The countdown is on.

Momentum is building. Here's where we are on the journey.

--
Days Until
Theme Reveal
25 May 2026
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Days Until
Registration
25 May 2026
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Days Until
Early Bird Ends
30 June 2026
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Days Until
ELS 2026
4 — 7 August 2026
Watch

A New Thing Is Coming

Watch the Educational Leadership Summit video
2026 Educational Leadership Summit

A New Thing

RECREATE. REIMAGINE. REBUILD.

"Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth;
shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
Isaiah 43:19 (NKJV)



A transformational gathering for Christian educators, school leaders, innovators, and learning visionaries shaping the future of Christian education.


Date

4 – 7 August 2026

Venue

Champagne Sports Resort · Central Drakensberg

Audience

Christian Educators · Leaders · Visionaries

What is ELS?

More Than A Conference

ELS is a space where Christian educators and learning visionaries gather to rethink the future of Christian education through faith, innovation, leadership, and transformational practice. It is designed for leaders who are not satisfied with maintaining systems, but are committed to rebuilding learning environments that inspire purpose, excellence, and Kingdom impact.

Who is it for?

Christian-led Principals, executive heads, school leadership teams, teachers, curriculum innovators, education entrepreneurs, ministry leaders, and those shaping transformational learning communities.

Why It Matters

The world of education is changing rapidly. ELS exists to equip and empower leaders with renewed vision, strategic insight, and collaborative momentum to lead boldly into the future.

This Year's Theme

A New Thing

We live in a world where new things are happening every minute. Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived declared “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

This ancient reflection from Ecclesiastes captures a reality we all recognise-patterns repeat, systems cycle, and it often feels as though progress is just a rearrangement of what already exists. But here’s the tension: while the world may repeat itself, people don’t have to. Seasons may look familiar, but purpose is never stagnant.

Our purpose as Christian educators is to reach the world for Christ, one child at a time. What if this could be done more excellently, more efficiently and more continuously? That is why this summit matters.

Our theme “A New Thing” is a call toward breakthrough, transformation, and courageous innovation in Christian education. It challenges leaders to move beyond inherited systems and embrace fresh thinking, renewed imagination, and Spirit-led transformation for the next generations. History consistently proves that transformation begins when people decide to think, act, and lead differently.

Come ready. Come expectant. Come determined.

Because while others see repetition, God is doing a new thing.

RECREATE

Reimagine learning experiences and educational environments that cultivate creativity, excellence, and purpose.

REIMAGINE AND REBUILD

Build sustainable, future-focused institutions rooted in faith, innovation, and transformational leadership.

← Back to summit

Four days,
one journey.

Your experience from arrival to commissioning, traced along the journey line. Each day carries its own theme, Reimagine, Breakthrough, Rebuild, shaped by keynotes, workshops, fireside conversations, worship and fellowship. The full programme will be released closer to the summit.

Day 1
Tuesday 4 August · Arrival & Opening

ARRIVE

Crossing into the wilderness:

Delegates arrive through the morning and settle in, with lunch included as part of the summit. The afternoon is unhurried, time to rest and take in the mountain, before dinner and the opening ceremony that sets the tone for the days ahead.

  • Morning Arrival & check-in
  • Afternoon Lunch & leisure
  • Evening Dinner & opening ceremony
Day 2
Wednesday 5 August · Identity & Purpose

REIMAGINE

Rediscovering identity & vision:

The first full day of the summit. A morning plenary opens the conversation, followed by workshop sessions through the day, with space for fellowship, shared meals and leisure woven between, closing with an evening session.

  • Morning Plenary session, fellowship break & first workshop
  • Afternoon Lunch, second workshop & leisure time
  • Evening Dinner & evening session
Day 3
Thursday 6 August · Strategy & Breakthrough

BREAKTHROUGH

Innovation, resilience & strategic growth:

The rhythm of the second full day mirrors the first, plenary, workshops and shared moments, but the work deepens. Disruption is reframed as opportunity, and momentum builds toward the commitments that will carry beyond the summit.

  • Morning Plenary session, fellowship break & first workshop
  • Afternoon Lunch, second workshop & leisure time
  • Evening Dinner & evening session
Day 4
Friday 7 August · Farewell & Departure

REBUILD

Carrying the vision home:

A shared breakfast and farewells as delegates depart to carry the vision into their own contexts. AEE Africa representatives remain for a dedicated morning workshop on the continent's initiatives, closing with lunch together before they travel home.

  • Morning Breakfast & departures
  • Africa Reps Workshop on African initiatives & closing lunch
The Transformation

What Leaders Will Leave With

01

Renewed Vision

A refreshed perspective on leading transformational learning environments.

02

Strategic Insight

Practical frameworks and innovative thinking for educational leadership.

03

Collaborative Momentum

Meaningful connections with leaders shaping the future of education.

04

Kingdom Impact

A deeper commitment to faith-driven transformation in Christian schools and communities.

What you'll take home

  • Renewed vision for our common goal to reach the world for Christ, one child at a time
  • Guided institutional visioning and planning considerations for the year ahead
  • Transformational leadership frameworks and practical reflection tools
  • Scenario-planning templates and strategic thinking aids
  • Introductory AI and innovation readiness guidance
  • Meaningful peer connections across partner institutions
  • Selected session resources, strategic frameworks, and reference materials
  • Continued engagement within the transformation community

Who should attend

  • Christian school principals and senior leadership teams
  • Christian educators shaping the next era of teaching
  • Faith leaders integrating education and ministry
  • Education entrepreneurs and founders
  • Young innovators and emerging thinkers
  • Community organisations and faith-based institutions
  • Education investors and policy thinkers
  • Technology partners serving the education sector

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.” ISAIAH 43:19

Venue

Champagne Sports Resort

Champagne Sports Resort sits in the Central Drakensberg, beneath Cathkin Peak and Champagne Castle, a fitting setting for a summit about wilderness, breakthrough, and the rising of streams.

Where Business Meets the Scenic Drakensburg

A 4-star resort set in the Champagne Valley, approximately 4.5 hours from Johannesburg and 2 hours from Durban. The venue offers conference facilities, hotel accommodation, and uninterrupted views of the Drakensberg escarpment.

Venue Highlights

• 16 Conference Venues
• 152 Hotel Rooms
• Capacity for up to 1,400 Delegates
• Surrounded by Cathkin Peak, Champagne Castle, and hiking trails

ELS Movement

Not Just A Conference

ELS is positioned as a transformational movement for educational leaders committed to shaping the future of Christian education. It is designed to inspire lasting change, foster collaboration, and ignite visionary leadership that extends far beyond the summit experience itself.

Join The Movement

Step into a gathering designed to inspire breakthrough thinking, transformational leadership, and a renewed future for Christian education.

Register For 2026 ELS