The charitable arm of a Bermudian-based school is to host an educational conference featuring local and international educators, researchers and school leaders.

The Chatmore Foundation, which raises funds for Chatmore British International School, is launching its second annual event on February 18 and 19 next year, in association with the Council of British International Schools, or Cobis, at Rosewood Bermuda.

Titled “No School Is an Island: Atlantic Regional Conference”, the event will include keynote talks, interactive workshops and panel discussions examining how kindness can be embedded in leadership, curriculum design and school culture.

It will also spotlight innovative practices that foster inclusion, resilience and community connection within schools.

The theme of the conference is “Kindness in Education”.

Brittani Butterworth, Chatmore’s director, said the school’s quality assurance status with Cobis enabled its international partnership, emphasising collaboration and cohesion within Bermuda's educational landscape.

She said local schools supported the conference, noting it allowed for high-quality professional development while cutting the costs associated with sending teachers overseas for similar events.

Angela Fubler, the programme innovation lead for the foundation and conference co-organiser, emphasised that the goal of the 2026 event is to open up the conversation around education and learning for everyone in Bermuda.

She said: “The Chatmore Foundation wants to see Bermuda education move beyond competition between schools and towards stronger, more authentic community partnerships.

“Education and learning should be something we are always shaping and celebrating together because the future success of education in our Bermuda is the responsibility of every generation, from those who teach, lead and influence our community today to those unknowns who will design and inspire our future.”

The event will bring together speakers from around the globe to explore a variety of topics that include artificial intelligence and the future of education, learner-driven education and how compassion, empathy and wellbeing from early years through to secondary school can shape the future state of the local and international education community.

Graeme Lawrie, the head of partnerships at ACS International Schools, a British-based schools charity, said: “Kindness in education is not a soft idea; it is a strategic commitment to equity, access and shared opportunity.

“Through partnerships, whether in the UK, Bermuda or globally, we can ensure that every child benefits from the combined strengths of our schools.

“That is how we build a future where young people have the confidence to choose their own path, in their own time”

Mr Lawrie, a presenter at the inaugural conference in February 2025, said that partnerships were one of the most practical expressions of kindness in education.

He added: “When we share expertise, facilities and learning between schools, we are telling young people that they belong to a wider community that wants them to thrive.

“ACS and Chatmore share that belief, and we are proud to stand together in promoting an education system that keeps doors open rather than closing them too early.”

• For more information or to register for the conference, visitwww.chatmore.org