AI is already influencing how students learn, how teachers plan and assess, and how schools think about digital literacy and safety. But with so many tools, opinions and pressures, it can be hard to know where to focus, especially when time and workload are tight.
STEM Learning's annual AI and Digital Summer Conference is designed to support teachers and subject leads in engaging with AI in a way that is practical, ethical, and grounded in real classroom practice. Taking place on Friday 26 June at the National STEM Learning Centre in York, this event will help primary and secondary teachers, subject leads and school leaders develop their digital skills.
Sign up here
Big ideas to get you thinking
Our conference offers thought‑provoking keynotes that bookend the morning and afternoon, and will help teachers cut through the noise around AI.
Daniel Emmerson from Good Future Foundation will explore what the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s vision for AI and digital literacy, alongside the DfE’s GenAI product safety standards, mean for children’s thinking, learning and development. This keynote goes beyond tools and trends to address the bigger questions: cognitive offload, over‑automation, social and emotional impacts, and how schools can make informed, ethical decisions about AI use.
Victoria Hedlund, ‘The AI Bias Girl’, will look at the 'rabbit hole' of AI options and choices that teachers often face. From workload promises to bias, equity and pressure to “keep up”, this session supports educators to regain confidence and clarity. The focus is not on being “human in the loop”, but on being the teacher in the loop – making deliberate, pedagogically sound choices that shape pupils’ experiences of AI.
Together, these keynotes create a shared foundation for the day, whatever phase or subject you teach.
A conference you can tailor to your phase and interests
You’ll select from a wide range of optional sessions, allowing you to shape the day around:
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your phase (primary, secondary or through‑school)
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your role (classroom teacher, subject lead, computing lead, senior leader)
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your current priorities (planning, assessment, SEND, digital literacy, curriculum design
Practical sessions for immediate classroom impact
There are hands‑on workshops focused on things teachers ask for time and again:
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Using AI tools for planning and teaching, with ethical, time‑saving approaches you can adapt across subjects
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Low‑stakes assessment with AI, exploring how technology can give rapid insights while keeping professional judgement firmly with teachers
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Tech and AI to reduce marking workload, grounded in realistic classroom practice
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Using AI tools to support pupils with SEND, exploring how technology can help personalise learning while remaining safe and appropriate.
Building confident, informed learners
Several sessions focus on developing pupil understanding, not just teacher use:
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Supporting students with AI literacy, using free, classroom‑ready resources
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Progression in AI understanding in the primary classroom, linked to the Computing Quality Framework
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Developing pupil voice and responsible use of AI, helping children become informed, rights‑respecting users of technology
Curriculum, strategy and whole‑school thinking
For those leading change, there are sessions on:
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Building a whole‑school AI strategy – defining priorities, risks and next steps
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Embedding AI and digital literacy across the curriculum, with separate primary and secondary pathways
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Understanding the CAR’s vision for AI and digital literacy, and what it means for curriculum decisions
Something for every teacher
Whether you’re:
...this is a conference that meets you where you are.
You’ll leave not just with ideas, but with clear next steps, better questions to ask about AI, and a stronger sense of how digital literacy and AI fit within meaningful education, not as bolt‑ons, but as part of thoughtful teaching and learning.
And because it’s hosted at the National STEM Learning Centre, you’ll also have space to talk with colleagues, share experiences, and reflect without feeling rushed.
There will also be several opportunities to visit the exhibition space and find out about the wider AI offer from a range of educational providers.
Join us in York this summer
Date: 26th June 2026
Venue: National STEM Learning Centre
Places are limited, and this conference is designed to be highly interactive, so early booking is recommended.
Book your place and shape a day that works for your teaching, your students and your school.