image of cape town, location of the 2024 schools now! conference

The British Council drives educational excellence at Schools Now! 2024 global conference

Schools Now! 2024 is a global conference that fosters educational excellence in international schools. The conference connects educators wanting to learn more about key areas of international education to share ideas and experiences, with like-minded peers, experts and policy makers. 

Schools Now! 2024 will present the value of a rich internationalised and contextualised curriculum through the theme ‘Enriching your curriculum’, providing an innovative experience to delegates attending from over 30 countries.

The British Council is proud to announce Schools Now! 2024, an innovative and comprehensive educational event focusing on the latest innovations in teaching and learning through its core theme ‘Enriching your curriculum’ in a modern educational landscape.

Schools Now! 2024 will take place on 27 - 29 February in The Westin Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa. 

Key themes at Schools Now! 2024

The conference will combine key thematic strands centred around its core theme ‘Enriching your curriculum’, with a view to enabling enhanced teaching and learning outcomes in schools:

  • Enriching your curriculum: Empower schools to approach new challenges and innovations in teaching and learning by embedding an enriched international curriculum through insights, best practice and resources.
  • Leadership: Gain insights into effective leadership practices and fostering leadership skills among teachers and to facilitate positive change within schools.
  • Digital Learning: Delve into the evolving landscape of digital education, exploring innovative teaching methodologies, technological advancements, and the integration of digital tools to enhance learning experiences in the classroom.
  • Well-being: Address the importance of mental health, emotional well-being, and holistic development of students and educators, emphasising strategies for creating supportive and inclusive learning environments.
  • Safeguarding: Explore safeguarding measures, policies, and practices crucial for ensuring the safety, security, and welfare of students, staff, and the school community.
  • Language: Discuss questions around the real-world use of English as a medium of instruction, particularly in the context of multilingual societies and beyond with a focus on employability. 

Changes facing the education industry addressed at Schools Now! 2024

As the international education landscape continues to evolve across instructional, social, emotional and communities, more focus is placed on transferable skills, multilingual realities and technology.

Educators must adapt to these new ways of working to foster important classroom skills such as critical thinking. While innovations offer opportunities, challenges also arise, such as the digital divide and the need for more comprehensive teacher training.

The education sector is undergoing continuous transformation due to technological advances. Online platforms and digital resources are redefining our access to knowledge. 

Collaboration between stakeholders is essential to address these rapid changes and ensure equity in access to education

The spirit of Schools Now! is to establish global connections within the educational community to support professional pathways for educators, enable enriched learning journeys, and prepare students for the future.

Schools Now! is for school leaders from across our global community of over 2,500 British Council Partner Schools spread across over 40 countries. The conference connects over 300 delegates face to face with a further 2,000 virtual attendees from around the world. This unique format allows for an even greater exchange of ideas, insights and best practices from attendees from different regions and cultures. Keynote speakers, workshop presenters and policy makers from UK, Moldova, Spain, Ghana and Egypt will contribute to the rich and diverse discussions.

The British Council, the trusted thought leader in education for educators 

Schools Now! provides a diverse and inclusive forum for school leaders to engage in insightful discussions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities. Participants benefit from the expertise of renowned speakers, educators, and thought leaders, gaining actionable strategies to navigate challenges and leverage opportunities enabling an enriched curriculum in schools.

"We are thrilled to present Schools Now!, a conference that consolidates pivotal themes shaping the international educational landscape today," stated Martin Lowder, Head of Global Exams Services at the British Council. "This event offers a unique platform for educators and stakeholders to exchange ideas, share best practices, and explore innovative approaches that promote a holistic educational experience, enabling an enriched curriculum for students."

Speakers at Schools Now! 2024

  • Tatiana Popa: is Deputy Academic Director at Heritage International School & Head of Global Ed, Hybrid coordinator, eTwinning Ambassador, Global Schools Advocate 2023.
  • Funke Baffour-Awuah: is a renowned clinical psychologist, author, and keynote speaker who specialises in wellbeing and educational transformation.
  • Mina Patel & Jamie Dunlea: British Council English and Assessment Research Group Experts. Mina Patel is Head of Research, Future of English and Jamie Dunlea is Assessment Research Group Manager. 
  • George Barrett: is Country Director, British Council South Africa, is passionate about youth and female empowerment, and the transformative potential that education and skills opportunities create to bring about positive inclusive and sustainable societal transformation.
  • Yvette Hutchinson: Quality Assurance and Teacher Training Adviser for the British Council and leads on the educational content for the International School Award. She organises policy dialogues with education ministries and leads study visits for overseas policy makers and senior leaders.

For more details about the speakers, please visit our 'Meet the speakers' page.

Sessions and content highlights of Schools Now! 2024

  • Enriching the curriculum: Introduction and overview of the main conference theme and thematic building blocks. What is an innovative curriculum in an exam focussed school context?
  • Digital: Models for Digital Learning: A whole school approach is an interactive keynote led by Tatiana Popa followed by a panel discussion with AI early adopters, school leaders and students.
  • Future of English keynote & discussion panel: Sessions will focus on more personalised forms of learning and assessment driven by digitalisation and the role that English plays as a medium of instruction in schools across the world. 
  • New Directions panel discussion: Multilingual contexts, plurilingual speakers: The challenges of assessing linguistic chameleons.

Venue and City for Schools Now! 2024

Cape Town, South Africa, is renowned for its diverse educational institutions, cultural richness, and commitment to learning opportunities. Cape Town hosts several prestigious universities, colleges, and educational centres, such as the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, and various other institutions catering to different educational needs and specialties.   

The city's commitment to education, combined with its vibrant cultural scene and historical significance, makes it an ideal hub for learning and academic pursuits. Schools Now! is an international event which moves cities and countries each year with the aim of bringing the event and its delegates closer to Partner Schools from within its network.

This year Cape Town as the host city will contribute speakers and content to the programme, and delegates from all over the world will have the chance to learn more and exchange knowledge and experiences with local delegates.

For media inquiries, or interview requests, please contact:

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