Professional Documents
Culture Documents
”
A series of Lectures addressing
fundamental questions of education
P u blish ed by
The Learning Skills Foundation®
W h y E d u ca t e ? © T h e L e a r n in g S k ills F ou n d a t ion ® 2 0 0 9
Why educate?
A SERIES OF LECTU RES
W h y E d u ca t e ? © T h e L e a r n in g S k ills F ou n d a t ion ® 2 0 0 9
P u blish ed by Th e Lea r n in g Skills Fou n da t ion 2009 in a ssocia t ion
wit h Th e In depen den t Newspa per
spon sor ed by Sover eign Ca pit a l P a r t n er s
W h y E d u ca t e ? © T h e L e a r n in g S k ills F ou n d a t ion ® 2 0 0 9
Con ten t s
IN TRODU CTION
LE CTURE 1
Professor David Hargreaves
Wh o r u n s a n d wh o sh ou ld r u n ou r sch ools?
LE CTU RE 2
Professor S im on Baron-Cohen
Sh ou ld ch ildr en with Asper ger Syn dr om e
be r equ ir ed t o follow t h e Na t ion a l Cu r r icu lu m ?
LE CTU RE 3
Professor David Hopkins
Ar e sch ools st ill r eleva n t?
LE CTURE 4
Professor Alison Wolf
Th e n a t ion a l cu r r icu lu m
is ou t da t ed a n d n o lon ger fit for pu r pose
W h y E d u ca t e ? © T h e L e a r n in g S k ills F ou n d a t ion ® 2 0 0 9
Why educate?
INTRODUCTION
In t h e fir st of t h e ser ies P r ofessor Da vid H a r gr ea ves a sked th e qu est ion ‘Wh o
r u n s a n d wh o sh ou ld r u n ou r sch ools?’ Ta kin g a s h is st a r t in g poin t t h e or igin s
of Wik ipedia h e sh ows h ow t h e sit e h a d exploded t h e m yth t h a t in for ma t ion wa s
in t h e h a n ds of t h e few. H e a r gu es pa ssion a t ely t h a t t h e bu sin ess of r u n n in g
sch ools sh ou ld be in th e h a n ds of t h ose wh o u n der sta n d t h e possibilit ies a n d
pot en t ia l of t h e Wikipedia m odel a n d t ech n ology in gen er a l: t h e Y Gen er a t ion .
F in a lly P r ofessor Alison Wolf a ddr esses th e Na t ion a l Cu r r icu lu m : discu ssin g it s
or igin s a n d u n st oppa ble gr owt h a n d in flu en ce. Th e cen tr a l poin t of h er lectu r e is
a n eva lu a t ion of wh et h er it m er it s t h e cen t r a l, h u b-like st a tu s wit h in a m oder n ,
flexible edu ca t ion syst em .
P a u l Br et t
In t r odu ction by Pa u l Br et t
Da vid H a r gr ea ves is Associa t e Dir ector for Developm en t a n d Resea r ch for t h e
Specia list Sch ools a n d Aca dem ies Tr u st. H e is E m er it u s F ellow of Wolfson
College, Ca m br idge, h a s been a P r ofessor of E du ca t ion a t Ca m br idge, a Rea der
a t Oxfor d a n d, in t er est in gly, wa s t h e Ch ief In spector of t h e In n er Lon don
E du ca tion Au t h or it y. H e h a s pu blish ed n u m er ou s books, in clu din g t h e cla ssics
Devia n ce in Cla ssr oom s a n d In ter per son a l Rela t ion s a n d E du ca t ion , a n d m or e
r ecen t ly pa m ph let s on per son a lisin g lea r n in g.
