Get the best experience in our app Enjoy offline reading, category favourites, and instant updates - right from your pocket. Download the App Maybe later Home Archived So, what is education for? Back So, what is education for? 21st January 2005, 12:00am Philippa White Share So, what is education for? https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/so-what-education-7 Copy Link What is education for? Three things. One, education begins with the acquisition of knowledge without which nothing can happen anyway. That serves as a basis for, two, the development of understanding and empathy. So that, three, a child is enriched and his potential fulfilled. Want to keep reading for free? Register with Tes and you can read five free articles every month, plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters. Register Log in Register with Tes and you can read five free articles every month, plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters. More information Keep reading for just £4.90 per month /per month for 12 months You've reached your limit of free articles this month. Subscribe for £4.90 per month for three months and get: Unlimited access to all Tes magazine content Exclusive subscriber-only stories Award-winning email newsletters Subscribe now You've reached your limit of free articles this month. Subscribe for £4.90 per month for three months and get: Unlimited access to all Tes magazine content Exclusive subscriber-only stories Award-winning email newsletters More information Read more A different point of view Philippa White • 30th March 2007 Eastern promise Philippa White • 9th March 2007 Head takes play principle to Italy Philippa White • 8th September 2006 Rugby coach had head for business Philippa White • 1st September 2006 Recent Most read Most shared Teaching assistants are leaving - here’s how to make them stay Analysis 23 April 2026 How our trust went from 1,200 job titles to just 35 Leadership 23 April 2026 Two in five school leaders ‘cutting back on SEND support’ News 23 April 2026 More than 70 Harris Federation staff at risk of redundancy News 20 April 2026 Uta Frith: why I no longer think autism is a spectrum Teaching & Learning 4 March 2026 Neurodiversity in the teacher workforce: what new data tells us Analysis 16 April 2026 Oasis and Big Education to merge from September News 21 April 2026 Primaries face £288m shortfall next year due to drop in pupils News 22 April 2026 Revealed: The ‘risk’ SEND magnet schools face with Progress 8 News 22 April 2026
