{"id":6610,"date":"2016-03-07T07:51:11","date_gmt":"2016-03-07T07:51:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/edswahs\/?p=6610"},"modified":"2016-03-07T07:51:11","modified_gmt":"2016-03-07T07:51:11","slug":"the-purpose-and-quality-of-education-in-england","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/edswahs\/2016\/03\/07\/the-purpose-and-quality-of-education-in-england\/","title":{"rendered":"The purpose and quality of education in England"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I've been reading the arguments\u00a0made following\u00a0the recent House of Commons <a href=\"http:\/\/www.parliament.uk\/business\/committees\/committees-a-z\/commons-select\/education-committee\/\">Education<\/a> select committee\u00a0call for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.parliament.uk\/business\/committees\/committees-a-z\/commons-select\/education-committee\/inquiries\/parliament-2015\/purpose-quality-education-england-15-16\/\">submissions<\/a> on the purpose and quality of education in England. \u00a0Written evidence was invited to address the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What the purpose of education for children of all ages in England should be<\/li>\n<li>What measures should be used to evaluate the quality of education against this purpose<\/li>\n<li>How well the current education system performs against these measures<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The deadline for written submissions was January 25th.<\/p>\n<p>What struck me was the number that focused on 'outdoor learning', and I hope the committee can work out the difference between the\u00a0<em>Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, <\/em>the<em> English Outdoor Council, <\/em>the<em> Field Studies Council, <\/em>and the<em> Institute for Outdoor Learning<\/em>, because I'm not sure I can. \u00a0Time for mergers and acquisitions, some might think.<\/p>\n<p>This is how some of the various submissions began. \u00a0I've cut them off after 10 lines \u2013 in mid sentence sometimes \u2013 as there's only a short time to make an impression. \u00a0Some of the arguments are commendably brief, others more rambling. \u00a0Some seem overly\u00a0self-serving, but that's the nature of the times. \u00a0What seems significant is the list of organisations that have <em>not<\/em> made a submission.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/data.parliament.uk\/writtenevidence\/committeeevidence.svc\/evidencedocument\/education-committee\/purpose-and-quality-of-education-in-england\/written\/27693.html\"><em><strong>IOL<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p>If the purpose of education is to enable children and young people to effectively and sustainably address issues relating to global, local, interpersonal and intra-personal needs, then outdoor learning is a powerful and engaging medium. \u00a0Forms of outdoor learning can make a real difference in meeting key areas of need and enabling young people to better realise their potential and contribute to UK society. \u00a0Employers want young people who are enthusiastic, confident, creative and resilient. \u00a0Although qualifications are the most important dimension of educational disadvantage the challenge goes beyond exams.\u00a0 The chances of doing well in a job are not determined solely by academic success \u2013 the possession of character skills\u00a0like persistence and \u2018grit\u2019 also matter.\u00a0(Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, 2014). \u00a0Similar points are made by UKCES and acknowledged by the APPG on Social Mobility.\u00a0\u00a0It is worth noting the success of the National Citizen Service (NCS) programme in responding to these issues and the role of residential outdoor learning in that success.\u00a0 Phase 2 of the NCS programme involves 15-16 year olds staying at least 1 hours travel from home and mostly participating in outdoor activities with associated facilitated reflection and personal development.\u00a0 The NCS 2014 evaluation by Ipsos Mori (December 2015), points to a clear growth of confidence in meeting &amp; working.\u00a0...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/data.parliament.uk\/writtenevidence\/committeeevidence.svc\/evidencedocument\/education-committee\/purpose-and-quality-of-education-in-england\/written\/27511.html\"><em><strong>CLOtC<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Education should be a preparation for society\u2019s grand challenges. \u00a0It should be a balance between preparation for work; personal and social wellbeing; and a sustainable future. \u00a0It should enable citizens to make informed decisions and work to reduce social inequalities. \u00a0Skills,\u00a0knowledge, breadth of experience, health and well-being are all vital elements of education in preparing children for life. \u00a0\u00a0A broad experience base will better enable children to thrive and cope with the pace of change in the modern world. \u00a0A narrow experience base can prove a significant barrier to learning and development. \u00a0Therefore all\u00a0children\u00a0must\u00a0have the opportunity to experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of education, regardless of their age, ability and personal circumstances. \u00a0Educational policy and practice should\u00a0recognise that learning\u00a0should be\u00a0supported\u00a0by\u00a0using\u00a0a variety of methods and that\u00a0learning outside the classroom (LOtC)\u00a0offers\u00a0a\u00a0valuable\u00a0stimulus and context\u00a0to learning\u00a0that motivates learners and facilitates\u00a0application of knowledge and skills. \u00a0In order to support\u00a0LOtC, teachers need training and experience of it\u00a0in order to gain\u00a0confidence\u00a0and become\u00a0inspirational to future generations. \u00a0To ensure that the benefits of\u00a0LOtC\u00a0are available to all, provision should\u00a0therefore\u00a0be made for\u00a0LOtC\u00a0in both initial teacher training and CPD.\u00a0...