Two eminent figures in Scottish education, Ken Muir and Louise Hayward, provided much food for thought at the School Leaders Scotland (SLS) conference this month. Both were very positively received and continue to inspire and constructively provoke the profession. We are lucky to have them.
Professor Muir stated that the aim is to “deliver radical change at a pace at which the system can cope”. Professor Hayward, meanwhile, compared the moving parts of the national education system to the intricate components of a mechanical watch. After three decades working in Scottish education - and with a hobby in basic watch tinkering - here is my perspective.
Pace and sequencing
Educators are amid the most profound professional self-reflection of our lifetime. We thought that relatively recent certification reforms, pedagogical movements and curricular reimaginings were important. They were - but they did not happen simultaneously. That is precisely what is being attempted now.
Few would argue against the need to check if we are still doing the right things for learners. Few would argue against the need to question whether our national organisations and structures are the best they can be. Yet, if we change everything at the same time, will those at ground level (that is, classroom practitioners) have the capacity to adapt and respond accordingly?
What’s more, are the risks of changing several moving parts at the same time consistent with the principles of the leadership of change? Amid all this change, how do we know what is working well and what still needs adjustment?
The teacher workforce in Scotland is stretched, and there is no indication of pressures easing. We have certainly not lost hope for the young people in our schools, but more and more of our time is spent remediating all kinds of social issues and resource gaps, so inevitably less time is spent on honing pedagogical craft.
And let us not forget that we are tentatively moving out of a global pandemic that disrupted the lives of young people even more than it did adults: we are in a collective post-traumatic state.
I asked Professor Hayward about the sequence of changes envisaged. When should all the pieces fall into place? At risk of oversimplifying, the intention is to wait for most other components to be in place before the revised system of assessment and certification is finalised. Importantly, debate around that component will continue concurrently and the thinking that emerges will be integrated into the final design.
That sequencing is commendable. We need to know that major education organisations will support the revised assessment landscape. If that is not in place, we might well agree on the desired way to assess and certificate, but find that the other elements in Scottish education prevent implementation. We would be back to having system components pushing in conflicting directions.
The clockwork analogy
There can be hundreds of parts inside a mechanical clock. Human ingenuity has invented a system that is complex yet simple to those who are trained; one packed with small fragile parts yet robust enough to withstand major shocks. The major components are constantly moving, working beautifully in harmony, but over time they wear out and break. When our watch no longer does what we need it to do reliably and accurately, it undergoes the equivalent of the current education system reform programme.
So, the inaccurate clock mechanism is carefully dismantled, the parts meticulously examined and, if necessary, replaced. Sometimes several major components are replaced at the same time. (Think Education Scotland - both as inspectorate and as a curriculum support and development body - and the Scottish Qualifications Authority - all being upgraded through the reform programme.) The watch with its new parts is then carefully reassembled, and the result is more accurate and more robust. It will also work well for a long time before the next service is required, and all the time the user is assured of reliability.
Like all analogies this one is imperfect, but it helps clarify key ideas.
Most obviously, when a watch is being serviced, it comes to a halt. No part is required to keep working while the system is improved. In contrast, education reform will happen while schools and colleges are in full tilt, while teachers are teaching and learners are learning. We cannot down tools and ask everyone to wait for the change. So, we will need a bridge from where we are to where we are going. We will need time in our daily work to understand and integrate change. The teacher workforce will need additional capacity. This is a challenge at a time when unfilled vacancies are on the rise.
Watch parts tend to get better as technology enables better precision and improved materials. Organisations seldom become cheaper to run. Before the introduction of Curriculum for Excellence, our economy was in reasonably good health. Assumptions were made about the availability of funding, which did not materialise so implementation was impaired. Here we are in 2022, facing substantial economic turmoil, and being told that public services will have to be cut. How, then, are we to fund major reforms?
Finally, a caveat. If several watch components are replaced simultaneously and it malfunctions afterwards, the whole thing has to be dismantled again. By the time the problem is pinpointed, we will have missed a deadline or two. In education that might be a year group or two. If, however, just one part is replaced at a time, it is simpler and faster to fix.
So, should Scotland move rapidly over the next five years or more cautiously? Would it even be possible to take our time in our political system?
Some final key points about our education reform, from a headteacher’s (and watch hobbyist’s) perspective:
- All practitioners have a responsibility to contribute to the debate. Only by doing this will we enable the reform board and its sub-groups to confidently design the best possible components for the future of Scottish education.
- Direct contributions to the board from practitioners should be enhanced. While we are not system designers, we know what works in the classroom and what works for learners.
- Our leading thinkers, including professors Muir and Hayward, must be allowed to continue to inform and shape the system change. Their ability to respond to practitioners’ views and blend these with their knowledge and deep understanding of what makes systems and people tick will be invaluable.
- The pace of reform needs to be carefully managed. Teachers and learners must be confident and clear about what is expected of them throughout the process. They must also be given time to integrate changes, each step of the way.
- If several national components of our education system are changed simultaneously or in quick succession, time will be needed to evaluate their effectiveness. There must be the collective courage to report, listen to and address missteps along the way.
- Once up and running, the new system needs to be oiled well enough to make sure that the components stay coordinated and coherent for the next generation. As always, funding will matter.
- National checks of the new system will need to be conducted through a governance system that is party-politically agnostic.
If we get the national reform process right, the lives of a generation of learners will be enhanced. It will not be easy and it certainly won’t be cheap - but let’s get it right for them.
John J Wilson is the headteacher of a state secondary school in Scotland