In 2004 Ton y Bla ir ch a llen ged pu blic ser vices, especia lly edu ca t ion a n d
m edicin e, t o per son a lise or cu st om ise ser vices t o m a tch t h e im pr ovem en t s t h a t
I will con t in u e wit h a secon d st or y, wh ich cen t r es on th e wor k I bega n doin g wit h
t h e Specia list Sch ools a n d Aca dem ies Tr u st a n d m y collea gu e Su e Willia m son
wh en we decided to r espon d t o t h e Ton y Bla ir ch a llen ge t o ‘per son a lise
edu ca tion ’. Th e Tr u st wor ked wit h t h e th en Secon da r y H ea ds’ Associa t ion a n d
we per su a ded a you n g Da vid Miliba n d, th en a ju n ior m in ist er , t h a t t h e
pr ofession h a d t o t a ke on t h e r ea l ta sk of wh a t wa s goin g t o be in volved in
per son a lisin g or cu st omisin g lea r n in g in ou r sch ools. At t h e t im e t h er e wa s a lot
of con cer n a m on g t ea ch er s, wh o wer e a skin g, ‘Wh a t on ea r th does t h is wor d
“per son a lisa t ion ” m ea n ?’ We decided t h a t th er e h a d been a m a jor tr a n sfor ma t ion
in t h e bu sin ess wor ld cr ea t ed by per son a lisa t ion a n d cu st om isa t ion , on e t h a t
a ctu a lly ca u sed a lot of tr ou ble a n d con flict, bu t we ch ose t o ba se ou r defin it ion
ver y closely on a pa r a llel t o wh a t h a d h a ppen ed in t h e bu sin ess wor ld.
Th e bou n da r ies bet ween sch ools a n d work pla ces a r e disa ppea r in g, pa r t icu la r ly
wit h t h e in t r odu ction of voca tion a l diploma s, a n d m a n y sch ools a r e n ow
r e-st r u ctu r in g in t o kin ds of ‘m in i-sch ools’ wit h in t h e syst em . So t h e la r ge
compr eh en sives wit h 1500-2,000 pu pils a r e bein g br oken in t o mu ch sm a ller
u n it s. An d la st, t h e gr ea t a dva n t a ge of bu ildin g sch ools for t h e fu t u r e m ea n s we
ca n st a r t t o r e-design bu ildin gs a n d spa ces. We’r e st ill in difficu lt y, beca u se
ch a llen ge.
T h ey w er e bein g a s k ed qu it e t ou gh qu es t ion s of t h a t k in d , a n d w h a t w e s a w w a s t h a t t h es e
r eflect ion s of a m a t u r e a n d r ela t ively en ligh t en ed m a n a ft er a lon g p er iod obs er vin g ed u ca t ion ,
a n d I ca n s ee a lot of ben efit s in w h a t you ’r e s a yin g a n d of cou r s e a s t h e n ext gen er a t ion com es
t h a n k n ow in g t h eir s u bject s ?
h is t or y t ea ch er w ou ld n ow d o is t r y t o co-con s t r u ct t h e h is t or y les s on s o t h a t t h e k id s a r e
Th er e’s n o sch edu le, t h er e’s n o dir ect ion for t h ese people a t a ll. Nobody’s
t h e boss of a n ybody. P eople ju st pick u p pr ojects a n d wor k on t h em . Th ey
r emot ely log in t o ser ver s a n d wor k on t h em wh en t h ey n eed ma in t en a n ce.
Th ey r econ figu r e t h e n et wor ks wh en t h ey n eed r econ figu r in g. It ’s a ll don e
willy-n illy, I m ea n wit h n o or ga n isa t ion a t a ll. An d yes, it wor ks.’
So th is is wh a t Ben kler su ggests a de-cen t r a lised mor e colla bor a t ive syst em
wou ld look like. Som ebody a sks ‘Is it goin g t o be a n a r ch y?’ An d people sta r t
t h in k in g, well, is it ? Yet h e is describin g a syst em t h a t is wor kin g, wh ich is wh y
I sta r t ed wit h Wikipedia . Wikipedia works; you ca n ’t qu est ion it , it wor ks. Bu t
we’ve got t o a sk, wh a t a r e t h e im plica t ion s of it a s we go a lon g? Ben kler a r gu es:
spend more time online: 2.7 hrs (boys) 2.6 hrs (girls)
than on watching TV: 1.9 hrs (boys) 2.1 hrs (girls)
Th e cla ssic ca se is IBM, wh ich opposed open sou r ce, a n a ppr oa ch t o design ,
developm en t a n d dist r ibu t ion t h a t m a kes sou r ce code fr eely a va ila ble t o t h e
Th e Con ser va tives in t r odu ced th em in 1988 wit h Ken n eth Ba ker , La bou r ’s kept
on wit h t h em , a n d t h e qu est ion we’ve got t o fa ce is: a r e t h ey a h elp or h in dr a n ce
t o t h e sm a r t gover n a n ce t h a t will dr ive t r a n sfor m a t ion a n d u n lea sh t h e
cr ea t ivit y of Gen er a t ion Y a n d t h e wiki r evolu t ion ? I wa n t t o a r gu e th a t t h ey’r e
h in der in g th e t r a n sfor m a t ion .