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/data.parliament.uk\/writtenevidence\/committeeevidence.svc\/evidencedocument\/education-committee\/purpose-and-quality-of-education-in-england\/written\/27486.html\"><em><strong>FSC<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Education should allow the development of learners who can achieve their full potential, regardless of their economic or social background. \u00a0It should produce successful, motivated and confident learners\u00a0who then go on to achieve economic wellbeing, making a positive contribution to society. \u00a0Beyond specific subject knowledge, the purpose of a high quality education should ensure social and personal development by providing opportunities to build life skills, social skills, character and resilience and to ensure both physical and mental wellbeing. \u00a0Education should develop a generation of learners who become environmentally literate and responsible citizens who understand the world around them and the role\u00a0that they can play in contributing to a sustainable future. \u00a0The FSC believes that the evidence shows that that experiential outdoor learning and field studies outside the classroom, particularly experienced on residential visits, are essential in delivering these purposes in the following ways: \u00a0High quality day or residential fieldwork and learning outside the classroom are vital elements of an\u00a0imaginative and contemporary education.\u00a0 There is often no substitute for exploring real world examples to bring classroom learning to life and make links between different elements\u00a0of the curriculum.\u00a0\u00a0Fieldwork is essential for students to develop their\u00a0understanding of subjects such as science and \u00a0\u00a0...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/data.parliament.uk\/writtenevidence\/committeeevidence.svc\/evidencedocument\/education-committee\/purpose-and-quality-of-education-in-england\/written\/27460.html\"><strong><em>EOC<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The EOC\u00a0supports the underlying concept that the education system should equip young people with the necessary skills for life allowing them to grow and flourish as individuals and make a positive contribution to society. \u00a0These \u2018skills for life\u2019 are essential in\u00a0supporting\u00a0social mobility and\u00a0preparing young people for a world characterised by increasingly rapid change and one in which people\u2019s everyday lives become more and more segregated from the natural world and our stewardship of it. \u00a0The requirement of a school to develop students socially, morally, spiritually and culturally should be renamed as \u2018character development\u2019 and placed on an equal par with attainment measures. \u00a0It should also replace the current requirement to encourage \u2018British values\u2019. \u00a0The current system of evaluating the quality of education solely through exams and testing stifles the ability of schools to provide the broad and balanced curriculum required by OfSTED, employers and society at large. \u00a0We need to redress the balance and provide a greater emphasis on the development of life skills and encourage the importance of measuring and recording these alongside formal examinations. \u00a0Outdoor learning and adventurous activities can provides an evidenced\u00a0medium for developing such \u2018life skills\u2019 and applying both these and formal learning in real world settings.\u00a0There is strong evidence that outdoor learning and adventurous ...<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/data.parliament.uk\/writtenevidence\/committeeevidence.svc\/evidencedocument\/education-committee\/purpose-and-quality-of-education-in-england\/written\/27397.html\">Forest Schools<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Education should be a combination of supporting individual's learning and\u00a0development,\u00a0helping\u00a0each individual\u00a0identify their own\u00a0needs, motivations, skills\u00a0and aspirations\u00a0and working with these,\u00a0developing their full potential\u00a0and\u00a0well-being. \u00a0Education should be encouraging a love and understanding of learning, exciting the imagination\u00a0and\u00a0helping learners grow\u00a0in a real world context.\u00a0\u00a0Learning should be extending individual\u2019s capacities intellectually, physically, practically, socially and emotionally - resourcing healthy, positive well balanced lives. There\u00a0should\u00a0also\u00a0be\u00a0opportunities to encourage learners\u00a0to imagine\u00a0and contribute to\u00a0new\u00a0'possible' sustainable\u00a0worlds. \u00a0A key purpose of education should be equipping children with the capacity\u00a0to deal with uncertainty and change\u00a0in a personal, social, environmental and global context.\u00a0 To this end\u00a0children need to be educated\u00a0to think for\u00a0themselves\u00a0and equipped with the skills and knowledge required for living in the 21st\u00a0century.\u00a0Education\u00a0should be enabling children to take ownership of their own learning in dialogue and partnership with their educators and other significant people in their lives.\u00a0 In order to contribute positively as global citizens it is vital that children are equipped with the skills to communicate positively with others form positive relationships. \u00a0Education should be fostering a sense of self and purpose in life and giving ...<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/data.parliament.uk\/writtenevidence\/committeeevidence.svc\/evidencedocument\/education-committee\/purpose-and-quality-of-education-in-england\/written\/27555.html\">RSPB<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>The RSPB believes that the purpose of education\u00a0must\u00a0include both individual development and\u00a0preparing\u00a0children\u00a0to meet\u00a0society\u2019s\u00a0broader\u00a0challenges. It should\u00a0therefore\u00a0be a balance between preparation for work;\u00a0developing\u00a0personal and social wellbeing; and\u00a0contributing to a\u00a0sustainable future. \u00a0The RSPB believes that connecting with nature should be a part of every child\u2019s life \u2013 to develop deeply-held feelings and attitudes towards wildlife and the world we all live in. In addition to these benefits to saving nature, the latest research has shown that the more a child is connected to nature, the healthier they feel and the higher their education attainment. \u00a0In 2013, the RSPB launched national baseline measures of UK children\u2019s connection to nature \u2013 revealing that only one-in-five have a level of connection\u00a0to nature that we consider to be a realistic and achievable target for all children.