In my own on-going search for external inspiration, and as part of my commitment to continuing my professional development and remaining open to ideas and exploring the new concepts, I have been drawn time and again to TED.  If you haven’t come across TED, it is a forum for the sharing of ‘ideas worth spreading’; a catalogue of inspiring, amusing and, sometimes, truly brilliant presentations which, combined, represent a unique and first-rate lifelong learning resource.  The TED conferences are expensive to attend but the website delivers access to the presentations for free.

From an education perspective, Sir Ken Robinson is a must-watch and my favourite of his, ‘Changing Education Paradigms’, is an animated trip through controversial thinking about the reform of public education across the world.  It looks at the role of education in preparing children to enter an uncertain global economy and multicultural society and charts the need for fundamental change in an education system which was designed, conceived and structured for the needs of a different age – gripping and highly entertaining: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/ken_robinson_changing_education_paradigms.html

Another Ken Robinson presentation worth watching is ‘Schools Kill Creativity’, originally presented live back in 2006, which demonstrates Ken’s innovative thinking, much of which is mirrored by the Foundation’s beliefs.  You can see it here: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

Other interesting speakers, this time from outside of education, include Simon Senik. Simon talks about leadership using Apple, the Wright Brothers and Martin Luther King to punctuate his points: http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action.html

And, for a little light relief, everyone should watch Derek Sivers’ ‘How to Start a Movement’: http://www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_how_to_start_a_movement.html

Enjoy!

In an extremely competitive workplace, with alarming levels of graduate unemployment, a CV that demonstrates high levels of academic achievement, coupled with a generous show of extra-curricular and practical experience, should be the aim for every capable student and their teachers, to give them the best possible opportunities.

It is naïve and wrong to assume that students who taken an easier or undemanding route will be happier. Unfulfilled potential is anything but happy – how many adults have you heard say “I wish I had…..”?

The answer is that all students deserve and should receive expert guidance and counselling to give them confidence in their subject and university choice, helping to ensure they embark on a path that is both happy and fulfilling.

Current protocol dictates that our sixteen and eighteen year olds demonstrate how much they know about a raft of subjects grouped under arts, science, language categories and so on. Each subject is labelled and its boundaries clearly defined to ensure that students’ learning need cover nothing more or less than what is required by their final examinations. These examinations are the culmination for thirteen years of schooling, the sum total of around 533 weeks in school for every sixth form leaver.

Three or four crisp certificates at the end are the ultimate objective and, for many, these are seen as the major part of their ticket to a further three or more years of study. Is this really enough? Shouldn’t we be expecting more of, and for, our children from around 20,000 hours each of schooling? Surely the answer is yes we should. Education is not just about instilling knowledge, it’s about developing skills and character.

It’s about giving youngsters the broadest possible experiences and exposure to the widest global perspective, so that they can dare to be ambitious, personally and professionally. You may have seen reports about Wimbledon High School teaching children ‘how to fail’ as part of a ‘Failure Week’. Whilst I am uncomfortable with the terminology, we certainly do have a responsibility to teach them about taking risks and learning to bounce back from set-backs, to be determined and resilient. It’s about making and taking choices.

This is why we have wholeheartedly embraced the ethos of the International Baccalaureate (IB). Whilst we recognise that the qualification itself will not be for everyone, the IB promotes curiosity and independent exploration of concepts and ideas. It also cuts across the traditional subject boundaries, something we promote in numerous cross-curricular initiatives in both the Junior and Senior schools and something that comes naturally in early years. It encourages deep and lateral thinking, outside of subject specifics and in to issues of local and global significance. It breeds reflective risk-takers and entrepreneurial spirit.

Reading recent reports, the business community believes that our school leavers and university graduates are ill equipped in many ways for the workplace. This is because, for most children, school and the traditional examination system do not furnish them with the open-minded, collaborative, robust outlook and thinking skills that are prized by employers.

The IB ethos ticks all these boxes and more. But where does that leave the majority of sixth-formers who are studying A’Levels and not IB? All of our sixth form students follow the IB Theory of Knowledge (ToK) course, helping them to develop new ways of thinking and powers of critical analysis. ToK transcends and links academic subject areas, giving students a richer and more relevant learning experience, and skills with which to apply their knowledge with greater awareness and credibility. From conversation with students who have left the College, it is clear that ToK has not only proved to be extremely valuable for university and employment interviews, but throughout life!

The Silicon Fen began to emerge as a growing force in business innovation in the 60s and now is one of the most important global technology centres with over 1,600 high-tech companies.  The Meerkats and Avatars event at St John’s Innovation Centre in December showcasing some of the extraordinary innovation being born of these companies was truly something to see.

Many of these companies have a connection with Cambridge University and one measure I believe that’s missing from the Cities Outlook index is the extraordinary learning environment that feeds this ‘city to watch’.

Not only do we have one of the world’s most acclaimed universities, we are fortunate enough to have some of the best maintained and private schools in the country, injecting bright young talent into its entrepreneurial business environment.

