Back to school. Three words that are loaded with extra meaning this year. I don’t really recall how I felt about going back to school after the long summer holidays when I was a child. I guess that some years I was excited; sometimes I may have been apprehensive; maybe on one or two occasions…
Many years ago, I helped to develop a culture of continual assessment in English schools, particularly at AS and A level, moving away from final exams and relying much more than ever before on teacher assessment, modular courses and the recognition of active learning. I am still proud of the BTEC courses a number of…
More than twenty years ago, in 1998, The Age magazine, based in Melbourne Australia, published an article about what schools might look like in the future. “Next century, schools as we know them will no longer exist. In their place will be community-style centres operating seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Computers will…
The death of George Floyd at the hands of white police officers has stunned and outraged the world. On Sunday afternoon, I watched footage of the statue of 17th century slave trader, Edward Colston, being pulled down and rolled into the harbour of the city closest to where I grew up, during a demonstration that…
Together, we face challenging and uncertain times. Fewer and fewer of us are able to avoid the impact of the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Our charity and young people doing their Award are no different, although our story is not all gloom and doom. We are having to react, but in a way that…
Today is the 30th anniversary of the signing of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. 30 years ago, I was a young and idealistic teacher, working in a primary school in Lichfield, Staffordshire. I remember reading about the Convention at the time and thinking how surprising it was that no-one had considered…
When I speak to people in some parts of the world, they are very surprised to hear that I ride my bike to work. (Well, actually, I get the train from my home in the countryside to London, and then ride from the station to my office.) I’ve been told that riding a bike in…
At yesterday’s gathering of Award participants in Nairobi’s Langata High Security Women’s Prison, the keynote speech was delivered by an exceptional young inmate, who, for the sake of anonymity, I have chosen to call ‘Esther’. She handed me a copy to share with the world, which I feel privileged to do… Officer in Charge, Secretary…
I am so lucky. My job gives me extraordinary views of life. This morning I waved off an exceptional group of young people on their Gold Adventurous Journey / Expedition. Students at the M-pesa Foundation Leadership Academy, they are drawn from what they themselves describe as humble backgrounds. The Academy provides them with a world…
As a Deputy Lieutenant, I have the privilege of presenting citizenship certificates to new UK citizens. Here’s the text of the speech I made at this afternoon’s ceremony… Good afternoon everybody and a very warm welcome to you – to this wonderful County of Oxfordshire. It’s one of England larger counties with an area of…
