The US is the source of many educational fads that have arrived in England: charter schools were a precursor to our free schools, finger clicking is spreading as a means of showing appreciation in class and, of course, there is the school prom.

But a report from an influential US thinktank argues that it’s time for other countries to start learning lessons from England.

The Washington D?C-based Thomas B Fordham Institute believes that much can be learned by analysing the English education system, particularly when it comes to improving school leadership.

The US, the institute suggests, could benefit from looking at the National College for Teaching and Leadership, handing greater autonomy to principals and even adopting the approach of teachers’ bête noire, Ofsted.

Ian Fordham, a co-founder of London-based thinktank the Education Foundation who helped to produce the report, said it was about time the UK marketed its school system’s strong points.

“Education is now an import and export business and the UK has been doing a lot of importing. But there is a lot to be proud about, not least when it comes to leadership, and this should be reflected in how we export it.”

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