Feedback from the NEU Leadership Conference, November 2018
C J Simister’s passion for intellectual character development is infectious. She successfully engaged a room full of leaders who were given a plethora of useful tools and ideas to take away and explore. She highlights how her approach is well rooted in research and shows how it nurtures strong character traits, an important precursor to academic success. Given the extensive and practical nature of her Future Smart approach, it is worth having her speak for as long as possible!
Mark Wright, Director of AMiE
Events have included:
Educting for Intellectual Growth (Keynote speaker)
Global Education Forum, YK Pao School, Shanghai
26-29th March 2019
A Practical Framework for Learner Improvement in Education and Beyond. (Keynote speaker)
NEU/Association of Managers in Education (AMiE) Leaders Conference London, 24th November 2018
Intellectual Character: A Practical Framework for Raising Achievement
(Keynote speaker)
IAPS Annual Deputy Heads and Director of Studies Conference London; 12th June 2018
Keynote speaker and Course Director
IAPS Independent Minds 2018
London, May 2018
Click here for more details
Educating for Intellectual Growth (Keynote speaker)
National Association of British Schools in Spain (NABSS) Annual Conference, Seville, 1-4th March 2018
Click here for more details.
Character, Grit, Resilience: A Mindful Approach
Independent Association of Prep Schools Annual PSHE Conference London; 20th November 2017
Global citizens, Global learners (Keynote speaker & workshop provider)
Bangkok Patana School’s Global Citizenship Conference Bangkok, Thailand; 18-20th October 2017
Cokethorpe Conference: Active Thinkers - Activer Learners
5th July 2017
Click here for more details
Character, Grit and Resilience - A practical model for the classroom
Scottish Council of Independent Schools
Edinburgh, 26th May 2017
Active Thinkers - Active Learners: The Future-Smart Approach
SKALS International Examinations Conference: Educating for the Future
Denmark, 23rd May 2017
Partnership Plus Residential Conference Keynote speaker
University of Warwick, March 2017
Active thinkers - Active Learners: The Future-Smart® Approach (Keynote speaker)
Internationella Engelska Skola (IES) Annual Conference
Stockholm, Sweden, October 2016
The Future-Smart® School
Keynote speaker, Association of Independent Schools (AISNSW) Annual Conference
Sydney, Australia, 1st/2nd August 2016
Creating a Culture of Intellectual Character - with a Growth Mindset Perspective
Mindfest: The Growing Mindsets Convention 2016 - with Professor Carol Dweck, Professor Guy Claxton and Professor Barry Hymer
London, 4th July 2016. For details, click Growing-Mindsets-Convention- 2.pdf.
Challenging the ‘More Able’: The Future-Smart® Approach
Full day speaker, Lancashire AGT Conference, June 2016
Keynote speaker and Course Director
IAPS Independent Minds 2016
London, May 2016
Click here for more details
Leading Learning from the Inside Out: A Character-Based Approach
Keynote speaker, Cambridge International Examinations Schools Conference
Johannesburg, South Africa, April 2016.
Click here for information.
Educating Girls to be Future-Smart®: The importance of Character and Mindset
Keynote speaker, The JCG Learning Conference: How Girls Learn Jersey, November 2015.
Click here for more information.
The Future-Smart® Student - How today’s schools can prepare young people for tomorrow’s world.
Keynote speaker, TED Ankara College Conference, Turkey, June 2015
Growing Intellectual Character - The Future-Smart® Approach
How to Build Character, Grit and Resilience - with Dr Angela Duckworth London, June 2015
Mindsets - Revolutionise your School and Teach Resilience and Intellectual Character
Osiris Educational Outstanding Learning and Teaching Conference, London, March 2015
The Future-Smart® School: A whole-school model for fostering the dispositions and skills that underpin success
City of York Headteachers’ Conference, Harrogate, March 2015
The Future-Smart® School
Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS) Directors of Studies Conference, Edinburgh, Scotland, February 2015
Effective Learning in Practice: Creating strategies to target essential skills
Keynote presentation, Cambridge International Examinations Schools Conference, Colombo, Sri Lanka, December 2014.
Click here for more information.
