With the appointment of
Gillian Keegan as Secretary of State for Education, it is said that the government has signalled its wish to reform 11 to 19 education, and there is talk of a baccalaureate style approach with greater emphasis on work-related learning. The Times ran an
Education Commission over the last couple of years and now says that the government must have been listening to it. The Times’ plan is summarised here:
A 12-point plan for education
1 A British Baccalaureate
It would offer broader academic and vocational qualifications at 18, with parity in funding per pupil in both routes, and a slimmed-down set of exams at 16 to bring out the best in every child.
2 ‘Electives premium’
This should be offered for all schools to be spent on activities including drama, music, dance and sport and a National Citizen Service experience for every pupil, with volunteering and outdoor pursuits expeditions to ensure that the co-curricular activities enjoyed by the most advantaged become available to all.
3 New cadre of Career Academies
These would be elite technical and vocational sixth forms with close links to industry, mirroring the academic sixth forms that are being established and a new focus on creativity and entrepreneurialism in education to unleash the economic potential of Britain.
4 Significant boost to early years funding
The extra funding should be targeted at the most vulnerable. A unique pupil number would be given to every child from birth, to level the playing field before they get to school. Every primary school should have a library.
5 Army of undergraduate tutors
The students would earn credit towards their degrees by helping pupils who fall behind to catch up.
6 Making the most of tech
A laptop or tablet for every child, greater use of artificial intelligence in schools, colleges and universities to personalise learning, reduce teacher workload and prepare young people better for future employment.
7 Wellbeing at the heart of education
A counsellor should be placed in every school and an annual wellbeing survey of pupils carried out to encourage schools to actively build resilience rather than just support students once problems have arisen.
8 Bring out the best in teaching
The profession’s status and appeal would be increased with better career development, revalidation every five years and a new category of consultant teachers, promoted within the classroom, as well as a new teaching apprenticeship.
9 A reformed Ofsted
Ofsted should work collaboratively with schools to secure sustained improvement, rather than
operating through fear, and a new “school report card” with a wider range of metrics including wellbeing, school culture, inclusion and attendance to unleash the potential of schools.
10 Better training
Teachers should be trained to identify children who have special educational needs, a greater focus should be placed on inclusion and a duty put on schools to remain accountable for the pupils they exclude to draw out the talent in every child.
11 New university campuses
New campuses should be created in 50 higher education “cold spots”, including satellite wings in further education colleges. In addition, pay and conditions in the FE sector should be improved and a transferrable credit system between universities and colleges created to boost stalled British productivity.
12 A 15-year strategy for education
The strategy should be drawn up in consultation with business leaders, scientists, local mayors, civic leaders and cultural figures, putting education above short-term party politics and bringing out the best in our schools, colleges and universities.
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There is little emphasis here on what should be taught / learned in this new approach, and few mentions of climate / biodiversity in the report itself (and none related to sustainability). Is the government likely to do better in this regard we wonder.