a n ed u ca t ion a l s ys t em t h a t is ba s ed on a w ik i for m a t ?
t h in k t h e Wik ip ed ia p eop le w er e a s t on is h ed by w h a t h a p p en ed ; t h ey w er e a s t on is h ed by t h e
la ck of va n d a lis m ; t h ey w er e a s t on is h ed by t h e fa ct t h a t it s p r ea d t h r ou gh t h e w or ld ; t h ey w er e
p r es cr ip t ive t h a t m u ch of t h e cr ea t ivit y w a s p u s h ed ou t of t h e s ys t em , a n d I t h in k t h a t if w e
a s cou r a geou s .
been a fa ilu r e ... a n d t h e r ea s on w e’ve h a d a ll of t h is cen t r a l d ir ect ion w a s beca u s e t h er e’d been
s h e w a s S ecr et a r y of S t a t e, a bly d em on s t r a t ed t h a t m os t L E As , a s t h ey w er e t h en , d id n ot h a ve
in t o n et w or k s .
w e goin g t o ch a n ge it ?
ca r a n d r et u r n t o L on d on , I w a n t ed t h e m in is t er t o s it t h er e a n d t a lk w it h t h e h ea d s a bou t t h e
n ot u s ed t o h a vin g.
bu t on you r fir s t on e, you ’r e r igh t a lt h ou gh t h er e’s a d iffer en ce: com p a n ies go bu s t ; s ch ools d on ’t
cu r r en t s et u p is w r on g.
Audience Mem ber: Wh ile I’m con vin ced p r a ct ica lly, I’m n ot t ot a lly con vin ced by t h e
t o t h e p r in t in g p r es s ? O bviou s ly it h a s t h a t a d d ed d em ocr a t ic im p a ct , a n d t h a t ’s h a p p en in g
n ot .
beh in d a n d w e’ve a big ca t ch u p t o d o. B u t I a m con vin ced t h a t we’ve got t h e qu a lit ies in s a n e
t owa r d s it .
Audience Mem ber: I a gr ee wit h ever yt h in g t h a t you ’ve s a id , a n d I feel t h a t you h a ven ’t gon e
t h e s ys t em s t h a t a r e in p la ce a t t h e m om en t ? An d t h e ba r r ier , t h e m a in ba r r ier t o t h a t is
s u p p or t of p eop le wh o k n ow a n d h a ve exp er ien ce. T h e a ccou n t a bilit y for ever ybod y’s lea r n in g
lea r n in g.
w ou ld lik e t o be.
h a vin g t h e d eep d eba t e. T h e is s u es a r e ver y com p lica t ed , ver y r ich , bu t cr it ica l d ecis ion s a r e
goin g t o be m a d e in t h e n ext cou p le of yea r s . M a y I s a y t h a n k you for join in g t h e con ver s a t ion
s o vigor ou s ly.