It is, of course, impossible to measure the true impact and contribution of education and, along with many other schools, the Stephen Perse Foundation does not believe that measuring schools’ success by exam results alone has any meaning other than in league tables.  The real value of education is its ability to inspire its students so that as individuals they aspire to achieve great things in their professional and personal lives and this may include joining the ranks of entrepreneurs in our Silicon Fen.   So, surely there is a whole category of ‘ones of watch’, in the form of a generation of ‘aspirers’, missing from the Cities Outlook index, who should take their rightful place alongside the ‘knowledge workers’ in driving the region’s success.

A recent visit to our school by entrepreneurs from the Californian Silicon Valley focussed on the impact of the Internet and green technologies.  This was the first of many such events in our ‘Inspire Me’ programme.  Of course we’re not alone in delivering thought provoking and visionary programmes like this and that’s part of the rich education landscape of Cambridge that we value and which contributes to the city’s success and to making it ‘one to watch’.

Schools must try to ensure that they reward those things that they most value and one key expression of this recognition is in the way that a school conducts its entrance testing. What is it that a school is looking for in its students? While some students excel in standard entrance tests, others may not, and over the years we’ve found that those who don’t do so well at a traditional written test or interview may in fact be very well-suited to the style of education at our schools, where pupils and students are given the freedom and support to really think.

So, this year we decided to do something a little different with our annual entrance assessment day for potential Year 7 students. In line with the school’s thinking skills ethos and curriculum, which promotes collaboration, decision-making, problem solving and creativity, we included a new practical team challenge as part of the day’s exercises. The girls were divided into small groups and each group was tasked with building an economical ‘spaghetti tower’, able to support a golf ball as high above the table as possible. Each team was able to ‘buy’ an unlimited amount of spaghetti strands and jelly babies in order to construct their tower. However, just like in the real world, the overall cost was taken into consideration, with prizes not only for the tallest tower but also for the most economical tower able to support a golf ball.

As the first test of its kind devised by the school, I’m delighted to say that the challenge was a huge success. Not only did it help candidates to relax and enjoy their first experience of the Stephen Perse Foundation but it provided staff with a wider view of their individual strengths and capabilities, enabling us to make more informed decisions about whether our school is the right place for them.

In a week when there has been much discussion about the shortcomings of the Common Entrance system, I’m proud that the Foundation is prepared to innovate in its approach to entrance testing. I hope that others will follow suit so that the assessment of more intangible characteristics and qualities becomes more widespread.

Since 2010, we have been implementing a forward thinking technology strategy for teaching and learning within its schools and now we are ahead of the curve, having fully embraced the digital age. We believe that technology such as the iPad have such transformational qualities that we are in the process of creating a futuristic classroom within the school, where the very latest technology can be trialled. Teachers throughout the school, from pre-prep to sixth form college, already work with iPads and all students in the senior school will be issued with their own iPads from September.

 This technology is totally liberating for teachers.  The creative possibilities for engaging with students with the help of iPads are endless and our teachers are enjoying exploring and utilising interactive apps, for example, to animate their lessons.  IPads also offer a fantastic tool for collaborative learning, whether students are inside a classroom or working at home.  We have here a technological tool which truly facilitates 24/7 learning.  The students are really enthusiastic about new technology and the introduction of textbooks for the iPad is very exciting.

The provision of new technology, such as iPads, to students doesn’t come without its potential issues though and, in the internet age, we understand that students need to be given careful guidance and boundaries within which to work.

We have a strong emphasis on thinking skills and learning habits, designed to foster intellectual, personal and moral character in our students.  Through this ethos and associated teaching practices, children develop a strong moral compass which is vital in this virtual world which has no natural boundaries.

Echoing these statistics and adding to my disquiet, the NSPCC reported in 2011 that almost one in five secondary school children have been severely abused or neglected during childhood and 200,000 children in England live in homes where there is a known risk of domestic violence. 

Since 2009, calls to the NSPCC Helpline about neglect and physical abuse have almost doubled, a fact that I believe can be at least partly attributed to the stresses of the recession.   In Cambridge city, one in nine people now lives in households receiving Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit. 

The sad irony is that while the statistics paint an increasingly alarming picture, funding cuts are seriously exacerbating the situation, and major problems are storing up for the future, both for our young people and their families, and as a growing burden for the NHS.   Even though it’s generally accepted that early intervention is the key, the situation is now so dire and the referral waiting lists for professional advice and treatment so long that a huge and growing number of young people are not getting the help they need.

Some of us may be lucky enough that these issues seem far removed from our daily lives.  However, the reality is that, in Cambridge and the surrounding villages, there is a huge and growing number of children and teenagers desperately in need of help.   

I have been working in education all of my adult life and I know that in each and every private and state school there are children and teenagers facing challenging emotional issues of varying degrees.  A small proportion of these children will undoubtedly need long-term professional treatment but the majority can be helped to find a way through their issues with just a little counselling help.   