\u00a0 We believe Government should adopt this measure to monitor future progress. \u00a0While all sectors of society must play a role in connecting children with nature, school education is a crucial factor.\u00a0 We believe that Section 78 of the Education Act (2002) should be amended to include learning to care for the natural environment as a requirement of \u2018a balanced and broadly based curriculum\u2019 for all schools in England.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/data.parliament.uk\/writtenevidence\/committeeevidence.svc\/evidencedocument\/education-committee\/purpose-and-quality-of-education-in-england\/written\/27481.html\">Geographical Association<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>There was a time when the purpose of education was self-evident - education\u00a0was\u00a0the purpose: it was a worthwhile end in itself. This was fine, so long as there was a strong consensus over what \u2018education\u2019 means. This is no longer true. \u00a0Thus, society rightly keeps the question about the purpose of education alive. It is never finally settled. Economic and social priorities seem to compete. Notions of cultural heritage are from time to time influential. Psychological and other scientific perspectives sometimes come in to play. In the meantime, organised religions frequently appear to see education as a bulwark against looser belief systems and values perspectives such as consumerism. \u00a0Thus the purpose of education is difficult to reduce to a simple statement, as the complexity indicated in the above paragraph is considerable (although as we shall see, it can still yield a straightforward and coherent answer). \u00a0It is perhaps not surprising therefore that discussion of this question often reveals deep confusion. This was nicely illustrated by Simon Kelner in the\u00a0The Independent\u00a0(15 January 2016). Under a headline \u201cI miss the days when learning facts was necessary\u201d (introducing a little nostalgia to the debate), we have half a column railing against the futility of learning facts. He then concludes that schools need to move on and not waste their time drilling children with useless information: \u201c\u2026 it strikes me that at some ...<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/data.parliament.uk\/writtenevidence\/committeeevidence.svc\/evidencedocument\/education-committee\/purpose-and-quality-of-education-in-england\/written\/27283.html\">Royal Geographic Society<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Education should\u00a0equip\u00a0children\u00a0and young people\u00a0with the knowledge, skills and \u2018environment\u2019\u00a0to\u00a0achieve their full potential,\u00a0so that they can:\u00a0\u00a0progress into further study, should they wish <strong>\/<\/strong>\u00a0develop successful careers<strong> \/<\/strong>\u00a0become informed and engaged members of British society <strong>\/<\/strong>\u00a0expand their\u00a0social and cultural\u00a0horizons. \u00a0To do so,\u00a0education\u00a0should:\u00a0enable children to gain a substantive set of knowledge through the physical and social sciences, the humanities and arts, including knowledge about the people, places and environments of the world; <strong>\/<\/strong>\u00a0develop transferable skills including thinking, writing, mathematical, analytical and problem solving, communication, team and practical skills; <strong>\/<\/strong>\u00a0gain\u00a0a life-long curiosity and thirst for learning; <strong>\/<\/strong>\u00a0encourage a sense of community within a supportive learning environment. \u00a0Within this, the study of geography provides a distinctive, relevant and essential contribution\u00a0to a young person\u2019s education. \u00a0It equips pupils with knowledge about\u00a0the world\u2019s\u00a0diverse\u00a0people,\u00a0placesand\u00a0environments\u00a0while also guiding them to understand their local communities\u00a0and places,\u00a0and the UK as a whole.\u00a0In addition,\u00a0it enables them to understand how physical and human processes\u00a0shape\u00a0and change\u00a0our\u00a0world\u00a0at all scales, and how they\u00a0present\u00a0opportunities and challenges for our economy, society and environment. \u00a0Embedded in geography is the learning of a wide range of ...<\/p>\n<p>............................................<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I've been reading the arguments\u00a0made following\u00a0the recent House of Commons Education select committee\u00a0call for submissions on the purpose and quality of education in England. \u00a0Written evidence was invited to address the following: What the purpose of education for children of...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":237,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6610","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-comment","category-new-publications"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/edswahs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6610","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/edswahs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/edswahs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/edswahs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/237"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/edswahs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6610"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/edswahs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6610\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/edswahs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6610"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/edswahs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6610"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/edswahs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}