5 First Steps: Develop a Growth Mindset in your School
Growth Mindsets and Girls
Growing Mindsets Convention - with Prof Carol Dweck, London, July 2014
The Future-Smart® School and Teaching for Intellectual Character
The Sunday Times Festival of Education, Wellington College, June 2014
Active Thinkers, Active Learners - Preparing children to be Future-Smart
Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS) Junior Heads’ Conference, November 2013
Active Thinkers, Active Learners - an introduction
IAPS Heads Training Days
St Swithun’s School, Winchester and Harrow School, March 2013
Teaching Girls to be Future-Smart
A one-day course provided for GSA Schools, Bury, February 2013
Engaging SEN pupils in constructive collaborative learning
Independent Schools Council (ISC) SEN Conference, London, November 2012
Effective education for independent minds
Independent Schools Association (ISA) Autumn Study Conference, November 2012
Nurturing independent minds - a practical approach to embedding active thinking and learning
Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) Annual Conference, September 2012
Developing an engaged approach to thinking
IAPS Annual Deputy Heads Conference, June 2012
Keynote presentation: Intellectual Character
Able, Gifted and Talented in Independent Prep Schools, January 2012
Active thinkers, active learners - practical steps for whole school transformation
Developing thinking children: Is parental engagement the missing link?
15th International Conference on Thinking, Belfast, June 2011
Thinking skills for the more able and talented student
14th Annual Residential SEN and LDD Conference, May 2011
Is your child future-smart?
Dubai Festival of Literature, March 2011
Active thinkers, Active learners
Girls School Association (GSA) Annual Conference, November 2010
Practical thinking and learning skills approaches that engage all students
13th Annual Residential SEN Conference, May 2010
Raising future-smart children
Wellington International School, Dubai, February 2010
The Bright Stuff
NAGC Big Family Weekend, October 2009
Teach your school to think: Insights, tips and techniques for launching a school-wide initiative
14th International Conference on Thinking, Malaysia, June 2009
Raising challenge and engagement
Heads, Teachers, Industry (HTI): Presentation to Go4It Schools, March 2009
Engaging students, teachers & parents in a whole school thinking skills initiative
4th Global Conference - Creative Engagements: Thinking with Children, Oxford, July 2008
Spiral Thinking: Twelve Practical Tools for a Thinking Classroom
13th International Conference on Thinking, Sweden, June 2007
The Northwood College Thinking Skills Programme
Presentation to the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools, May 2007
Spiral Thinking: Gaining Momentum as a Thinking School
Teach Less Learn More Conference, Singapore, March 2006. Chair & speaker
Spiral Thinking: How one school changed the way it thinks
12th International Conference of Thinking, Australia, July 2005
C. J. Simister is available to speak at UK and international conferences. Her presentations and workshops are lively, practical and extremely popular, translating a wealth of research and experience into innovative but realistic ideas and advice for school leaders and teachers.
Speaking at the TED Ankara Conference
Jane was an absolute delight to work with. It was very easy to discuss our requirements with her when we engaged her as a conference speaker. She then went above and beyond this and was continually adapting what she had prepared for her presentation in the light of what had been said previously by other speakers and conference participants. Her approach and attitude were exemplary and we only wish more of our conference speakers were as good!
The practical ideas, grounded in theory, that she gave to the audience were eagerly captured by all present and the teaching and learning in many schools should be much improved as a result of the inspiration she gave.”
Paul Ellis, Head of Teaching and Learning Strategy, Cambridge Assessment International Examinations
Public Speaking
Feedback from the IAPS Deputy Heads and Directors of Studies Conference, June 2018
“This was an excellent session. Very practical, good range of information and strategies. Thought-provoking, very engaging, clear to follow.”
“Unbelievably clear and inspirational speaker. Pace is excellent and interspersed with delegate activities.”
“Excellent explanation and practical tips about how we can develop intellectual curiosity in school. It’s great to feel inspired to continue to try out new things.”
Feedback from the Partnership Plus Conference, March 2017
“Most inspiring person I have heard in 21 years of teaching! Simple, yet so effective.”
“Fantastic explanation of how the attributes could be embedded in my teaching.”
Feedback from the Lancashire Able, Gifted & Talented Conference, June 2016
“This course was one of the best I’ve ever been on. A really enjoyable and practical day which was well delivered and easy for me to take ideas back to school”; “Practical teaching ideas underpinned by a very clear theoretical framework”; “Really, really good day, thanks”; “A very exciting motivational course”; Inspiring and helpful! A valuable day”; “Fantastic day! Not only good ideas for AGT but for ALL children”; “Most useful course I’ve been on in a long time. Jane needs to deliver this to every school in the country!”
