Cambridge festival that's putting positivity back into teaching

Hundreds of teachers and education professionals attended the second Cambridgeshire Festival of Education on Saturday.

A “thought-provoking” and “optimistic conference” is how the second Cambridgeshire Festival of Education was being described by attendees of Saturday’s sell-out event.

Supported by the Cambridge Independent, the festival, which gives teachers the chance to hear from leaders in education, featured a jam-packed programme of presentations, including five keynote speakers, 14 workshops and a panel discussion.

Hundreds of teachers from Cambridgeshire and across the country attended the event, which was held at at Cambridge University’s Faculty of Education in Hills Road.

One of the speakers, Jonny Walker, an assistant headteacher from London, said the event was “incredibly well organised”.

“There was brilliant communication in the lead up to it – it was a great thought-provoking event,” he said.

Lucy Rycroft Smith and JL, from Flip the System UK, added: “Of all the education events, it is the one with the most positive energy and camaraderie. Congratulations one and all, and thank you for the privilege of taking part.”

One teacher told organisers that the festival helped them to have “belief in myself as a teacher” while others praised the “the power of teacher collaboration”.

Rae Snape, headteacher at The Spinney Primary School and head of The Kite TSA Cambridge, which project managed the festival, added: “Our second CambsEdFest on Saturday was a wonderful day with flocks of joyful and optimistic teachers that we affectionately call ‘flamingos of hope’.

“We’re already planning #flamingle19 and have set the date for Saturday, June 15, 2019.

“We’re so glad that teachers love it because a lot of hard work goes in behind the scenes.

“The Kite TSA Cambridge led by The Spinney Primary School is proud to project manage and produce flamingle.”

Organisers wanted to thank all the “incredible presenters” and those working behind the scenes to make the event happen, including Cambridge Regional College and its students for contributing to the design and construction of an art installation as well as videographers, reporters and musicians on the day.