Locally grown education communities for our changing global future.

Earlier today, I returned to look up Sir Ken Robinson’s work on creativity. Speaking at the close of the world summit of 'Learning Without Boundaries', at London's Barbican in June 2012, Ken Robinson emphasised his view that, above all, the main purpose of education is personal. As a primary practitioner, I fully support this view. If education is divorced from the needs, aspirations and expectations of the learner, it will never go deep. Of particular interest also, was his description of how he believes education for the new century has to be personalised and customised.

The increasing use of technology in the school system is bringing forward the day when the meaningful individualisation of learning will be possible. However, it was Ken Robinson's view that education in the future will have to be customised that prompted me to write here about 'locally grown' education communities. There is certainly unanimity about the global challenges that face humanity in the coming decades. What is not so widely accepted is the notion that, in seeking and applying local solutions, it is most likely that many of the pressing global issues will be resolved. The importance of local communities working together cannot be overstated. It is in this regard that education has a central role to play.

I found fresh material on Ken Robinson's blog site and other sources around the net, much of which has a direct link with current ideas about the reform of primary education in England. In the above presentation, I was struck by some of his findings that resonate with my own ideas:

The rationale for reform has been made, not only in this country but across the globe. It’s time to agree the precise reforms for each domain and construct an education system fit for purpose.

The energy to drive the necessary change is currently dissipated because of innovation fatigue. It is vitally important that further change must be allowed to evolve over time.

General principles and key values are widely shared but not unanimously held in professional circles – coordinated leadership is lacking.

Constructive support for fundamental change within political circles is limited and is largely determined by ideological perspectives along historical and party political lines. Unfortunately, progress is likely to be limited if this situation is not addressed.

Change has to be owned at a local level and for this to be possible, communities need the freedom to evolve within a very broad national framework.

For local responsiveness to flourish, central oversight of education has to be re-defined, if necessary, in law. Strategic decision-making about what needs to happen in local communities has to be shifted from the centre.

The primary curriculum is too constrained by the traditional subject model and blighted by a narrow testing regime where 'accountability mania' stifles the confidence to innovate.

Collaboration between families and providers of high quality early years provision helps establish the necessary foundation for all later learning, and needs to be strengthened.

Parents need greater recognition for what they do well, rather than being held responsible for all society’s ills under the crude scrutiny of tabloid journalism.

Education standards will still need to be monitored. But, first it has to be agreed what we will measure, for what purpose and to what effect.

Education funding continues to be based on the age of learners. There has to be an open, informed debate about funding allocations and it has to be based on need rather than on historical patterns.

Local schools, working in partnership under strong leadership and with a commitment to seek out and adapt the most promising pedagogical tools, require time and freedom. The needs of the local community of learners have to be acknowledged above the drive from central authority to 'dictate' what is appropriate. One size fits all, only ever worked for a small majority at a time that has long since passed. Now it’s different. We have to think and work more creatively, more globally. The future belongs to our successors, but they need us to envision that future both for them and with them, and it will be different from any past experience.