I su mma r ise below wh a t I see a s t h e m a in pr oblem s for ch ildr en wit h Asper ger ’s,
wh ich demon st r a t es t h e edu ca t ion a l cr isis, or , pu tt in g it a n oth er wa y, wh y t h e
edu ca tion a l syst em, wh ich is mea n t t o su ppor t t h ese ch ildr en , is fa cin g
som et h in g of a cr isis. Th e fir st r ea son for t h is is th a t by t h eir ver y n a t u r e
ch ildr en wit h Asper ger Syn dr om e don ’t con for m : t h ey don ’t see t h e im por t a n ce of
socia l n or m s or con for m it y a n d so ver y oft en t h ey a ppea r difficu lt ; t h ey won ’t ju st
sit in a gr ou p t h e wa y t h ey’r e m ea n t t o, th e wa y t h a t ma in st r ea m cla ssr oom s
expect ch ildr en to be pa r t of a socia l gr ou p, a n d t h ey m a y even be exclu ded for
bein g difficu lt . Th e secon d fea t u r e t h a t ma kes t h em exper ien ce difficu lt ies is
t h a t th ey qu est ion ever yt h in g, a n d t h is ma kes it qu it e ch a llen gin g for t ea ch er s;
t ea ch er s expect ch ildr en t o sit t h er e silen t ly a n d do wh a t t h ey’r e told. Ch ildr en
Th er e’s a lso a t h ir d t est, wh ich is a t est of r ecogn isin g som ebody else’s em ot ion s,
a n d in pa r ticu la r , wh et h er som eon e ca n r ecogn ise h ow som eon e else m igh t feel
Wh a t we’ve been doin g is t estin g ch ildr en with Asper ger Syn dr om e t o see
wh et h er it is t r u e t h a t t h ey a r e a bove a ver a ge a t syst em isin g. In figu r e 19 we’ve
a n exa m ple fr om ph ysics; it’s a lit t le mech a n ica l system wh er e you ’r e given a
m u ltiple ch oice a lon gside a n illu st r a t ion of a lit t le syst em a n d you h a ve to
u n der st a n d h ow t h e syst em wor k s. Th e wh eel r ot a t es a n t i-clockwise a n d you ’r e
a sk ed to sa y wh a t will h a ppen t o t h e poin t P . Th e cor r ect a n swer is th a t it will
Wh a t t h is m ea n s is t h a t you a void su per ficia lity a n d you pr ior itise dept h over
br ea dth . As a r esu lt st r on g syst em iser s ma y n ot be su it ed t o t h e Na tion a l
Cu r r icu lu m . Th ey h a ve fir st of a ll a n eed for sa m en ess, so th ey ca n ch eck over
a n d over a ga in wh eth er t h e r u les t h a t t h ey’r e fin din g a n d u n der sta n din g a r e
h oldin g t r u e. Th ey m a y h a ve excellen t mem or y a n d a t t en t ion t o det a il, bu t m a y
go in t o t oo m u ch det a il wh en t h e t ea ch er is a skin g t h em t o lea ve on e su bject a n d
So my con clu sion s a r e t h a t a u t ism a n d Asper ger Syn dr ome a r e ch a r a cter ised by
st r en gt h s in syst em isin g a s well a s a r ea s of difficu lt y in em pa t h y. Th eir st r on g
syst em isin g ch a r a cter ist ics lea d t o a desir e t o specia lise, wh ich is difficu lt wit h in
t h e Na t ion a l Cu r r icu lu m th a t expects ch ildr en t o st op specia lisin g a n d keep a
br oa d ou t look. My fin a l poin t is t h a t t h er e m a y be m et h ods, edu ca t ion a lly,
wh ich we ca n u se t o h a r n ess t h e st r en gt h s in syst em isin g of ch ildr en with
Asper ger ’s t o h elp t h em wit h t h eir a r ea s of difficu lt y.
d is t a n t gen er a lis a t ion , is w h er e w e give t h em exa m p les of em ot ion s t h a t w er e of a com p let ely
ch ild r en .
t h e a p p le t yp es . It ’s n ot t h a t t ea ch er s w ou ld n ’t w a n t t o a llow ch ild r en t o go a s fa r a s t h ey ca n ,
va r ia t ion .
Audience Mem ber: You ’ve s a id t h a t t h er e’s a n eed t o s ys t em is e s o w e n eed t o let t h e ch ild r en
be in t ot a l con t r ol?
p os it ive fea t u r e beca u s e if you h a ve t ot a l con t r ol over t h e s ys t em you ’r e t r yin g t o lea r n , you ca n
lea r n it a s a com p let e s ys t em ; you ca n com p let ely m a s t er it . An exa m p le m igh t be you r
ch ild ’s n eed for con t r ol ca n m ea n t h ey r ea lly excel if left in t h e t r a n qu illit y, if you lik e, of bein g
a ble t o lea r n a s ys t em in it s en t ir et y.
a m u ch m or e flu id d es ign t o t h e cla s s r oom . T h a t ’s fin e if you ’r e a s ocia ble ch ild ; you m igh t
s ocia ble cla s s r oom for m a t , h ow a r e t h ey goin g t o lea r n s ocia l s k ills ? Well, s ocia l s k ills ca n be
ju s t bu ild t h in gs lik e lit t le en gin eer s , yet in a dver t en t ly t h ey’r e lea r n in g t o s ocia lis e beca u s e
Audience Mem ber: M y qu es t ion con cer n s co-m obilit y w it h ot h er con d it ion s a n d I’m a s k in g a s
s u bject r a t h er t h a n in a n ot h er .
