Professor Bill Lucas, Centre for Real-World Learning at the University of Winchester, one of the authors of ‘Educating Ruby’ is another voice in education stressing the real need for change
Bill Lucas launched the Expansive Education Network with a plea to the newly appointed MP Damian Hinds as Secretary of State for Education.
“What’s the true purpose of education?
Almost exactly two years ago the Education Select Committee asked this question. At the Centre for Real-World Learning we worked with nine national bodies to see if common agreement could be reached – Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), City & Guilds, Comino Foundation, Centre for the Use of Research and Evidence in Education (CUREE), Mercers’ Company, PTA UK, Royal Academy of Engineers, Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) and Schools of Tomorrow.
Of the suggestions we made, two seem particularly important at the moment, that education should:
- see capabilities and character as equally important as success in individual subjects, and
- make vocational and academic routes equally valued.
Can you help us change the conversation so that we begin to talk about these two twin aspirations for education – success in any test of character and success in examinations, a focus on ‘hand’ and ‘heart’ as well as on ‘head’ – as being equally desirable?”
Read in full