“When we talk about education, particularly in England, we fall into using the language of management consultants. We talk about accountability, we talk about inspection, we talk about the middle tier.

“We don’t talk about children enough, we don’t talk about pedagogy enough. And on our watch, if we’re not careful, the very things you say you value for your children and I value for mine are being squeezed out,” said ASCL’s general secretary, Geoff Barton, on Saturday. 

He was speaking at the #Artsconnects Festival of Creativity in Camden this weekend. The festival was hosted by Steam Co, celebrated arts education in our schools and emphasised the central importance of creativity with science, technology, engineering and maths learning - and social mobility.

You can watch the full stream of the day here. Also speaking were Tes’ editor Ann Mroz, Parklands headteacher Chris Dyson and Lord Andrew Adonis. 

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