lot a r e in t er es t ed in t h e a r t s - in m u s ic a n d a r t - a n d I ju s t w on d er ed w h et h er you h a d a n y
t h ou gh t s on t h a t .
t h ey a t t r a ct ed t o ea ch ot h er ?
oft en t h a n gir ls : for cla s s ic a u t is m it ’s a bou t 4 boys for ever y 1 gir l, for As p er ger S yn d r om e it ’s
9 boys for ever y 1 gir l. I h a ven ’t s h ow n you t h e evid en ce for t yp ica l d iffer en ces bet w een m a les
t h e d u e p r oces s of h ow a d ia gn os is is m a d e.
for m u la ?
flou n d er .
In t r odu ction by Pa u l Br et t
David Hopkins is t h e in a u gu r a l H SBC Ch a ir in In t er n a t ion a l Lea der sh ip,
wh er e h e su ppor t s th e wor k of iNet , t h e In t er n a t ion a l a r m of t h e Specia list
Sch ools Tr u st a n d t h e Lea der sh ip Cen t r e a t t h e In st itu t e of E du ca t ion ,
Un iver sit y of Lon don . H e is a lso a P r ofessor ia l F ellow a t t h e F a cu lt y of
E du ca tion , Un iver sit y of Melbou r n e. Between 2002 a n d 2005 h e ser ved th r ee
Secret a r ies of St a t es a s t h e Ch ief Adviser on Sch ool St a n da r ds a t t h e (t h en )
Depa r t m en t for E du ca t ion a n d Skills. Pr eviou sly, h e wa s Ch a ir of t h e Leicest er
Cit y P a r t n er sh ip Boa r d a n d Dea n of t h e F a cu lt y of E du ca t ion a t th e Un iver sit y
of Not t in gh a m . Pr ior t o t h a t h e wa s a t u t or a t t h e Un iver sity of Ca m br idge
In stit u t e of E du ca t ion , a secon da r y sch ool t ea ch er a n d a n ou t wa r d bou n d
in st r u ctor . Da vid is a lso a n in t er n a t ion a l mou n ta in gu ide wh o st ill clim bs
r egu la r ly in th e Alps a n d H im a la ya s. H e is t h e a u t h or of a n u mber of books
in clu din g, E ver y Sch ool a Gr ea t Sch ool (2008) a n d Sch ool Im pr ovem en t for Rea l
(2001).
Th is pa ssion for pu blic edu ca t ion h a s a ver y per son a l ba ckgr ou n d. I come fr om
coa l m in in g st ock in Sou t h Wa les. My fa t h er wa s bor n in t o a min in g villa ge ju st
a bove Clyda ch , n or th of Swa n sea , a n d h e wa s th e on ly su r vivin g ch ild ou t of
seven con fin em en t s. It’s h a r d t o believe; h is m ot h er wa s pr egn a n t seven t imes
a n d on ly m y fa th er su r vived beyon d a yea r . I t h in k m y gr a n dpa r en t s wa n ted
t h e ver y best t h ey cou ld for m y fa t h er a n d a t t h a t poin t in t im e in Sou t h Wa les
edu ca tion wa s t h e on ly wa y ou t of t h e pit. Also, in Sou th Wa les we h a ve a ver y
pr ou d t r a dit ion of a t r em en dou s in ter -con n ectedn ess between left -win g polit ics
a n d Ca lvin ist ic r eligion a n d edu ca t ion , a n d I’ve t r ied t o r em a in fa it h fu l t o it
du r in g t h e va r iou s r oles I’ve h eld in m y ca r eer . Th a t m a y sou n d a little bit
r om a n t ic bu t it is cer t a in ly deeply felt .
