A roundup of the biggest week in education.

Imagine the scene…30,000 visitors from 129 countries  ready to connect and collaborate, 616 companies showcasing the latest EdTech, more CPD than ever before and 397 speakers lighting up the stage with passion and innovation…THIS was Bett UK 2024!

Three weeks on and the dust has finally settled on what was without a doubt, THE biggest week in education. This year’s showcase of EdTech excellence highlighted the endless opportunities to reshape and transform the future of education. With all of us feeling the #BettBlues we wanted to relive the memorable moments and world-class content from our team and the changemakers who attended the show!

“Imagine Winter Wonderland, but instead of riding roller coasters, you get hands-on experience with cutting-edge VR, AR, and immersive education tools. Instead of coconut shy's and games stalls, there are hundreds of stands where EdTech providers show off their latest wares. And instead of music halls and Bavarian bands, there's the Arena and multiple theatres, with talks and workshops from the likes of Louis Theroux, Loyle Carner, and Darcey Bussell.” Sean Douglas, The Codpast.

 

Taking CPD to the next level

With teachers from across the globe making the most of hundreds of hours of content, onstand CPD sessions from the likes of Canva, plus our brand new Tech User Labs, Bett 2024 was a CPD seeker's dream! Let us know what skills you are taking back to the classroom in the comments below.

“Teachers, if you are looking for the best professional development, you need to be at Bett Global 2025!” Laura Fulton - Teacher.

"I've learnt a lot about the integration of technology in learning, particularly on AI. I'm very positive about putting into use the skills and the knowledge I learnt as I teach in Kenya and elsewhere. I will share what I learnt with my colleagues too." Danson Kimathi - Teacher.

“The new Bett Arena was amongst the highlights and really set the tone for the quality of CPD on offer. I’ve never seen the theatres as busy and there is no doubt that CPD is now one of the main motivators for people to visit Bett.” Martin Bailey - Lanchester EP Primary School, Co.Durham

 

A focus on SEND & Neurodiversity

After last year's show, you asked for a bigger focus on SEND and Neurodiversity and we delivered with a jam-packed agenda! Here are the highlights…understanding and celebrating neurodiversity and SEND in a world-exclusive interview between Louis Theroux and Loyle Carner. Illuminating a path from limitations to boundless possibilities with National Star College - this was a true crowd favourite! Former Love Islander and Global Ambassador for DeadKidzUK, Tasha Ghouri, spoke about her lived experience as a deaf person in mainstream school and how Higher Education can become more inclusive of students with additional needs. We will continue to grow this offering and are already exploring options for Bett 2025!

"In primary school, there was a head teacher called Mr Wild, I still love him to this day, and what he did was he got a full-time special needs teacher assistant called Marianne and she asked the head teacher if we could do sign language classes at lunchtime. The whole school turned up to learn British Sign Language because I was using BSL and it was the only way I communicated. That massively benefited me because I felt so isolated being the only one using BSL. For the headteacher to go out of his way to do that just for me was about accessibility and inclusion and it's so important." Tasha Ghouri - Former Love Islander and Global Ambassador for DeadKidzUK

 

The launch of two brand new programmes - TableTalks and Tech User Labs

TableTalks and Tech User Labs, were a roaring success - and the highlight of the show for many! Tech User Labs connected over 1,600 educators with the top education technology experts in the world across 16 sessions - the demand was so high we could have filled 50!  With sessions from Microsoft, AWS, Meta and more, educators loved the opportunity to get hands-on with tech, discover tutorials on new features, ask questions and learn how to make the most of their existing tech. TableTalks connected peers through powerful conversations and a tasty lunch of course! Sharing experiences, openly discussing challenges, and tackling these together with peers from around the world is a rare opportunity for educators. With 10 trending topics on the table, 1,000 educators joined 130+ roundtables creating a space where their voice counts. Keep your eyes peeled for more in 2025!

“TableTalks was a new feature of Bett 2024, and I cannot recommend this innovative programme enough. Participating in this roundtable discussion, I was able to learn, grow, and debate with like minded individuals in a sponsor-free environment.” Erika D'Souza -  University of Tokyo

“Tech User Labs was really informative and hands on, getting to try and learn in person with the experts. Also hearing about upcoming developments the tech may have is great for keeping an eye on the future.” Camilla Evans - Head of STEM, Wishford Education

 

Celebrating Bett’s female speakers

Half of Bett 2024's editorial speakers were female, that's much higher than the industry average! Alongside these incredible role models, we explored gender bias and broke down barriers with Alex Scott MBE and heard from 17-year-old tech-prodigy and Minecraft ambassador, Namya Joshi. Baroness Floella Benjamin had the Arena in awe as she detailed her incredible journey through education to becoming an actress, presenter, broadcaster and parliamentarian for her selfless charity work. Lots of attendees also got together for the European Edtech Alliance and BESA’s women in tech networking event.

 

The hot-topic of Bett 2024

The one topic on everyone’s lips - Artificial Intelligence. Let’s face it, you couldn’t have an EdTech event in 2024 without it! The Ahead stages were buzzing with all things AI, hosting speakers such as Donald Clark and Carla Aerts exploring the profound impact it will have on learning, and therefore Higher Education. We welcomed back The AI Educator - Dan Fitzpatrick - who provided incredible insight on how to embrace change when implementing AI into education. And of course, AI was in full swing within the exhibitor hall as EdTechs showcased their latest innovations including Microsoft’s AI avatars, to enthusiastic educators and learners.

 

ExCeL-ing the sustainability of our show

Every year, we up our sustainability game and this year was no different. One of the many reasons we love our home at the ExCel is that it's a carbon-neutral venue using 100% renewable electricity and sending zero waste to landfill. 100% of the carpet used for Bett will be recycled into playground equipment, benches and more - that’s A LOT of carpet! And last but not least, the weirdest fact of all, the ExCel has over 300,000 worms within the building that transform food waste into fertiliser used for plants around the venue - now that’s pretty cool!

 

And more…!

It wouldn’t be Bett without a huge array of opportunities. Esports explored the power of play in education and hosted the annual Rocket League Tournament – the atmosphere was electric! Congratulations to winners, Barnsley College and York College. The beloved Kids Judge Bett returned and with judges aged 7-13 from 14 schools across the UK. The winners selected showcased the transformative impact technology can have on young learners, and seeing the curiosity and excitement amongst the pupils as they toured the exhibition floor reaffirmed Bett’s belief that, together, we can make a real positive impact on the lives of learners worldwide.

This is just a snapshot of the Bett 2024 best bits! We’d love to hear your thoughts and stories from the show - from your biggest learnings, powerful peer connections, favourite freebies - we want to hear it all. Share your stories below in the comments or send us a direct message.

#BettUK2024 #BetterTogether #EdTech