THE new Office for Standards in Education framework and the school self-evaluation programme it promotes defines learning (not management or teaching) as the raison d’etre of education.
Yet the current chief inspector is on record as saying he has no idea how children learn and in March last year he dismissed the efforts of the Campaign for Learning to develop practical ways of doing precisely what the framework endorses in theory.
A local school was recently told by OFSTED to develop the teaching of thinking skills as one of its key post-inspection points fr action.
Chris Woodhead, the chief inspector, described the teaching of thinking skills as a manifestation of something called “the old progressive Gods” which he has spent his entire post-teaching career trying to eradicate.
Former England football manager Kevin Keegan offered an inspirational example of a senior manager who on reflection found that that they were professionally incapable of leading the organisation they manage.
An example which others might want to follow.
Alex Wilkinson
9 Osborne Avenue
Ashley Down, Bristol