h e wa s the
Mou n t E ver est . I h a ve clim bed wit h P a u l n ow for a n u mber of yea r s a n d fou r
yea r s a go, wh en t h is pictu r e wa s t a ken , we h a d r ea ch ed th e Nor t h Col, wh ich is
r ega r ded a s a m ou n t a in eer in g objective in it s own r igh t , a n d it wa s a gr ea t
pr ivilege for m e t o be wit h h im on t h a t lovely da y. Now I t ell you t h is n ot on ly
beca u se I t h in k it ’s a st or y wor t h t ellin g in it s own r igh t , bu t a lso beca u se it
dem on st r a t es wh er e m y m ou n t a in eer in g ca r eer a n d my edu ca tion a l ca r eer come
t oget h er - a n d I su ppose it a lso u n der pin s m y pa ssion for pu blic edu ca t ion . Th is
ph otogr a ph a ctu a lly r ecor ds a r em a r ka ble m om en t : it m a r ks t h e wor ld r ecor d for
a m en t a lly disa bled per son clim bin g E ver est a n d it dem on str a t es th a t u n der t h e
r igh t con dit ion s even som eon e wit h a disa bilit y like Pa u l’s ca n do qu it e
Th e fir st pa ir of th e scen a r io Ma in ta in in g th e St a t u s Qu o is on e t h a t t h e
Bu r ea u cr a tic Sch ool System s Con t in u e. In th e UK, we a r e u sed t o h a vin g a
bu r ea u cr a t ic sch ool syst em wh er e t h er e a r e st r on g pr essu r es t owa r ds u n ifor m it y;
wh er e sch ools a r e kn it t ed t oget h er by complex a dm in ist r a t ive a r r a n gem en t s a n d
wh er e m edia comm en t a r ies (t h is does n ot a pply t o E n gla n d, of cou r se!) a r e
fr equ en t ly cr it ica l in t on e, bu t r a dica l ch a n ge is r esist ed. Th er e’s a feelin g t h a t
I believe th ese fou r dr iver s h old u p pr et t y well t o r obu st exa m in a t ion s of sch ool
syst em s a r ou n d t h e wor ld a n d of wh a t in dividu a l sch ools a r e doin g. H owever ,
wh ile I’ve ou t lin ed t h e pr in ciples u n der pin n in g ea ch of t h e fou r dr iver s, a n d
t h ese a r e impor t a n t , t h ey will of cou r se look differ en t depen din g on wh et h er
you ’r e t ea ch in g in a tou gh in n er cit y sch ool or in on e in a m or e pr ivileged u r ba n
or r u r a l sit u a t ion . In a ddit ion , we m u st con sider sch ool lea der sh ip sin ce it is t h e
sch ool lea der t h a t m ou lds t h ese dr iver s to t h e con t ext .
‘Syst em lea der s’ ca r e a bou t a n d wor k for th e su ccess of ot h er sch ools a s well
a s t h eir own . Th ey m ea su r e th eir su ccess in t er m s of im pr ovin g st u den t
lea r n in g a n d in cr ea sin g a ch ievem en t , a n d str ive t o bot h r a ise t h e ba r a n d
n a r r ow t h e ga p(s). Cr u cia lly t h ey a r e willin g t o sh ou lder syst em lea der sh ip
r oles in t h e belief th a t in or der t o ch a n ge t h e la r ger syst em you h a ve t o
en ga ge with it in a m ea n in gfu l wa y.’
Th e fir st poin t is th a t sch ool lea der sh ip is secon d on ly t o cla ssr oom in st r u ction a s
a pr edictor of st u den t a ch ievem en t . Th is of cou r se is n ot a dir ect effect; it ’s a n
in dir ect effect, in t er m s of h ow th e sch ool lea der cr ea t es th ose con dit ion s in side
t h e sch ool th a t will im pa ct posit ively u pon you n g people. Th er e a r e a lso a fa ir ly
con sist en t set of pr a ctices t h a t sch ool lea der s ca n en ga ge in if t h ey do wa n t t o
m a k e a differ en ce t o t h e lea r n in g of t h eir you n g people a n d I’ll det a il th ese
sh or t ly. Secon dly, t h er e a r e a lso a sm a ll h a n dfu l of per son a l t r a it s t h a t expla in a
h igh pr opor t ion of t h e va r ia t ion of lea der sh ip effectiven ess: ch a r a cter ist ics su ch
a s bein g open -m in ded, flexible, per sisten t a n d opt im ist ic, wh ich fly in t h e fa ce of
t h e h er oic, ch a r ism a t ic h ea d t ea ch er im a ge t h a t we see in t h e m edia so oft en .
H owever , t h e ba sic pr a ctices th a t dir ectly lin k lea der sh ip t o lea r n in g a r e t h ese:
do t h e sch ool lea der s set a dir ection ? Do t h ey h a ve a vision , a m or a l pu r pose t h a t
t h eir sch ool is a ll a bou t? Do t h ey m a n a ge t h e t ea ch in g a n d lea r n in g pr ocess? Do
t h ey develop t h eir st a ff? Do t h ey develop th e comm u n it y in side t h e sch ool? An d
do t h ey r edesign t h e or ga n isa t ion ?
