BWMAT Fest 25, a festival hosted by the Bath and Wells Multi Academy Trust (BWMAT) in partnership with Independent Thinking, brought together educational professionals to celebrate all aspects of education. Held at the Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet, the event featured presentations and workshops led by speakers from Independent Thinking and other education experts. The festival was designed tooffer an inspiring, informal, and engaging experience for everyone involved in education.
Karen Wedlake, Assistant Director of Education at the BWMAT, said it was “An inspirational couple of days that was so well received and genuinely appreciated. That feeling of being one together, that sense of belonging and also being there in person... meant so much.” Karen shares more of her reflections on the festival below.
Reflections on BWMATFest25: A celebration of community, learning and joy
There are moments in our shared journeys when the ordinary becomes extraordinary, when the sun shines not just in the sky but in the hearts of those gathered. BWMATFest25 was one such moment. Beneath warm blue skies at the Bath & West Showground in Somerset, our Trust family came together, around 1,500 strong, for a festival that was so much more than professional development. It was a joyful, spirit, filled celebration of what it means to belong, to grow, and to walk alongside one another in the inspiring journey of education.
From the very start, there was a tangible sense of togetherness. Smiles beamed as people arrived, fabulous hats, bright faces, open hearts. The music played, the coffee flowed- despite some initial teething problems, and the festival began, not just as an event, but as a living expression of our community. It was a space where ice cream, music, and conversations wove together with inspiring speakers and thoughtful sessions to create something deeply nourishing for both mind and soul.
Throughout the events, reflecting the heart of our education strategy, people moved freely, following their curiosity and passion. The scale was remarkable, but it was in the small things, a conversation over lunch, laughter shared in the sunshine, a spark of inspiration from a speaker, where the true beauty of the festival was found.
BWMATFest25 wasn’t just about logistics or CPD on a grand scale. It was about restoration, a chance to breathe, to reconnect, to remember why we do this work and who we do it for. It was about unity. It was about lifting each other up, challenging one another, and leaving a little fuller, a little brighter, than when we arrived.
Day two welcomed even more people, including schools from beyond our Trust, and Bishop Michael, whose reflections on Spiritual Leadership reminded us that our vocation in education is both a head and a heart journey. He reminded us that the Spirit is joy and a sense of being part of something bigger than ourselves; spirituality is when we encounter the movement of the Spirit within us. As leaders, we cannot make this happen, but we can intentionally create the conditions where spirituality can be found, enjoyed, and celebrated in people's lives. Worship that is numinous, creating awe, wonder, and a sense of presence is central to this. Bishop Michael’s words challenged and inspired us to consider how we cultivate these sacred spaces in our schools and in our leadership.
What we achieved together at BWMATFest25 was, in many ways, beyond what seemed possible. As someone said, there were so many moving parts, and yet, each one held steady, supported by the commitment, creativity, and resilience of a small but mighty team who never stopped smiling. Like the words of JFK, we embraced the challenge not because it was easy, but because it mattered.
There was a spirit of generosity throughout: in the shared learning, the vibrant marketplace, the music, the laughter, and even in the peach gelato and Staffordshire oatcakes that became treasured highlights. People left inspired, refreshed, and grateful to be part of a Trust that dares to dream, that invests in people, and that holds community at its heart.
These were days where we came together, connected deeply and reminded ourselves that in every conversation, every workshop, every shared story, there is the power to transform the lives of our children.
This is what professional growth should feel like. This is what belonging should feel like.
This is what being BWMAT feels like.
Proud. Grateful. Together.
A family, learning for life in all its fullness.