What a school ought to be...

3rd September 2004, 1:00am

Share

What a school ought to be...

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/what-school-ought-be
Much is made currently of schools’ need to engage in self-evaluation as part of “intelligent accountability”.

The Office for Standards in Education and others have provided self-evaluation schedules.

However, none to my knowledge remotely compares in educational value to the following checklist devised more than 50 years ago by Teddy O’Neill, head- teacher of Prestolee elementary school, Lancashire.

Asked what a school should be, he replied:

* a place for lectures and teaching

* a workshop for young and old - of both sexes

* a den of hobbies and indoor; games

* a studio for drawing, painting and plastics

* a music studio

* a hall for song and dance

* an educational shop window

* a reference library

* a picture gallery

* a museum

* a reading room

* a book stall for magazines and newspapers

* a club

* a refreshment bar

* an orchard

* an aquarium

* a vivarium

* a home for pets

* a playing field

* a gymnasium

* a bathing place

* a fair garden

* a kitchen

* a dining place

* a laundry

* a first-aid post

* cleansing department

Asked what a school should be, he replied:

* a place for lectures and teaching

* a workshop for young and old - of both sexes

* a den of hobbies and indoor; games

* a studio for drawing, painting and plastics

* a music studio

* a hall for song and dance

* an educational shop window

* a reference library

* a picture gallery

* a museum

* a reading room

* a book stall for magazines and newspapers

* a club

* a refreshment bar

* an orchard

* an aquarium

* a vivarium

* a home for pets

* a playing field

* a gymnasium

* a bathing place

* a fair garden

* a kitchen

* a dining place

* a laundry

* a first-aid post

* cleansing department

* store sheds for raw materials.

Isn’t that better (and more intelligent) than any possible Form S4 ?

Professor Colin Richards

1 Bobbin Mill

Spark Bridge

Cumbria

Want to keep reading for free?

Register with Tes and you can read two free articles every month plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters.

Keep reading for just £1 per month

You've reached your limit of free articles this month. Subscribe for £1 per month for three months and get:

  • Unlimited access to all Tes magazine content
  • Exclusive subscriber-only stories
  • Award-winning email newsletters
Recent
Most read
Most shared