box: responsible use for primary teachers Presenter: Dr Vanessa Cui, Dr Louise Wheatcroft, Dr Jordan Bird Generative AI offers incredible potential for resource creation for teachers, but the current dominant generative AI tools' core function is to be an agreeable, helpful assistant. This often leads to oversimplified narratives and a lack of necessary nuance and criticality, not to mention the common ethical challenges generative AI tools present such as bias, inaccuracy and environmental impact. These challenges potentially can compromise the quality of teaching materials and the ethics of teachers' practice. This focused 60-minute session is designed to inform teachers about principles of how dominant Generative AI models function, including the crucial role of Alignment (training on human preference) in the way generative AI responds to human inputs with the aim to empower teachers to confidently understand, evaluate, and responsibly use generative AI tools across their professional practice. This session includes: Understanding agreement: explain the principle of alignment (human preference training) to teachers and why it causes AI to avoid complexity, challenge, and conflicting evidence. The criticality challenge: evaluate the key pitfalls of using AI for history — including historical bias, presentism, and factual hallucinations — and learn to spot them. The CLEAR Prompting Framework: you will gain an actionable framework designed for more critical engagement with dominant generative AI tool and consider its use in your practice. Action plan for responsible use: leave with a concrete plan, identifying up to three actions you can responsibly integrate AI into your professional practice, including the necessary steps for safe and ethical implementation in your school. Non-member instant-access price: £45.00 HA Members can get instant access for £30.00

Our 41st Mathematics Teaching Conference. Network and learn with hundreds of mathematics teachers and leaders from primary, secondary & FE. #MathsConf41 - A Complete Mathematics Event The 41st National Mathematics Teacher Conference brings together hundreds of maths teachers and leaders from primary, secondary and FE to collaborate and learn from each other. CPD workshops on varied topics, a treasure hunt, competitions and opportunities to connect and learn from each other, including a pre-event social - what more could you ask for! You'll be sure to come away from the day overflowing with ideas and tips to implement in your classroom or with colleagues. Book now to join us at Maghull High School, Ormonde Drive, Liverpool, L31 7AW for #MathsConf41.

Wednesday, 9th September and Thursday, 10 September 2026 2.30pm-6.00pm | 2.30pm-5.30pm ONLINE ONLY Join us this September for a timely and practical online conference exploring the opportunities, risks and realities of artificial intelligence in schools. Organised by SecEd and Headteacher Update, the event follows the success of our previous two AI in Schools online conferences, bringing together leading practitioners, researchers and school leaders. It is designed to support educators at every stage of their AI journey – from early exploration to whole-school implementation. Across two focused afternoons, you will gain expert insights, honest reflections and actionable guidance to help you harness AI’s potential while safeguarding your school community. Designed for school leaders, teachers and education professionals, the conference will offer practical guidance, informed debate and real-world insights to support confident, responsible use of AI in schools. Don't miss this chance to shape how your school uses AI. Whether you are shaping strategy, refining classroom practice or supporting staff development, this conference will equip you with the knowledge, confidence and tools to lead effectively in an AI-enabled world. Who should attend? Senior leaders Colleagues with responsibility for teaching and learning Teachers Leaders of CPD Middle leaders Teaching assistants