Feedback from the JCG Learning Conference, November 2015
“What gives Jane’s lectures and workshops such enormous impact is their combination of a clear sense of vision and moral purpose for education alongside an unflinching focus on the practicalities of schools and classrooms.
No insight about educating for intellectual character is allowed to become vague or merely abstract: instead, one leaves Jane’s sessions having benefited from a wealth of hard-won, research-informed experience that is immediately relatable to one’s own practice.”
Simon Milner, Co-ordinator of Learning Development, Jersey College for Girls
Feedback from ‘The Future-Smart School’, City of York Headteachers’ Conference, March 2015
“Thank you for your excellent presentation at our headteacher conference. Colleagues felt that you gave them a wealth of practical ideas to take back to their schools and your presentation worked perfectly with Barry Hymer’s presentation.”
Maxine Squire, Assistant Director (Education and Skills)
Feedback from ‘Effective Learning in Practice’, Cambridge International Examinations Schools Conference, Colombo, December 2014
“Absolutely brilliant and so appropriate for a wide range of disciplines. So often these things are theoretical, but this presentation was so practical! Lots of possibilities for a wide range of subjects: fantastic.”
“She spoke very passionately, positively and made theoretical areas very practical. This made a very diverse audience very fond of her and we all felt truly inspired by her.”
“The speaker was extremely interesting as well as animated and enthusiastic. Her talk included many relevant ideas and usable examples which were inspired and inspiring. Look forward to using the activities in our school, Bay View High.”
Feedback, IAPS Heads Training Day, 2013
“Many thanks for the very successful training day yesterday. I have received many emails saying what a useful and stimulating day it was. I think the children in our schools will benefit hugely from the Active Learning, Active Thinking approach that you explain so clearly.”
Pim Grimes, Headmistress of Junior School, St Swithun’s School, Winchester
Feedback from ‘Teaching Girls to be Future- Smart’, GSA Schools, Feb 2013
“Jane’s course was superb! I can thoroughly recommend spending the day in one of her courses. They are very informative and provide a wealth of activities that can instantly be used in classrooms with children of any age. You come away feeling energised and wanting to find out more.”
Mrs V Hall, Head of Co-ed Infant School & the Girls’ Junior School, Bury Grammar
“Thank you for an excellent day. The delegates certainly recorded a positive and inspirational experience and appreciated the many useful and inspiring practical strategies to improve and strengthen current practice. There was obviously lots of fun and laughter too which is brilliant! Delegates wished me to pass on their thanks for a super day. Thank you for making it such a fantastic experience.”
Jane Carroll, Membership Services Director, Girls’ School Association
Feedback from the Able, Gifted and Talented in Independent Prep Schools Conference, January 2012
Stunning presentation, delivered in entirety while smiling. Masses of excellent, practical activities to use at school. The highlight of the day.”
“Most inspiring and charismatic speaker with thought provoking and vitally important considerations pertinent to the all round personal development and well being of young children.”
Feedback from the ISA Autumn Study Conference, November 2012
“Thank you for your enormous contribution to the success of our conference. So many delegates mentioned to me how valuable they found your session and we were delighted that 76.5% rated the overall conference ‘excellent’ and 23.5% ‘very good’. A fantastic response by anyone’s standards.”
Maggie Turner, Professional Development Officer, ISA
Feedback from the IAPS Deputies Conference, June 2012
“I found your talk incredibly stimulating and have been referring to it ever since when speaking with colleagues, family and friends! Empowering our pupils as independent learners surely has to be our key role as educators in the 21st century. Thank you for delivering such an interesting talk and for willingly sharing practical ideas.”
Ann Cordrey, Exeter Cathedral School
Feedback from the International Conference of Thinking, Kuala Lumpur, June 2009
“C. J. Simister has personally tried and tested her programs with students, so she has first hand experience of moving a school from talking about being a ‘thinking school’ to the genuine embedding of thinking skills into teaching and learning programs. I would thoroughly recommend her to any teachers or schools who are sincerely intending to integrate authentic thinking skills to develop the thinking minds of their students.”
Janelle Ford, Deputy Principal, Claremont, NSW. Read the full feedback here
To enquire about
C. J. Simister presenting at your conference, email enquiries@future-smart.com