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BET Futures

BET Futures was created to bridge the gap between educational research and real-world practice.

BET Futures brings together teachers, leaders and support staff from primary, secondary and SEND settings to explore the key issues shaping education today and to make recommendations for change across the Trust.

Each year, three dedicated teams visit schools within and beyond the Trust, review existing research, and collaborate on ideas that lead to well-informed proposals for future improvement. We believe that collaboration, openness and innovation are essential to providing the best opportunities for our community - and BET Futures ensures these values lead directly to meaningful action.

Launched in September 2021 as the think-tank arm of the Trust, BET Futures was created to bridge the gap between educational research and real world practice. Although a wealth of research exists across the sector, it does not always translate effectively into day-to-day school life. BET Futures aims to close this gap, ensuring evidence informs practice at every level.

BET Futures serves four purposes:

	1. Ensures the Trust is an organisation whose ethos is to be innovative, evidence led and committed to the best outcomes for our pupils.
	2. Improves the offer for all of pupils by reviewing and sharing what works internally but also from other schools and wider research.
	3. Influences the Trust’s priorities, policies and in-school CPD offer to ensure it reflects the latest thinking and intellectually challenges our staff.
	4. Retains excellent practitioners who may not wish to progress via leadership roles. They gain a breadth of experience and network outside of their school which informs other qualifications and CPD, for example NPQs or MAs.

Our research areas and impact

	1. Technology (how can AI chatbots be effectively integrated into the classroom to empower staff and pupils?)
	2. The inclusive curriculum (which groups are and are not represented in our curriculum? Is this important? How do we ensure our curriculum is fit for the community it serves?)
	3. Sustainability (what could this look like in our school environment and curriculum? How can we best bring the Trust together through Green Week? What are the quick and longer wins we could have as a Trust?)

	1. Technology (what are the opportunities and challenges posed by AI? How do we ensure a level playing field across our schools?) Click here to read our blog summarising the findings.
	2. The inclusive curriculum (which groups are and are not represented in our curriculum? Is this important? How do we ensure our curriculum is fit for the community it serves?) Click here to read our blog summarising the findings
	3. Sustainability (what could this look like in our school environment and curriculum? What are the quick and longer wins we could have as a Trust? What can we change and influence?) Click here to read our blog summarising the findings.

	1. How can technology be best harnessed educationally and operationally? Click here to read our blog summarising the findings.
	2. How can we guarantee all BET pupils have the same opportunities beyond the curriculum? Click here to read our blog summarising the findings.
	3. How do we ensure our pupils are learning to behave? Click here to read our blog summarising the findings.

	1. Is our curriculum fit for the demands and challenges of 21st century life? How can we best respond educationally to the challenges of, for example, COVID, climate change, Black Lives Matter and Everyone’s Invited? Click here to read our blog summarising the findings.
	2. How can technology be best harnessed educationally and organisationally? How do we ensure our pupils have the competitive edge in the future in terms of technological skills? Is our organisation as efficient as it could be? If remote education continues to advance at the pace the last eighteen months has shown, should teaching ever revert to how it was pre-COVID? Click here to read our blog, summarising the findings.
	3. How can we tailor the curriculum to meet the needs of our pupils at transition points? Click here to read our blog summarising the findings.

At the end of each year findings are shared with headteachers, chairs of governors and the BET board with researchers presenting their ideas and recommendations.

How to get involved

If you are interested in learning more about BET Futures, please email Penny Alford, Deputy Chief Executive Officer: alfordp@bourne.education.

Where innovation meets impact

BET

Futures

Listens

Digital

Reads

Features

Each year, three dedicated teams visit schools within and beyond the Trust, review existing research, and collaborate on ideas that lead to well-informed proposals for future improvement.

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BET Listens is a thought-provoking collection of podcast episodes, each focusing on a critical topic affecting schools and education today.

Our hosts and expert guests engage in insightful conversations, offering unique perspectives, practical advice, and thought leadership that educators, parents, and anyone interested in the future of education will find invaluable.

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At BET, we are committed to transforming schools through technology and changing lives through digital empowerment. Our ambition is to be a leading UK trust for digital learning, teaching and operations.

Our digital strategy represents an alignment of pedagogical objectives, business needs, and digital infrastructure. We aim to transform our schools through digital empowerment, enabling innovative teaching approaches that meet the diverse needs of all our learners.

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In the autumn of 2022, Bourne Education Trust launched BET Reads - a vision for reading across all our schools. Our aim - to ensure every pupil leaves us not just able to read but inspired to read for life.

BET Reads is built on shared principles - evidence-based, collaborative and tailored to the unique context of each school. We believe that reading should never be a lottery. Every pupil deserves high-quality provision, regardless of where they learn.

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BET Features is a series of articles highlighting some of the unique strengths and areas of excellence across the Trust.

From innovative curriculum approaches to cutting-edge facilities and extra-curricular programmes, BET Features provides an in-depth look at what makes our schools exciting places to work and learn. Explore these inspiring stories with us...

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