The Teaching & Learning Summit 2026

Stepping outside our own classrooms and hearing different perspectives can be one of the most energising parts of teaching, which is why it is important to make a conscious effort to get out of the classroom and into the wider world of education. Conferences are a great opportunity for this, as they bring together educators from across the country and from every corner of the sector. One staple of the national conference programme is the Teaching and Learning Summit at Eton College. Run in partnership with InnerDrive, it focuses firmly on evidence‑informed practice – exploring what research tells us about how students learn and how teachers can translate those ideas into everyday classroom practice.

Many of these themes are explored further in InnerDrive’s podcast The Science of Learning (available on Spotify), which discusses topics such as memory, motivation, revision strategies and effective teaching. Rather than attempting to capture everything from a jam-packed day, this blog highlights a few ideas and practical strategies that stood out and may spark further curiosity to you.

Fig. 1: Rachel Johnson's matrix of belonging

Developing Great Leaders – Rachel Johnson

Rachel Johnson’s talk centred on something that sits at the heart of every successful school: a sense of belonging. She encouraged us to reflect on whether the people around us – colleagues and students alike – truly feel that they matter. Her key message was simple but powerful: 

Belonging equals mattering.

If people are unsure whether their contribution is valued, they will struggle to feel that they truly belong. When individuals feel recognised and supported, they are more likely to collaborate, communicate openly and contribute positively to the environment around them. Johnson also reminded us that when people feel overwhelmed or burnt out, they are less likely to respond in the best way (Fig. 1). Creating environments where individuals feel supported and appreciated can make a significant difference to how teams function.

So What Does This Look Like at 9:15am on a Monday?

A practical takeaway was the importance of intentional communication. Simple actions, such as thanking someone for their work, recognising their impact or asking thoughtful questions such as “How is that affecting you?”, can help build stronger relationships. Ensuring that people know their efforts are noticed can contribute greatly to a positive culture within a school.

The Principles of Questioning – Bruce Robertson

Bruce Robertson explored the important role that questioning plays in effective teaching. Rather than simply checking whether students know the correct answer, purposeful questioning can shine a spotlight on key ideas, capture students’ attention and encourage deeper thinking. As a rough guide, for every minute a teacher speaks, they might aim to ask at least one question. Doing so keeps students actively involved and gives teachers regular insight into how well ideas are being understood.

So What Does This Look Like at 3.10pm on a Tuesday?

Apply the 'drill down' technique, where teachers follow up an initial response with prompts such as “Why do you think that?” or “What evidence supports your answer?” These follow‑up questions encourage students to clarify and extend their thinking rather than stopping at the first response.

Use the ‘bounce’ technique, where a student’s answer is redirected to another member of the class with a question such as “Do you agree?” or “Can you add to that idea?” This helps create a more collaborative discussion and encourages students to listen carefully to one another.

Fig. 2: How to foster independent learning

Evidence-Informed Wisdom – Bradley Busch

Bradley Busch focused on how teachers can make better decisions about learning by drawing on research. Learning is often not intuitive. For example, many students choose to cram information or stay up late revising, even though research suggests that spaced learning and good sleep are far more effective. Busch emphasised that research should be clear, accessible and practical, helping teachers understand not only what works but why. He outlined five principles that can support effective learning in classrooms:

• Routine – predictable structures help students feel secure and build positive habits.

• Reason – explaining why students are learning something can increase motivation and engagement.

• Revisit – regularly returning to previous content through retrieval practice strengthens memory.

• Responsive teaching – adapting lessons based on student understanding and feedback.

• Recognition – using praise and sanctions thoughtfully to reinforce expectations.

The idea of routine was particularly powerful. When routines are consistent, students quickly learn what to expect and can focus more of their attention on the learning itself. For example, a lesson might begin with a short retrieval practice task that revisits prior knowledge, followed by clearly explaining the reason for the new learning (e.g. how it links to an exam question or real-world application). As the lesson progresses, teachers can adapt explanations or tasks in response to student answers, before finishing with a brief reflection or low-stakes quiz to reinforce key ideas. Within this structure, students become familiar with the routine, know what is expected, and are better able to focus on improving their understanding rather than navigating the lesson itself (Fig. 2).

Other Ideas from the Day

Alex Quigley discussed why learning can sometimes fail because of knowledge gaps and misconceptions, often linked to student overconfidence. One suggestion was to design opportunities for productive failure – allowing students to attempt challenging tasks, reflect on what went wrong and then try again with improved strategies. For novice learners, offering limited choices of strategies can help them learn which approaches work best for different types of tasks.

So What Does This Look Like at 11:20am on a Wednesday?

Deliberate “hard start” questions: Begin with a problem students are likely to get wrong, then unpick errors together.

Prediction before explanation: Ask students to commit to an answer before teaching the concept, then revisit misconceptions.

Sentence-building choices: Provide scaffolds (sentence builders vs independent writing) and guide students on when to use each.

Jonnie Noakes and Dr Iro Konstantinou spoke about the importance of embracing cognitive struggle. In an age where tools such as AI can provide quick answers, it can be tempting to remove difficulty from learning. However, struggling with ideas – and working through that challenge – is often where deeper understanding develops.

So What Does This Look Like at 10:10am on a Thursday?

Multiple methods: Ask students to compare different approaches rather than defaulting to one

Editing over correction: Instead of fixing work for them, guide students to improve it themselves.

Big questions first: Start with a challenging enquiry question before teaching content.

Finally, Professor John Hattie focused on the impact of feedback. His research suggests that a large proportion of feedback given to students is ineffective, often because it is not clearly understood or acted upon. For feedback to be meaningful, students need to know where they are in their learning, where they are aiming to get to, and - crucially - what specific steps will help them improve. Hattie’s ideas also link closely to the concept of the forgetting curve, first identified by Hermann Ebbinghaus. This highlights how quickly information is forgotten if it is not revisited. Feedback, therefore, should not be a one-off event, but part of an ongoing cycle where students return to it, apply it, and revisit learning over time. Without this, even well-intentioned feedback is likely to be lost.

So What Does This Look Like at 2:15pm on a Friday?

After receiving feedback on an essay, students redraft a specific paragraph, focusing on one target (e.g. embedding quotations more effectively).

Feedback on a prototype is followed by a second iteration, where students must clearly demonstrate how they have acted on suggestions.

Instead of correcting answers, students revisit incorrect questions a week later and complete a similar problem, applying the feedback they were given.

John Hattie discussing feedback

Final Reflection

The summit was a valuable reminder of the importance of continuing to learn as teachers. Hearing different perspectives, engaging with research and discussing ideas with colleagues can often lead to small adjustments that have a meaningful impact in the classroom. By remaining curious, reflecting on what works and sharing ideas with others, we can continue to develop our teaching in ways that support both our students and the wider school community.

Reflection Questions

• What is one simple way you could help students or colleagues feel valued in your classroom or school?

• How could you ask more “why” or “how” questions to get students thinking more deeply?

• Which of these do you already do well: clear routines, explaining why learning matters, revisiting content, responding to students, or recognising effort? Which needs more attention?

• Where could you give students a little more time to think hard or get things wrong before helping them?

• How could you make sure students actually act on feedback, rather than just reading it once?