It’s been a long break from Centre for School Design activity – but with a lot of British Council for School Environments work in December including a study tour to New York and New Jersey, a new board of trustees and chairperson (Rachel Jones), a new office move to Islington, a second screening of the film Waiting for Superman with the thinktank Policy Exchange – and some big planning for 2011… we have used last few weeks to recover regroup! Continue reading →
New Year: time for fresh thinking on school capital
Waiting for Superman: Free Schools vs Local Schools – the debate starts here
On Monday 22 November, we are lucky enough to be hosting the first UK screening of the Oscar shortlisted film ‘Waiting for Superman‘ that has rocked the US education system and is set to send the debate about Free Schools in the UK into orbit. We know that the film will generate a huge amount of debate between… in the Blue Corner - Free School promoters and advocates such as Michael Gove, Toby Young and Rachel Wolf vs in the Red Corner - Free School detractors and critics including Christine Blower from the NUT and Fiona Millar, Melissa Benn and co at the Local Schools Network. Well let the debate start here… Continue reading →
Studio Schools – if its good enough for Da Vinci…
Yesterday’s national launch of Studio Schools represents a major step forward for thinking about future schooling. This has been a patient, studied five year evolution that is set to be one of the much needed revolutions the system needs. Incubated and piloted under New Labour and now validated by the Coalition this could represent a momentous and welcome moment of cross party consensus around curriculum, practical learning and the role of true life skills for our 14-19 yr olds. As the introduction brochure notes:
“In a country in which most lessons are taught in a traditional way, Studio Schools provide a radical alternative that will make a real difference to the lives of young people up and down the country.” Continue reading →
Lord Knight: the future of school design
The BCSE Building Better Schools conference was in full swing one week ago.
We are still getting some great feedback from participants and speakers alike – including this comment from leading journalist Fiona Millar: Continue reading →
Lessons from the US for UK education policy
There is an incredible synergy and alignment between US and UK policy at the moment, that is set to change the terms of debate in education. Despite the headlines around Swedish style schools – the growth of academies and free schools owes much more to the Charter Schools movement in the US as well as high profile programmes such as Knowledge is Power, New Visions for Public Schools and the Harlem Children’s Zone. This is one of the reasons why we are planning a major US-UK study tour and symposium in December to visit and explore these connections. Continue reading →
Let’s be proud of our schools – set them free
We all have a memory of that place we call school. A moment of insight or fun; a teacher that inspired; the classroom; the sports field; an art room; a playground; a science experiment; the awful toilets. Our childhood in our schools has for many a particular and enduring place in our memories. And schools stir great passions and great divides – when in fact there is more to connect us together than divide us. And in an increasingly competitive education system globally, there is now more to gain from having a common sense view about our schools – so we don’t fall further behind Singapore, Finland or China. Continue reading →
Free Schools Thinking launched
At a packed event of 150 teachers, educationalists, MPs, designers, contractors and policy makers at the Houses of Parliament yesterday – hosted by Graham Stuart, Chair of the Education Select Committee – we launched our latest publication Free Schools Thinking. It comes on a historic day – when the British government announced its Comprehensive Spending Review and when funding and budgets in schools and other public services have been cut. Yet despite times of austerity, we argue that it more vital than ever for schools to be ‘freed up’ to think differently about the way they work in terms of the places, spaces, times and people who can help make our education system compete with the best in the world.
We are really pleased to have received some excellent comments from a number of high profile education leaders and some great media coverage. If you want to add your own comment, please email me at ian[at]bcse.org.uk. Our Free Schools Thinking website is also live and we are now looking for funding and support to turn this into a major site and resource for all those with an interest in New Schools, Academies and with our Free Schools Thinking approach. Continue reading →
Free Schools Thinking – what is our new report saying?
We are really thrilled to be launching our new BCSE / Centre for School Design publication Free Schools Thinking on the 20 October 2010 – the day of the announcement of the UK Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review. The timing is not a coincidence. We feel strongly that despite budgets in education and across the public sector being cut, that the thinking about education should not be cut back too. Teachers, parents and those working with schools should be encouraged and enabled to ‘free up’ the way they work, the people they work with and the places and spaces where teaching and learning takes place – so they can find new ways of improving their schools and the education system as a whole. Continue reading →
School environments DO matter
Its been pretty disheartening to see the debate taking place in the media recently that are carrying stories that buildings and school environments don’t make a difference. Despite this view flying in the face of all common sense, the practical experience of teachers and young people, an enormous chunk of evidence from office, retail and the commercial sector from around the world and a decent, albeit smaller scale chunk of evidence from schools in the UK – the view seems to go unchallenged. Well until now… Continue reading →
Hard politics and new directions for schools
This is a swirling and confusing time for those involved in schools and education. As a new landscape is taking shape there are a few things to note and a some to be wary of. It’s a heady mix for teachers and those at the sharp end as we wait for the headline spending figures on October 20th in the Spending Review. So ahead of our BCSE Annual Conference which focuses on the changing policy landscape – here are my top five areas of interest that will provide some of the dynamics of the shifting policy season through the Autumn and sharp Winter. Continue reading →
