About the uk festival
Where those who inspire find their own inspiration.
The UK’s largest and most influential education event. The 17th Festival takes place at Wellington College on 8 and 9 July 2027.
8-9 July 2027
Wellington College, Crowthorne
Headline partner:
Founded by:
Delivered by:
"
Glastonbury for educators. Sir Bob Geldof
Our purpose
Inspiring and empowering educators from all sectors.
Our mission is to provide an inclusive platform for sharing innovative ideas, fostering meaningful discussions, and promoting professional growth in a vibrant, relaxed atmosphere.
We aim to cultivate a community where diverse perspectives are valued, and challenging debates are conducted with respect and professionalism. By bringing together passionate individuals dedicated to enhancing education, we strive to shape the future of learning and teaching.
Audience at UK Festival
6,000+
Educators each year
500+
Speakers across the two days
300+
Sessions across 40 venues
2,000
Free state-school & college places
Since 2010
From a modest gathering to the biggest event in the education calendar.
The first festival
Created to give educators a platform to come together and share ideas. What began as a modest gathering quickly became a prominent event in the education calendar, attracting big-name speakers from members of the government to influential commentators and educators.
EducationScape joins
As publishers of Schools Week and FE Week, EducationScape brought a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective. Under their stewardship the Festival has grown in size and diversity — the overwhelming majority of attendees now come from state-funded schools and colleges.
Free ticket scheme
Wellington College created a bursary enabling the Festival to provide 2,000 free tickets each year to state-funded schools and FE colleges with limited budgets — keeping the Festival accessible to educators from all backgrounds.
Home of the Festival
The home of the Festival Wellington College remains the Festival's home — over 5,000 attendees, 85 exhibitors, food trucks and 40 venues. The College donates its site, helping reduce costs and keep tickets affordable.
Dame Maggie Aderin speaking at the UK Festival 2026
Owen O'Kane speaking at the UK Festival 2026
Our attendees
Open to all those interested in education.
Primarily, our audience is made up of educators from state schools and FE colleges — but we also attract large audiences from higher education, international sectors, the civil service and education suppliers. This broad and diverse audience shares one common thread: a passion for education.
83%
State schools & FE Colleges
41%
Secondary Schools
29%
Primary
19%
FE Colleges
What we believe
Fresh thinking. Shared inspiration.
Four ingredients bring the Festival to life; big ideas, brilliant people and plenty of festival spirit.
Fresh thinking
Live music
Local sounds, live performances and plenty of festival energy throughout the day.
Street food
Street food, local flavours, coffee and lively conversations that carry on long after the sessions end.
A place to pause
Relaxed spaces to pause, meet new people and keep the conversation going between sessions.
Our Content
Around 300 sessions, three ways.
Each session lasts 45 minutes, ranging from headline keynotes in the main auditorium to smaller, hands-on workshops
Sessions
Strands
Keynotes
New perspectives for policymakers, government, civil society, researchers and businesses shaping education’s future.
Why the Festival
More than just an event.
Our mission is to provide an inclusive platform for sharing innovative ideas, fostering meaningful discussions, and promoting professional growth in a vibrant, relaxed atmosphere.
We aim to cultivate a community where diverse perspectives are valued, and challenging debates are conducted with respect and professionalism. By bringing together passionate individuals dedicated to enhancing education, we strive to shape the future of learning and teaching.
Breadth of content
Hundreds of leading speakers covering the latest trends, research and innovations — debates, lectures, workshops and panels.
Professional development at its heart
Practical strategies and insights you can implement immediately in your classroom or institution.
Affordable for teams
Group ticket rates make it feasible for whole teams and organisations to attend and share the benefits widely.
Meaningful connections
Meet new colleagues, share experiences and form lasting friendships.
Attendee testimonials
What educators say.
"
“I always leave events like these with new ideas, but what struck me most this year was how strongly the sessions I attended connected with one another.”
Simon Hobbs
Quality Practitioner, Havant and South Downs College
"
Fanella Reekie
Headteacher, Cookham Dean Church of England Primary School
"
Cat Marin
Executive Principal, Milton Keynes College
Who's behind it
Making it all work, one Festival at a time.
Founded by
Wellington College Education
Wellington College founded the Festival of Education in 2010, growing it from a single summer gathering into the UK’s largest celebration of teaching – non-partisan and open to the whole sector.
Delivered by
EducationScape
In 2016, EducationScape took on the operation of the Festival, carrying its founding spirit to editions across Europe, Asia and the Americas. EducationScape are a UK based events and publishing organisation.