It is an absolute travesty that this situation is playing out on our doorsteps and action really needs to be taken.

 There was a time when a liberal education was the hall-mark of a civilised person and was deemed to have value in itself.  Education was about enabling an individual to become the best person they could be in all aspects of their life, and so it should still be.

 Since the industrial revolution, emphasis in the UK has been on the education of a workforce.  A utilitarian system designed to meet the economic needs of the nation.  Just last week, the results of a CBI study of the education system showed that in the 21^st Century we remain focussed on fulfilling the workforce need, but that we’re just not doing it very well.  

 Based on the research findings, the Shadow Education Secretary proposes that the nation’s school day is extended to more effectively prepare children for the workplace, giving them a “better perspective of the expectations upon them following the transition from school”.

 On one level I agree – the more time spent in a positive and productive learning environment the better.  However, a longer school day in itself will not better prepare young people for work.  Nor should a longer day be used to cram in more subject based learning, in an effort to improve exam results and ‘drive up standards’. 

 The important thing to consider is how this extra time can be used to develop and enhance students learning and thinking skills outside of the restrictions of the curriculum timetable.  Unlike Stephen Twigg, I’m not referring here to teaching ‘soft skills’, I’m talking about giving young people the ability and resilience to face challenges and obstacles with confidence.  Extra school time should be used to inspire children to have aspirations that may enable them to change the world for the better. Because of our obsession with qualifications and measurability, it is very easy to overlook the ‘why’ behind education. 

I believe that the challenge for us now is to forge a new educational imperative which combines the best of both approaches, to equip young people with all the attributes of a liberal education, while ensuring they have skills to adjust to the demands of an age and a future of unknowns.

 So, in three words, I believe that the purpose of education is to ‘inspire to aspire’.

Opening the minds of our students requires us to excite them about the wealth of chances beyond school and home. We are expanding the number and variety of our visiting speakers and presenters, bringing them together within a broader inspire me programme. The new name reflects the fact that we want to go beyond traditional careers advice to include individuals and groups who will share their stories, inspiring our students to think differently. The speakers will address the big subjects: technological, scientific, political, economic, historical, cultural, artistic, ecological and ethical. They will be people who will not only be able to communicate the excitement of working in their field, whether in business or cosmology, but will also be able to share their ideas on motivation, leadership and teamwork. While some sessions will provide practical, how-to advice, others will challenge the accepted norm, provoking thought and encouraging debate.

The inaugural inspire me event will see leading Silicon Valley entrepreneurs visit the Foundation on Friday 18 November to discuss some of today’s most innovative internet and green technologies, developments that will change our world in the years to come. They are visiting as part of ‘The Silicon Valley Comes to UK Programme’ and we are pleased to be one of only a handful of schools in the area chosen to host such an event. We will also be welcoming a team from Morgan Stanley Investment Bank on Thursday 1 December. They are visiting us to deliver a skills session to Year 10, Year 11 and Sixth Form students to provide them with some building blocks as they consider future career paths and turn their minds to entering the professional workplace.

Whilst these two events are directed at the top of the school we fully expect that future inspire me speakers will address a broader cross-section of the student body, encouraging new perspectives, illuminating learning and fuelling future aspirations.

Jane has been working with our Junior School staff to develop the way in which the Junior School curriculum is delivered to allow us to promote this core skill. In one part of Jane’s presentation, she observed that today’s students think it grossly unfair if they are ever asked to take a test on something about which they are not fully prepared. Schools can be
criticised for turning out pupils and students who are highly-skilled at passing exams and who ‘do well’ at school but failing to equip them with the skills they need to be able to tackle the unknowns that will face them as they grow up.

As a Foundation, we are committed to making sure that our students leave us as creative, critical thinkers who are prepared to take risks and who realise that, in much of life, there simply will not be a single right answer. A flexible mind was certainly required as we tried to tackle some of the questions posed during this memorable and challenging evening:

• What percentage of the world’s water supply is contained within a single cow?
• If you remove one grain of sand at a time from a mound of sand, when does it stop being a mound?
• Tell me about a banana

We are very excited about the changes in the way our Junior School curriculum is being delivered so that these skills become commonplace. Building on the Philosophy for Children programme that we piloted last year, thinking skills are becoming an overt part of every lesson in the Junior School as well as a dedicated thinking skills lessons on the timetable every week.

The changes in the Junior School are the next steps on a journey whose aim is to make sure every student develops the learning habits to take them beyond a narrow ability to pass exams. At every level, our teachers deliver creative lessons that inspire and encourage different ways of thinking. On top of this, our Theory of Knowledge course is already well embedded in the life of the Sixth Form College and the Critical Thinking course in Years 10 and 11 is being extended to Years 8 and 9 in the Senior School. I believe that this commitment to this critical aspect of education sets us apart. We want our pupils to be free to explore around ideas, to find out where a concept might lead, to come up with unusual answers to questions and to learn how to sift what is relevant from what is simply clutter.