So, if ou r sch ool lea der s a r e ser iou s a bou t im pr ovin g t h eir sch ools a n d ma kin g
t h em or ga n isa t ion s t h a t a r e fit for pu r pose, let u s con sider t h e im pa ct t h ey ca n
h a ve on t h e syst em a s a wh ole. I’ve a lr ea dy discu ssed t h e mor a l pu r pose of sch ool
lea der s a n d t h eir r ole in per son a l developm en t; t h e effective on es a lso h a ve a
h igh degr ee of st r a t egic a cu men sin ce t h is is essen t ia l to pu t t h eir idea s in t o
pr a ctice. Th ey wor k in t h e t h r ee dom a in s I m en t ion a bove - m a n a gin g, tea ch in g
a n d lea r n in g, developin g t h e or ga n isa t ion a n d developin g people - a n d
in cr ea sin gly t h ey a r e t a kin g a r ole in societ a l r efor m . Ou r r esea r ch of 3,000 h ea d
t ea ch er s in 2007 sh owed t h a t ou r lea din g h ea d t ea ch er s a r e a lso t a kin g on a
va r iet y of r oles t h a t I descr ibed a bove. Th er e a r e h ea d tea ch er s wh o a r e lea din g
p er p et u a t in g t h a t s ocia l d eclin e?
h a s in t h e p a s t .
p r ofes s ion a ls ?
in t r od u ce a S C IT T s ch em e (a S ch ool C en t r ed In it ia l T ea ch er T r a in in g s ch em e) in s id e a
t ir ed old ‘fu d d y-d u d d ies ’ you m igh t im a gin e in fa ilin g s ch ools . Wh en you t a lk a bou t
t h e op p or t u n it y.
beh a viou r .
in a n en vir on m en t w h er e t h e exp ect a t ion s for beh a viou r a n d t h e s it u a t ion s t h a t we’r e d ea lin g
im p or t a n ce.#
w h a t ever r ea s on br in g t h eir ou t s id e p r oblem s t o s ch ool, bu t I’m a bs olu t ely con vin ced t h a t t h e
r igh t lea d er s h ip ca n a d d r es s a lot of t h e m or e low er level beh a viou r a l p r oblem s t h a t you ’ve been
s it u a t ion r a t h er t h a n p u t t in g a s t ick in g p la s t er on it fu r t h er u p t h e s ys t em .
t h a n p a r t of t h e n a t u r a l en t it lem en t ea r ly on .
t h e r h et or ic.
Audience Mem ber: C a n I ju s t a s k you a qu es t ion a bou t colla bor a t ion ? I t h in k colla bor a t ion is
I k n ow t h a t you s a y t h er e ca n be k n ock -on effect s a n d ben efit s t o bot h t h e h igh -a ch ievin g s ch ool
is s u es a n d I t h in k t h a t ’s a r ea l p r oblem .
In t r odu ction by Pa u l Br et t
Professor Alison Wolf is th e Sir Roy Gr iffit h s Pr ofessor of pu blic sector
m a n a gemen t a t Kin g’s College Lon don . Pr ofessor Wolf specia lises in t h e
r ela tion sh ip bet ween edu ca t ion a n d t h e la bou r m a r ket a n d in fa ct is a specia list
a dvisor t o Th e H ou se of Common s’ select comm it t ee on edu ca t ion a n d skills. Sh e
h a s wide-r a n gin g exper ien ce, bot h in h igh er edu ca t ion a n d on gover n m en t bodies
a ddr essin g edu ca t ion m a t ter s.
A brief history
In t h e 1970s t h er e wa s a gr owin g bi-pa r tisa n con viction (‘bi-pa r t isa n ’ in t h e sen se
t h a t it in volved bot h pa r t ies bu t it didn ’t in volve ever ybody in bot h m a jor pa r t ies)
t h a t sch ools’ fr eedom a llied wit h a (pr ogr essive) edu ca t ion a l policy, wa s lea din g t o
in t oler a bly low gen er a l st a n da r ds of a ch ievem en t . At t h is tim e t h er e wa s ver y
lit t le cen t r a l con t r ol of t h e cu r r icu lu m , ver y little power for Th e Depa r t m en t of
E du ca tion a n d Scien ce (a s it wa s t h en ca lled t h r ou gh t h e 60s a n d 70s) a n d
cr u cia lly t h e E leven P lu s exa m wa s pr ogr essively bein g ph a sed ou t .
