This episode offers practical insight into how assessment can evolve in the age of AI while staying fair, inclusive, and meaningful. You’ll hear how schools are using collaborative judgement to improve learning outcomes, how AI tools can support integrity in assessment, and how inclusive digital platforms are removing barriers for neurodiverse learners. It’s a valuable listen for anyone rethinking the future of assessment and learning design.
Who This Episode Is For?
This episode is ideal for school leaders, teachers, assessment specialists, EdTech professionals, and policymakers. It’s especially relevant for those working in curriculum design, digital assessment, inclusion, SEND, and education innovation, as well as anyone seeking fairer, more engaging ways to measure student progress.
Full Episode Description
Recorded live from Bett UK 2026, this episode dives into one of education’s most pressing challenges: how assessment can evolve in an AI-driven world while staying human-centred, fair, and meaningful.
The conversation opens with Victoria Merrick, Founder and CEO of Merrick-Ed, who shares her groundbreaking work using comparative judgment to transform assessment in creative subjects such as Art, Music, PE, and Design Technology. Instead of relying on complex rubrics, teachers collaboratively compare student work, achieving high reliability while unlocking rich professional discussions that improve curriculum quality and learning outcomes.
Next, Mark House from RM Assessment broadens the lens to explore the global assessment dilemma in the age of artificial intelligence. Drawing on his background as a teacher and EdTech product leader, Mark challenges schools and governments to “measure what we treasure” rather than letting technology dictate what gets valued. He highlights the growing gap between exam success and real-world skills, and why assessment systems must better reflect creativity, critical thinking, and contextual problem-solving.
Rounding out the episode, Nici Foote brings a powerful inclusion perspective. With lived experience of dyslexia and ADHD, Nici shares how digital tools like Canva and assistive technologies are helping level the playing field for neurodiverse learners. She also challenges phone bans in schools, advocating instead for balanced digital communities that teach responsible technology use while fostering hands-on creativity and joy in learning.
Together, the speakers offer a hopeful vision of education where assessment supports growth, AI enhances understanding, and inclusion sits at the heart of digital transformation.
Ready to experience the innovation firsthand? Make sure to check out what is happening at Bett UK 2026. This episode is proudly sponsored by Everwayand by Edruption, powering the future of learning.
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.
Victoria Merrick is the Founder and CEO of Merrick-Ed, an education consultancy focused on curriculum, assessment, and data coherence. She works with schools, trusts, and education organisations in the UK and internationally to improve outcomes for young people. Victoria combines creativity with innovation to design transformation strategies that promote equity and long-term educational success.
Mark House is a Product Manager at RM Assessment with over 25 years of teaching experience. He specialises in developing AI-powered assessment tools that improve fairness, integrity, and learning insights. Currently leading RM Compare, Mark supports schools and governments worldwide in rethinking how assessment can better reflect real skills and meaningful learning.
Nici Foote is an educator, speaker, and founder of Unbarrier Me, working in inclusion, accessibility, and learning design. With lived experience of dyslexia and ADHD, she helps schools create environments where every learner belongs. Nici supports educators with inclusive digital tools and practical strategies that remove barriers and bring joy back into learning.
#309
Bett UK 2026: Bringing Joy to Digital Assessment
Subscribe on : iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music
Episode Overview
In this special episode of The EdTech Podcast, host Philippa Wraithmell is joined by Victoria Merrick, CEO of Merrick-Ed, Mark House from RM Assessment, and inclusion expert Nici Foote from Unbarrier Me. Together, they explore how digital assessment, AI innovation, and inclusive design are reshaping learning—bringing greater fairness, collaboration, and joy back into classrooms worldwide.
Key Themes in This Episode
Why Listen to This Episode?
This episode offers practical insight into how assessment can evolve in the age of AI while staying fair, inclusive, and meaningful. You’ll hear how schools are using collaborative judgement to improve learning outcomes, how AI tools can support integrity in assessment, and how inclusive digital platforms are removing barriers for neurodiverse learners. It’s a valuable listen for anyone rethinking the future of assessment and learning design.
Who This Episode Is For?
This episode is ideal for school leaders, teachers, assessment specialists, EdTech professionals, and policymakers. It’s especially relevant for those working in curriculum design, digital assessment, inclusion, SEND, and education innovation, as well as anyone seeking fairer, more engaging ways to measure student progress.
Full Episode Description
Recorded live from Bett UK 2026, this episode dives into one of education’s most pressing challenges: how assessment can evolve in an AI-driven world while staying human-centred, fair, and meaningful.
The conversation opens with Victoria Merrick, Founder and CEO of Merrick-Ed, who shares her groundbreaking work using comparative judgment to transform assessment in creative subjects such as Art, Music, PE, and Design Technology. Instead of relying on complex rubrics, teachers collaboratively compare student work, achieving high reliability while unlocking rich professional discussions that improve curriculum quality and learning outcomes.
Next, Mark House from RM Assessment broadens the lens to explore the global assessment dilemma in the age of artificial intelligence. Drawing on his background as a teacher and EdTech product leader, Mark challenges schools and governments to “measure what we treasure” rather than letting technology dictate what gets valued. He highlights the growing gap between exam success and real-world skills, and why assessment systems must better reflect creativity, critical thinking, and contextual problem-solving.
Rounding out the episode, Nici Foote brings a powerful inclusion perspective. With lived experience of dyslexia and ADHD, Nici shares how digital tools like Canva and assistive technologies are helping level the playing field for neurodiverse learners. She also challenges phone bans in schools, advocating instead for balanced digital communities that teach responsible technology use while fostering hands-on creativity and joy in learning.
Together, the speakers offer a hopeful vision of education where assessment supports growth, AI enhances understanding, and inclusion sits at the heart of digital transformation.
Ready to experience the innovation firsthand? Make sure to check out what is happening at Bett UK 2026. This episode is proudly sponsored by Everway and by Edruption, powering the future of learning.
Podcast Host By :
Special thanks to Guests :
Subscribe on : iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music
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