What effect does over-reliance on summative-style testing have on student wellbeing? How can effective mapping of the student experience ensure a balance of reliable, valid and purposeful assessment data? Together as a whole school or in smaller teams, we will investigate evidence-based research, integrate prior knowledge and the combined experience of all, and apply learning to the school context with actionable planning and evolution of policy and practice. 

Creating a culture takes time. Shifting a culture takes hard work. Doing either is most effective when teachers and middle leaders are empowered, and leadership is distributed amongst many. Together we will look at how professional learning communities can be leveraged successfully, and how creating a culture of teacher wellbeing through autonomy and recognised competence is a powerful foundation for distributing leadership for school improvement. 

Schools who are new to, or considering applying for, an IB programme will enjoy greater success when the whole community understands the philosophy and aims of your educational programme as an IB World School. Workshopping with teachers, parents, leaders, students or a combination, we will explore what collaborative inquiry looks like in practice, how the whole curriculum can benefit from the programme's core elements, and where the overlaps are in a healthy learning culture for adults and students.  

How is knowledge acquired and developed through our bodies? How can embodied cognition aid learning in even the most 'textbook' subjects? Why does experiential learning provide both a faster track to deeper understanding, and longer lasting memory of that understanding, than more academic routes to understanding? Leveraging the power of collaborative learning, we will investigate various methods of learning through ensemble, through physical action, and through experience. By integrating aspects of rehearsal room pedagogy from the world of theatre, participants will understand how to plan for classroom integration of somatic learning in their own subject areas.