Articles
Learning matters. But does education matter?
In our research on highly effective people in work they mention a wide range of qualities and competences that make them effective. Mostly these are learned not genetic. They also mention a very wide range of ways in which they learned that can include... read more »
If children are free to learn whatever they want, how do they learn what schools provide?
This is a common question when parents visit. One basis for this assumption is that somehow schools provide a rich, broad, child-centred curriculum that prepares them well for their careers and future life. Nothing could be further from the truth as the National Curriculum... read more »
Debunking Educational Myths: Empowering Parents for Informed Choices
How about a fun twist on the 'Would I Lie to You' TV programme to uncover some common myths about education. Let's debunk them! Myth 1: "School is the preferred option for children's education, and parents can only home educate with permission." Truth: The law says... read more »
How can education prepare children to lead a good life - ABC Magazine
I would guess that no one ever said on their deathbed: “I wish I had got better grades at GCSE”. In fact, research on deathbed regrets suggests that people in different parts of the world show similar responses. A top regret, for instance, is... read more »
This is the Best Thing in School - SML at Uckfield Community College
Written by Andrea Hazeldine, Deputy Principal and Head of College, Uckfield Community Technology College Introduction The title is taken from a comment made by a Year 8 student at the College. This article outlines the approach that prompted that comment – and others such as ‘I’ve... read more »
The importance of well-being in education
Published in the May 2022 edition of ABC magazine. It may surprise some parents that research on adults has shown that the best predictor of life satisfaction is wellbeing in childhood and not factors such as academic achievement and exam grades. In fact test results... read more »
Marcus Rashford as a model for learning
Published in RSA COMMENT May 2021. Marcus Rashford has made an enormous impact for a young footballer. Ian Cunningham FRSA argues that Rashford is an exemplar of an effective learner and that there are lessons for the educational world from this. In a tweet posted on... read more »
How school pupils are indoctrinated in thinking about education.
(Published in LibEd journal, Summer 2014, online journal) In the summer of 2014 there was a national conference on ‘Student Voice’ held in London to which schools (teachers and students) were invited. The idea was to explore ways for young people to have more of... read more »
Learning for the Future
Article published in Sussex Newspaper, 2020 The Guardian newspaper reported a conference speaker who challenged his audience with the comment: “Any job that can be exhaustively defined – for instance in a job description or a manual of procedures – will eventually be subject to... read more »
STRUCTURES FOR AUTONOMY – THE EXPERIENCE OF SELF MANAGED LEARNING COLLEGE
(Published in Education Revolution in the USA; 2010) Too often there is confusion about the difference between structure and control when talking about freedom or autonomy for learners. I want to say something about these ideas and to give examples from our practice in using... read more »