Consequences
Beca u se t h is h u ge a n d over bea r in g en t it y wa s so polit ica lly effective a n d h a d
been cr ea t ed wit h su ch speed, we h a ve, a s a cou n t r y, given r em a r ka bly a n d
t er r ifyin gly lit t le t h ou gh t t o wh a t edu ca tion sh ou ld a ctu a lly be a bou t ever sin ce.
H a vin g gon e t h r ou gh t h e t r a u m a of set t in g u p t h e cu r r icu lu m , we som eh ow seem
t o h a ve fou n d ou r selves sin ce t h en complet ely u n a ble t o t h in k in a n y coh er en t or
Wh a t we’ve n ow got is a tigh t lin k bet ween a ver y deta iled Na t ion a l Cu r r icu lu m
a n d a cen t r a lly dr iven t est in g pr ogr a m me. So, for exa m ple, GCSE s a r e ver y
clea r ly ba sed on Na t ion a l Cu r r icu lu m r equ ir em en ts a n d t h is lin k, beca u se of it s
st r en gt h h a s cr ea t ed a dyn a m ic wh ich is a t t h e h ea r t of th e pr oblem wit h t h e
Na t ion a l Cu r r icu lu m . Th is r equ ir es some expla n a n t ion . Wh en t h e Key Sta ge
t est s wer e fir st in t r odu ced in t o sch ools I th in k t h ey r ea lly didn ’t h a ve t h a t m u ch
impa ct. Cer t a in ly m y exper ien ce is t h a t t h ey wer e a n ‘a dd-on ’: a ft er th e fir st yea r
or t wo of u tt er ch a os in ever y in fa n t sch ool in t h e la n d, t ea ch er s coped wit h t h em ;
bu t gr a du a lly a s th e t ests wer e r eor ga n ised, a s t h e t a r get s cu t in on t h e
impor t a n ce of t h ese a n d th eir wa sh ba ck on a ctivity in t h e cla ssr oom gr ew, so t h e
impa ct beca m e m or e a ppa r en t . An d t h is is wh er e t h e dyn a m ic comes in . P olicies
h a ve a dyn a m ic; wh a t h a ppen s in t h e fir st yea r is n ot n ecessa r ily wh a t ’s goin g t o
h a ppen five yea r s down th e r oa d. So t h e situ a t ion wa s t h a t beca u se we’d
in t r odu ced a Na t ion a l Cu r r icu lu m , we cou ld in tr odu ce n a t ion a l t est s th a t wer e
t h in k p a r t icu la r ly if you k eep eleven yea r old t es t s , if you con t in u e t o h a ve, a s we w ill h a ve,
d on ’t t h in k a n y s ecr et a r y of s t a t e w ill.
a n yt h in g, bu t I d o t h in k you a ls o h a ve t o h a ve t h e p a r en t p ow er , t h e p a r en t ch oice in t h er e a s
w ell.
Audience Mem ber: I fou n d it ver y in t er es t in g, I’d ju s t lik e t o com e ba ck w it h a bit of a ch a llen ge
t ea ch er s t o d o is t o r is k -t a k e w it h t h e cu r r icu lu m . T h ey ju s t w on ’t d o it , t h ey a r e ju s t t oo s ca r ed
t a r get s a n d I w ou ld n ’t h a ve P S As a n y m or e.
bu t a ga in it s or t of r eflect s w h a t is ou t t h er e in t er m s of d is cu s s ion a n d r es ea r ch a n d
w h en you com p a r e w h a t t h a t 14-19 r eview is lik e in t er m s of lot s of s t u ff a bou t t h e r ela t ive life
that.
w or k in g on s om et h in g if it ’s n ot goin g t o h a p p en , s om e gr ou p s w ill, a n d I t h in k t h e R S A is t h e
obviou s on e a n d h a s con t in u ed t o p u s h t h is a s h a r d a s it ca n bu t a ga in …. I m ea n , I wa n d er ed
a ll, a n d a ct u a lly, n o.