#Hopes4Ed Event Summary: There is a new conversation about education

This event will focused on our #Hopes4Ed theme #01: There is a new public conversation about education: Launch a commission on the future of education and learning in England that unites the needs and ambitions of learners, educators, employers, and parents.

 

To tackle the challenges of the future, we need to design education systems with a broader set of outcomes that support ‘whole child’ development and help young people develop the capability to thrive through change and become agents of change themselves.

 

The HeadsUp4HTs community are dedicated to this. Now is the time to discuss what the future of education should look like and what needs to change in order to make this happen.

 

Big Change have recently published a report in collaboration with IPPR detailing how Covid-19 has disrupted learning in an unprecedented way, and how we might rethink educational priorities to build back better. This means preparing children for life, not just exams & tackling inequalities outside, as well as inside, the classroom.

 

Have a read here: https://www.ippr.org/research/publications/the-new-normal and let us know your thoughts by completing this short survey bit.ly/bigchangesurvey

 

We will focused our HeadsUp4HTs discussions for this event around 3 key points:

  1. a conversation about how our education system can prepare children for life, not just exams
  2. a conversation about where and how learning takes place – as well as who is involved in it
  3. a conversation about the need to tackle inequalities outside, as well as inside, the classroom.

 

Here are some summarised points from the event. The voices of REAL, AUTHENTIC school leaders and big changers at the coal face of the education system.

 

What is Education for?

 

At our special school we have revised our whole curriculum to 'empower our pupils to take on the world'. Our whole school focus each half term is a 'big idea' - eg this half term DIVERSITY (in terms of race) and our teaching is underpinned by Oracy (Voice21)

 

The first thing I would say is what eduction is not. Stealing the late, great Sir Ken’s view, I don’t believe education should be based on the industrialisation of the employment market. I believe education is a mission to live out your talents in the pursuit of contributing to community.

 

Society has inevitably changed and this liminal space should be an opportunity and  time to evolve.

 

As a parent and campaigner I’d like to see schools liberated from backwards-looking education policy, especially around assessment and certain aspects of curriculum, so that all children can thrive and fulfil their potential. At the moment ideological clinging to assessment on the part of policy makers is the tail that wags the dog, and we see narrowed curriculums, children’s love of learning supressed,  valuable teaching time wasted, deprived communities left behind and teachers and heads throughly beaten down. There’s a huge opportunity for change now.

 

We often talk about the beat of the drum... OFSTED drum? Or a values-based, school mission drum? This comes down to what a) the accountability structure is and b) how success is measured and valued.

 

Across the Whole Education network we found that Student agency was the key barrier to remote learning - i.e. access to technology was a barrier but not the barrier - agency was

 

The system currently measures success by grades

 

But what do we measure the success of education by ...we'd all agree it's wider than the results. We need to reclaim this.

 

I agree with the focus on looking beyond exams - the role of tech in ed is much more complicated - not least because use of digital needs to be driven by pedagogy not vice versa, and the what digital pedagogy means for the primary age group is unresolved.  Plus giving everyone digital resources doesn't  solve the problems of sufficient physical space to use them in at home

 

Redefining success will be at the heart of the Co-mission’s agenda

 

There's so much in the neuroscience and EQ linked to disadvantage as well as belonging and agency. Social stereotyping is bound up with so many assumptions and expectations

 

The schools I've looked at in US that have flourished have recognise the value of community agency in education and how this responsibility is broader than just with schools.

 

What is education if our young people leave school without understanding and knowing how to find their place in the world?

 

For our pupils (SEND) the ability to communicate their needs and to be able to make informed decisions and reach informed opinions is key to their success and happiness in life

 

All too often I hear the term 'hard to reach communities' This is always from schools / academy chains that have often isolated the community and have kept them away because of the drive to get the best outcomes

 

Do we feel that the curriculum is narrowing post pandemic? Or, is there a renewed focus on a more holistic curriculum? Is our curriculum out dated and irrelevant in the ‘new normal’ post COVID?

