This episode shares real examples from schools, training providers, and EdTech leaders working at scale. It shows how playful learning can build life skills, why CPD quality matters more than ever, and how schools can regain control of their digital tools. Listeners will gain practical insight into making smarter, safer, and more meaningful decisions across learning, training, and technology.
Who This Episode Is For?
This episode is for teachers, school leaders, and education teams who want to build confidence, collaboration, and resilience in learners. It is also valuable for EdTech professionals, CPD providers, and policymakers who care about credibility, safeguarding, and using evidence to guide technology and professional learning decisions.
Full Episode Description
This episode captures the final day of Bett UK 2026, bringing together playful learning, professional credibility, and evidence-led decision making.
The conversation opens with Dr. Ali Struthers and James Blake-Lobb from Taskmaster Education. They explain how the popular TV show format has been adapted into Taskmaster Club, a structured programme used in schools across the UK and internationally. Through creative team tasks, children develop skills such as communication, teamwork, reasoning, and resilience. Importantly, pupils learn that not everyone wins every task, helping them build confidence, fairness, and emotional resilience in a safe and supportive environment. Teachers also gain valuable insight into skills that are often hard to measure through traditional assessment.
Next, Andy Donnachie, COO of The CPD Group, discusses the changing world of professional development. He raises concerns about the growing number of low-quality training courses created entirely using AI. Andy stresses that while AI can support course design, real credibility must come from subject experts with lived experience. CPD accreditation, he explains, helps learners trust that training is accurate, relevant, and aligned with professional standards, especially in sensitive areas such as SEND, wellbeing, and safeguarding.
The episode concludes with Michael Forshaw, CEO of EdTech Impact, who explores the challenge of “shadow apps” in schools. Many schools do not have clear visibility of how many digital tools they are using, what they cost, or whether they are effective. Michael introduces EdTech Impact’s Digital Audit, which helps schools uncover unused tools, reduce duplication, and refocus on impact rather than impulse buying. He also shares how testbed models and evidence frameworks can help schools, governments, and EdTech companies work together to improve outcomes.
Overall, the episode reinforces a clear message from Bett 2026: education needs joy, trust, and evidence to move forward with confidence.
Philippa Wraithmell is an education and digital-learning strategist based in the UAE. As the founder of EdRuption and Digital Bridge, she leads work on digital wellbeing, innovation, and evidence-informed practice. As host of The EdTech Podcast, Philippa explores how technology can elevate teaching, learning, and equitable education across the globe.
Dr. Ali Struthers is Co-Head of Taskmaster Education and a Lecturer in Law at Warwick University. She has extensive experience in widening participation, outreach, and playful learning. Ali founded School Tasking, a Taskmaster-based programme now running across 33 universities in the UK and Ireland, supporting confidence and skill development in young learners.
Andy Donnachie is Chief Operating Officer at The CPD Group. He works with education and training providers worldwide to support CPD accreditation. Andy focuses on improving training quality, building professional trust, and ensuring learning is relevant, accurate, and aligned with recognised standards, particularly in an age of rapid AI-driven content creation.
Michael Forshaw is CEO of EdTech Impact and has nearly 20 years of experience working with education technology in schools. He leads evidence-based evaluation across the EdTech sector, helping schools understand what works, why it works, and how to make informed decisions about digital tools, governance, and long-term impact.
James Blake-Lobb is Co-Head of Taskmaster Education with over 15 years’ experience in primary teaching and school leadership. He has taught across EYFS to Year 6 and is passionate about creative learning. James uses Taskmaster to help schools develop teamwork, confidence, and problem-solving skills through engaging, inclusive challenges.
#311
Bett 2026: Resilience, Credibility, and Evidence
Subscribe on : iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music
Episode Overview
On the final day of Bett UK 2026, host Philippa Wraithmell speaks with Dr. Ali Struthers and James Blake-Lobb, Co-Heads of Taskmaster Education, Andy Donnachie, COO of The CPD Group, and Michael Forshaw, CEO of EdTech Impact. Together, they explore playful learning through Taskmaster Club, the importance of trusted CPD in an AI age, and why schools must focus on evidence, governance, and impact when using education technology.
Key Themes in This Episode
Why Listen to This Episode?
This episode shares real examples from schools, training providers, and EdTech leaders working at scale. It shows how playful learning can build life skills, why CPD quality matters more than ever, and how schools can regain control of their digital tools. Listeners will gain practical insight into making smarter, safer, and more meaningful decisions across learning, training, and technology.
Who This Episode Is For?
This episode is for teachers, school leaders, and education teams who want to build confidence, collaboration, and resilience in learners. It is also valuable for EdTech professionals, CPD providers, and policymakers who care about credibility, safeguarding, and using evidence to guide technology and professional learning decisions.
Full Episode Description
This episode captures the final day of Bett UK 2026, bringing together playful learning, professional credibility, and evidence-led decision making.
The conversation opens with Dr. Ali Struthers and James Blake-Lobb from Taskmaster Education. They explain how the popular TV show format has been adapted into Taskmaster Club, a structured programme used in schools across the UK and internationally. Through creative team tasks, children develop skills such as communication, teamwork, reasoning, and resilience. Importantly, pupils learn that not everyone wins every task, helping them build confidence, fairness, and emotional resilience in a safe and supportive environment. Teachers also gain valuable insight into skills that are often hard to measure through traditional assessment.
Next, Andy Donnachie, COO of The CPD Group, discusses the changing world of professional development. He raises concerns about the growing number of low-quality training courses created entirely using AI. Andy stresses that while AI can support course design, real credibility must come from subject experts with lived experience. CPD accreditation, he explains, helps learners trust that training is accurate, relevant, and aligned with professional standards, especially in sensitive areas such as SEND, wellbeing, and safeguarding.
The episode concludes with Michael Forshaw, CEO of EdTech Impact, who explores the challenge of “shadow apps” in schools. Many schools do not have clear visibility of how many digital tools they are using, what they cost, or whether they are effective. Michael introduces EdTech Impact’s Digital Audit, which helps schools uncover unused tools, reduce duplication, and refocus on impact rather than impulse buying. He also shares how testbed models and evidence frameworks can help schools, governments, and EdTech companies work together to improve outcomes.
Overall, the episode reinforces a clear message from Bett 2026: education needs joy, trust, and evidence to move forward with confidence.
Podcast Host By :
Special thanks to Guests :
Subscribe on : iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music
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