The UK’s four schools systems spend countless hours scouring international studies for the latest Nordic or Asian example of excellence that they can adapt. But would our teachers do better if they concentrated on lessons closer to home?
When 20 teachers representing each of the home nations gathered near Edinburgh this month for a weekend of intense discussion about what the various systems had to offer, they were left wondering why this didn’t happen on a grander scale.
Co-organiser David Cameron, an education consultant and former Stirling director of education, told TES: “We have huge opportunities to learn from the diversity around the UK [and] contexts which aren’t as dissimilar as some we traditionally look at - Finland, Singapore, whatever.”
Fellow organiser Sir Tim Brighouse - London’s schools commissioner from 2002-07 and former chief education officer in both Oxfordshire and Birmingham - added: “We don’t take enough notice of each other.
“We have got very different cultures, but they’re nowhere near as different as Shanghai or Finland.”
Most succinct was Graham Donaldson, once Scotland’s senior chief inspector but more recently the author of a major review of curriculum and assessment in Wales, who said: “People will go to Japan and the Far East, but they won’t go across the road.”
‘Political differences’
Mr Cameron believes “the situation has arguably got worse”, because there are now “more significant political differences” across the UK, which has led to a greater reluctance to hold such discussions between the home nations.
The picture that emerged from the Four Nations event was starkly different to prevailing narratives of UK education: whether they are Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) rankings that put England top while Wales repeatedly languishes at the bottom; or the common view north of the border that English education is dysfunctional and reactionary, whereas Scotland upholds more progressive values.
“We genuinely believe that across all four systems, there are very significant strengths from which we could all learn and benefit,” said Mr Cameron. He saw “a huge amount of commonality” in the fact that, unlike in some other parts of the world, teachers strive for the best for every child, not just those who will excel in exams.
But, he said, all four countries must be wary of that cause being undermined by short-termist politics and inspection regimes - he described school inspection in England as “a culture of separation and blame”.
Mr Donaldson said that Wales was playing a longer game: “I’m so impressed by the politicians of Wales just now, because it’s much easier to do the hanging and flogging stuff - and you can get short-term results with that - but [they’re] being very, very mature.”
We have huge opportunities to learn from the diversity around the UK
Mr Cameron stressed that “we’re not arguing that we need a British system” as that “ship has sailed” in an era of “fiercely proud devolved government”, but that collaboration could get more out of each system. For example, he said, Northern Ireland has a teacher surplus, and easier cross-border movement would help to resolve staff shortages elsewhere.
There was a note of caution from co-organiser Professor Tony Gallagher - director of research at Queen’s University Belfast’s School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work - about becoming too introspective, as “one of the weaknesses in discussions in Northern Ireland for many years was that we only compared ourselves with England and Wales, when, in fact a wider conspectus would have offered, I think, a more critical lens”.
But his main message was resolutely upbeat: all four nations have “amazing teachers” who will “duck and dive within whatever parameters they are landed with to give their children and young people the best possible future”.
Ben Davis, headteacher at St Ambrose Barlow RC High School in Salford and previously a head in Scotland, said that England could learn from the clear values that drive the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish curricula. He cited Scotland’s “four capacities”, which are themselves based on the words inscribed on the mace of the Scottish Parliament: wisdom, justice, compassion and integrity.
“Not to have [that same statement of moral purpose] makes for fragmentation that allows pockets of really fascinating innovation and excellence [in England] - but they are islands,” he said.
‘Very little dissent’
While the curricular and institutional machinery was “utterly different”, Mr Davis found “very little dissent around the fundamentals” at this month’s conference. “Everyone here talks quite passionately about moral purpose and wanting to give a voice to the voiceless,” he said.
The organisers hope that the event will inspire bigger opportunities for collaboration across the UK, and Mr Cameron has already seen some “encouraging signs”, such as Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon’s interest in the London Challenge.
Sir Tim, however, was dismayed by prime minister Theresa May’s recent “unhelpful comments” at the Scottish Conservative conference, where she castigated Scottish education.
He added: “My hope would be that other agencies, in particular the teacher associations and national bodies, might replicate [the Four Nations event], and say, ‘OK, even if we know that our politicians won’t learn from each other, we will.’”
