16/11/2013 1www.nga.org.uk

The Great Education DebateIan Bauckham

ASCL

Three phases

• The purposes of education

• The leadership of learning

• Systems and structures

How do you define an educated person?

Purposes of education

• Build mastery of subjects, skills and concepts• To prepare young people to be effective in the

workplace• To inspire young people to learn to learn – lifelong

learners• To develop resilience and creativity through learning

from failure• To develop informed and active citizens who can

contribute to society• To enable young people to grow up as happy and

balanced individuals

Individual

Less functional

More functional

Collective

Fulfil potential

Happy individual

High achievement

Mastery of workplace skills

Better life chances

Improving society

Active citizenship

Contributing to society

• Does your school’s approach or philosophy tend to favour a particular purpose?

• Do you think the government is emphasising the right purposes for education in its policies?

Ofsted on Outstanding leadership of learning

“Leaders focus relentlessly on improving teaching and learning and provide focussed professional development for all staff. This is underpinned by searching performance management. As a result, teaching is outstanding. The school’s curriculum provides and sustains a thirst for knowledge and a love of learning. It provides opportunities for academic, technical and sporting excellence.”

• What makes an excellent teacher?

• What makes an excellent headteacher (as a leader of learning)?

• How can we best motivate and enable teachers (and heads) to sustain high performance?

Why does the government believe that large scale academisation is the best way to improve education in our country?

Do you agree with the approach?

Two ‘mindsets’ (to provoke discussion!)

Maintained school ‘mindset’• Governed by education law• Focus on observance of

regulation • ‘Top down’ energy flow• Encourages compliance• Process rather than

outcome

Academy ‘mindset’• Governed by contract – can

be terminated• Focus on building up ethos

and identity• ‘Bottom up’ energy flow• Encourages

entrepreneurialism• Outcome rather than

process