Schedule 2026

Time	Session
8:50 - 09:00	Arrival Please sign in with your full name and be ready to start promptly at 9.00
9.00 - 9.05	Welcome and introduction Jake Lever (Conference Organiser), and Alison Morgan (Head of Secondary)
09:05 - 10:00	Keynote Presentation BREAKING NEWS: A special report from Barr’s Hill A group of students from Barr’s Hill School in Coventry have devised an “assembly” style presentation focussed upon climate change. Following this, they will be interviewed by their teacher Callum Winter about their motivations, ideas and perspectives. View session
10:00 - 10:15	Break
10:15 - 11:00	Tutor Session 1 Orientation with your tutor (presentations, website, brief)
11:00 - 12:00	Parallel Sessions Title: The stories we tell about climate change: climate literacy through a children’s literature lens Presenter: Anna Donnelly Description: Build your knowledge and appreciation of texts linked to environmental education. Explore what they can offer and how we might use them. In this session, Anna Donnelly from the Centre for Teacher Education, University of Warwick, considers how we might facilitate positive action as part of an inquiry about hopeful climate education. Presentation slides View session Title: Demystifying Climate Education Presenter: Jack Di Francesco Description: Young people deserve a quality climate education, but what does this look like and how can you help deliver this in your classroom and across your school? Join us to learn the youth perspective on climate education and gain practicaladviseon integrating climate into your teaching no matter what subject you teach. Weblink: Teach the Future Facilitator: Vikki Armeson Presentation Slides View Session Title: Engaging youth in the climate crisis: using playful tactics to foster confidence. Presenter: Rachel Turner-King Description: The climate crisis is an overwhelming, gloomy topic and it can sometimes be difficult to know where to start the conversation with young people. Rachel Turner-King from the University of Warwick shares some of the key findings from Acting on Climate’s research project EARTHSTORIES – a collaboration with President Kennedy School, Coventry. They will introduce a series of playful techniques and strategies used to foster confidence, engagement, and participation in complex subject matter. Weblink: https://actingonclimate.co.uk/earthstories/globalyouth.htmlLink opens in a new window Facilitator: Rebecca Friesen Title: Engaging Sixth Formers in Eco Work Presenter: Jack Lakin with students from Rushcliffe Spencer Academy Description: ‘How can we inspire older students to support sustainability projects?’. This session led by two Year 12 students is focused on how Rushcliffe’s sixth formers support our eco work and how it is important that the older year groups are seen to be getting involved to inspire the younger year groups as Eco Role Models! Weblink: The Eco School - Rushcliffe Spencer AcademyLink opens in a new window Presentation Slides Facilitator: Penny Ottewill View Session Title: 'Nurture in Nature for Nurture of Nature' - how to encourage youth environmental action. Presenter: Smriti Safaya Description: This interactive session dives into nascent research about the impact of experiential and environmental education on how youth feel, think and act towards the natural environment, and highlights which psychological factors encourage youth pro-environmental action. Using examples from primary and secondary schools in the U.K. and Hong Kong, I will share practical implications of how to bring these insights into a range of subjects (geography, science, social studies, arts). Participants in this session will gain a plethora of tangible ideas to adapt for their own Green Spaces group study activity and scheme of work - let the sparks fly! Weblink: https://www.sei.org/people/smriti-safaya/Link opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window Facilitator: Will Haywood Presentation slides Title: How can the National Education Nature Park look in your setting? Presenter: Martin Harrison Description: Martin Harrison, the Nature Park West Midlands lead, will give a brief introduction and update on the Nature Park over the last year. Looking at how Nature Park can work in each phase of education it covers i.e. Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Further Education. Martin will share the key concepts and ideas of the Nature Park, and how these may look in your education setting, sharing some examples of what settings have been working on. Weblink: Home \| Education Nature ParkLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window Facilitator: Alison Morgan Presentation slides View Session
12:00 - 12:15	Break
12:15 - 13:15	Study Group Session 1 Working in Study Groups Study Group info
13:15 - 14:00	Lunch
14:00 - 14:30	Study Group Session 2 Working in Study Groups
14:30 - 15:00	Tutor Session 2 Upload Group Task, complete feedback form – plenary with tutor Upload group task Leave feedback
15:00	Conference finishes