Richard Gerver

Richard Gerver is one of the world’s foremost thinkers on education. In 2005 he was judged the best head teacher in the UK, after turning a failing school into an innovation success story. Since then, he has helped governments around the world to shape education policy and major organisations to make the most of their talent. His unique teaching formula is a blend of simple ingredients – communicate with impact and empower those in your charge. But the underlying techniques he has developed are powerful enough to make learners of all ages feel inspired. His is the ultimate turnaround tale, and a step-by-step guide to unleashing human potential.

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
Thursday 26th Jan - 9.20am to 10.20am

The New Education Age:
It’s more about the future and less about the past
Tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it - Ancient African proverb

The mass education system that the vast majority of us experience was created for a different time and place; it was created to control and maintain structures, systems and stability. For generations it worked reasonably efficiently; people knew what routes led to what kind of lives; professional, blue or white collar. An education that led to a higher qualification guaranteed certain opportunities and life choices for example.

Times have changed; economic shifts, social and environmental upheaval and most importantly the rise and exponential development of new technologies have left society breathless and ill prepared for the challenges that face our local, national and global futures.

Education defines the success of a society’s ability to control and manage change yet education has changed little since the extraordinary shift in the way life is led in the 21st century. As a result we are caught in a world where people are scared and often paralysed by the prospect of change and we are being overwhelmed by crises of global proportions around the economy, the environment and socio ethnic cohesion.

The world has created the most sophisticated generation of consumers we have ever seen; the “on demand” generation. To them, much of what the formal education system offers is outdated and irrelevant.

If we are to prepare our children for their futures, education needs to radically rethink its purpose, its approach and its values. In his keynote presentation, Richard Gerver will explore the challenges we face, the questions we need to ask and the routes we need to take if our legacy for our young is to be one of success and empowerment.