It is almost 50 years since the seminal Warnock Report, followed by the 1981 Education Act which introduced Statements of Educational Need, itself a precursor to the discredited Education, and Health Care Plans.
Now we have a 120-page government White Paper ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ coupled with the Government consultation ‘SEND Reform: Putting Children and Young People First.’ Both of these papers have the aim of every school-age child “achieving and thriving”.
What is education all about? Down the rabbit hole
I thought about writing a critique and set off chasing the White Paper Rabbit and like Alice, fell down the rabbit hole. I landed amongst the many millions of words on education. I couldn’t get the words ‘every child achieving and thriving’ out of my head.
Stepping over the six specific SEND Education Acts post-Warnock, a computer screen glow pulled me away from the overwhelming rhetoric. I was relieved to find myself facing a screen and a self-important looking figure.
“Hello John! You look a little lost, may we help? Welcome to our ever expanding world. Let me introduce myself. Mycroft Ward at your service!
“OK, let me start with a question for you.” I asked. “What is the purpose of education and how does that relate to legislation?”
Out of the gloom a tortoise floated into view. “Follow me!” it said and floated off. I followed until an entryway emerged looking rather like a tube train tunnel.
The purpose of education: back to basics
A little way down the tunnel I found a ticket machine with a ticket lolling out of its mouth like a tongue. The ticket was stamped ‘Inherent’. Turning it over, I read: “The inherent aim of education is viewed as essential for human development. By funding it, the state enables all to become rational, self-conscious beings and citizens.”
I walked on. I could see a fortune-tellers’ booth. “Hello dear!” she said and handed me a crystal ball with the words ‘Civic Aim’ deep inside. She explained: “Democratic states provide education to ensure their own survival. To function, a democracy needs citizens who are not only literate but also capable of reasoning together about the public good.”
I headed for the exit sign and an ATM booth in front of me said ‘Bank Your Last Token’. I was issued with a receipt on which was printed: “States often treat education as an investment in human capital. The goal is to produce a skilled workforce to maintain national competitiveness and economic growth.”
Educational philosophy: state education
I found the next tunnel which was marked ‘Observatory’. It was a short tunnel which led to a huge circular room, where a telescope on a metal stand stood in the middle.
I looked round; and I saw, at North, East, South and West, four busts of men, not a woman in sight. I turned to the bust at North and audio bleeped into sound.
“You may have heard of me, I am Plato, I was a philosopher from ancient Greece. I was much in favour of a universal, state-run education to identify and train the most capable individuals for leadership, ensuring a just and harmonious state.”
At the East point of the compass I heard: “I am John Stuart Mill and I lived in the 19th century. I considered the idea of state education a great equaliser in society and a safeguard against the ‘tyranny of the majority’ by creating fully developed individuals capable of independent thought.”
At the South point: “I am John Dewey, an American philosopher with a profound belief in democracy and educational reform which I think of as ‘associated living’. I argued that schools should be mini-communities where children learn through cooperative inquiry and I see this as the bedrock of a healthy democracy.”
And lastly, at West: “I’m another American, John Taylor Gatto, an ex-teacher, literally ex, as I died just eight years ago. I taught for almost thirty years. I would argue that modern compulsory schooling, a form of child care, is less about development and more about social control, training children to be compliant workers and obedient citizens.”
Education and choice
The scene faded and I pushed through a door marked ‘Your Choice, Your Future’. I was in a crowded waiting room with school-age children all in different uniforms looking uncomfortable. Painted on the wall opposite was a Department for Education statement: “We will create opportunities for children and learners to achieve and thrive today, so they can succeed and flourish in life and work, strengthening our society, powering our economy and enabling equality.”
Those back-to-front words again ‘achieve and thrive’, now preceded by the inevitable get-out clause, ‘create opportunities’. Looking round there were two doors. Door number one opened and a nurse called me in. The room was bare except for a table with two people sitting facing me, one stern in a suit and white coat, the other comfortably dressed a bit like me.
“Now, son!” said the one with the firm face and fixed eyes, “You have no choice and will join the Academy, the one your parents have decided is best for you”. He sat there comfortable in his ultimatum wearing his name badge ‘Dr Doas Isay’. The comfortable one’s badge read ‘Dr Up Toyou’; he spoke: “We would prefer that you choose your own learning; we will help you.”
The nurse spoke. I wasn’t expecting that. “It isn’t up to you, so don’t worry. The voters will decide what sort of government they want and they will make the decisions on your behalf. Come with me; we must go next door.”
Next door was much the same; two people with name badges. Mr Easy Peasy and Mr Struggle. Well-dressed Mr Easy Peasy spoke first: “Look,” he said with folded arms, making sure his cufflinks and Rolex watch were visible. “We can make a better world by ensuring that every talented student has all the opportunities they need to succeed.”
I could see Mr Struggle was finding it hard to keep quiet. “That’s all very well, but it is hardly fair on the rest of us who aren’t so lucky.” Nurse spoke again: “It is the same as before; you don’t need to worry, the government will decide how to spend your money, sorry, their money for the benefit of the country. That’s enough now. We need to head for the way out.”
The way out: thriving before achieving
I was standing at another tunnel, marked Way Out. Inside a room were two comfortable chairs, a small table with glasses and water. A soft-spoken voice from one of the chairs greeted me: “Welcome, come on in. My name is Alice.” She asked: “Tell me, have you found an answer to our education system?”
“I think so”, I responded, “This is not a debate with winners and losers, I’ve listened to all with respect, knowing we have yet to settle on a common set of views on education.”
“I think I have some clear ideas as to how each and every child should be educated. It is not a one-size-fits-all vision, but it seems to me that governments try their best, often making a mess of it and then compound any errors due to inflexible agendas born out of paternalism, dogma and ideology.”
Warming to my ideas, I continued: “Wherever a child is, they will thrive given the right conditions specific to where they are on their journey. Children will also learn once the conditions are right for them; you can’t stop them. Our job is to provide those environments, to engage appropriately, encourage and to challenge sufficiently so they grow in confidence and achieve on their own terms, learning how to cope and carry on when things get tough. Give them space to be themselves when they need and the right pace to build relationships within groups and social settings. Get those things right first.” I paused,
“I worry that the dominant view is paternalistic, partisan with opposing agendas and, at a state level, focussed on the economic value once a child reaches adulthood”.
We sat quietly for a moment, the room faded, morphed and I found I was back at my desk, writing this piece and realising that governments, society, families and parents all have long term responsibilities towards our children. It isn’t easy but we need to shift the emphasis towards ‘thriving’ rather than ‘achieving’.
Acknowledgements: with grateful thanks to my guides:
- The White Paper Rabbit and Alice from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
- Mycroft Ward from The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall
- Mr Easy Peasy and Mr Struggle, who were inspired by Roger Hargreaves
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