 

We've expanded our curriculum - more protected time for outdoor learning, music & art - all great for positive mental health.

We have an archaic system & archaic curriculum in comparison to schools worldwide. Look at the outcomes of the curriculum in schools like The Green Schools in Bali and SA, a complete different outlook on what education should be with an incredible focus on ethical curriculum and sustainable living

 

The work I did with the RSC ( real Shakespeare people) all supported developing rich language and active engagement with language for all, not drilling for tests. AP children and children from diverse backgrounds felt valued and LOVED it...they flourished. It formed the basis from a rich and vibrant approach to curriculum.

 

Our research with parents and children on the subject of assessment in this school year: 

https://www.morethanascore.org.uk/parents-call-for-government-to-cancel-sats-in-2021-and-put-childrens-well-being-first/

 

Research with parents on the issues in general, showing that SATs  results are definitely not a priority when it comes to choosing a school: https://www.morethanascore.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Parents-research.pdf

 

https://www.morethanascore.org.uk/primary-school-leaders-deliver-damning-verdict-on-high-pressure-testing/

 

The constraints of the system have for too long prevented schools from doing things differently. How can we show that there is another way when leaders fear what could happen?

 

I’m going to be a little bit provocative…..we have been here before with regards to wanting a different way…..the biggest difference is that we need to use the opportunity to action the change - I love discussion but I would also welcome action

 

So, what we need is actionable steps. To feed this back to DfE, to unions.

 

I've sat in on several conversations including with Head trade unions, where heads have been very strongly arguing against catch up and arguing also that their members shouldn't play the role of Ofsted inspectors, monitoring how fast catch up is going.  Our research project conducted a systematic review of the literature on "learning disruption" - not learning loss, a good deal of which is misleading.  The findings emphasise that recovery is helped by slowing down the curriculum, providing space for creative activities and opportunities for children to talk about their experience.  This is a useful reference point to counter the learning loss narrative that emphasises catching up

 

Agreed, slowing down the pace of curriculum and focus on getting the fundamentals right

 

The SEN curriculum has always been and will always be about the whole person. With SEN, we devise the outcomes that young people work towards and are assessed against. so powerful. We get to make a difference.

 

You might be interested in this paper on some ongoing research on the Phonics test in Year 2 bit.ly/AB_PSC

 

It takes us all to come together to make a difference. One HT in their school refusing to do the PSC just ends up with that HT in hot bother. We need to rise up together for change to be possible and now is the time.

 

We've been trying in the IOE project with Gemma to capture and document primary schools' experiences - to amplify the voices of the people who know what is happening in the real world. 

 

If you unpick what works, it’s because there’s a focus on the whole child, it is not exams driven and it’s about life skills and inner curriculum

 

I wonder if there are other ways of rebuilding stronger local partnerships between schools so that individual heads aren't left alone with the decisions they take.  Estelle Morris is chairing the Birmingham Education Partnership which is committed to working with all schools in or out of LA management - rather like London challenge

 

We have designed a system that allows a third of kids to feel like they’ve failed! What even IS that?

 

How about involving/looking at parents, children and communities as shareholders so that we are serving the needs of the people that the school lives in.

 

If SATs etc don’t go ahead this, that will be two years without them! Without the world ending. That is a very strong evidence base to say they should not come back.

 

Get parents on board by educating them too.  Together offer a curriculum that works for our community. 

 

We are doing something at a school level - we have transformed our curriculum and have consulted with staff and pupils. We are just getting on with it because we know its the right thing to do. So far the results (engagement and 'buzz') are exciting and are keeping us going through tough times

 

Our children are the business of everyone..Whether we like it or not the world is transforming...we HAVE to transform their education...it won't fit their world. This is part of the message. The world has changed, and we can all clearly see what attitudes, skills and values that have been so valuable in working through this and thinking creatively about it.