RE-EXAMINING
SUCCESS
Raising pupils’
examination
performance at
secondary school:
systems, techniques,
processes and
partners
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RE-EXAMINING
SUCCESS
Raising pupils’
examination
performance at
secondary school:
systems, techniques,
processes and
partners
David W Hughes
First published in 2020 by Critical Publishing Ltd
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.
The author has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this publication, but assumes no responsibility for any errors, inaccuracies, inconsistencies and omissions. Likewise, every effort has been made to contact copyright holders. If any copyright material has been reproduced unwittingly and without permission the publisher will gladly receive information enabling them to rectify any error or omission in subsequent editions.
Copyright © 2020 David W Hughes
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-913063-09-2
This book is also available in the following e-book formats:
MOBI ISBN: 978-1-913063-10-8
EPUB ISBN: 978-1-913063-11-5
Adobe e-book ISBN: 978-1-913063-12-2
The right of David W Hughes to be identified as the Author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988.
Cartoon illustrations by Élisabeth Eudes-Pascal represented by GCI
Cover and text design by Out of House Limited
Project Management by Newgen Publishing UK
Contents
MEET THE AUTHOR
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
SECTION A
1. THE EXAMINATIONS PROCESS: ANTECEDENTS, ANOMALIES AND LIMITATIONS IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY
2. DEFINING A GENERATION FOR LEARNING
3. THE DEMISE OF THE KNOWLEDGE-BASED CURRICULUM
4. WHOLE-SCHOOL LEARNING INITIATIVES: FADS, GIMMICKS, STRUCTURES AND LEADERSHIP
5. FROM EDUCATION TO LEARNING: WHAT THE PUPIL BRINGS TO AND TAKES FROM THE LEARNING PROCESS
6. ATTITUDES, BEHAVIOURS AND COMPETENCES FOR THE FUTURE: WHY WE CANNOT DELIVER THEM
7. THE CHALLENGE OF THE FUTURE: PEDAGOGY, HEUTAGOGY AND DANGEROUS ASSUMPTIONS
SECTION B
8. A CURRICULUM FOR THE FUTURE: RECONCILING EXCELLENCE WITH PERSONALISATION
9. EBBINGHAUS AND THE FORGETTING CURVE: MASTERING ACQUISITION, RETENTION AND RECALL OF INFORMATION
10. PERSONALISING REVISION
11. SOCIALISING LEARNING
12. PARTNERS IN EXCELLENCE: THE SCHOOL IN THE COMMUNITY
13. EVERY CHILD AN EXCELLENT LEARNER
14. PARENTS AND EXCELLENCE
15. CONCLUSION
INDEX
You cannot teach a man anything;
you can only help him find it within himself.
Galileo Galilei (1564–1642)
Italian physicist and astronomer
Meet the author
DAVID W HUGHES
I have taught and led within the secondary and tertiary sectors for over 30 years, working in successful and failing schools. I have led improvement projects at local, regional and national levels. I have served on the Children’s Society Commission for education in Birmingham and I support schools and universities in development programmes. While working on the Building Schools for the Future programme, I was seconded for almost two years to support the development of the Opening Minds curriculum, devised in collaboration with the Confederation of British Industry as a twenty-first-century learning model for schools, which mirrored the world’s most effective educational systems and addressed the attitudes, behaviours and competences required of the modern learner. I am an associate of the University of Nottingham School of Education and a writer for the educational press.
I post regularly on my blog: https://learningrenaissance.wordpress.com/
This is a resource focused on the future of learning at a time that could well be termed the Renaissance in Learning. The aim is to share innovative practice and resources to help create a climate in which every learner can succeed.
Acknowledgements
The publisher and author would like to express their grateful thanks to the following people and organisations for use of copyright material.
Professor Amanda Kirby for the use of Figure 14.2 on quality of life impact.
Kevin Hewitson for the use of the learning quotient infographic in Figure 13.2.
Microsoft Corporation for permission to use screenshots in Figures 11.1, 11.2 and 11.3.
Plasq.com for permission to use the screenshot from their Comic Life, Figure 11.4.
Ross Morrison McGill of Teacher Toolkit, for inspiring Table 4.1, initiative bingo.
The RSA Opening Minds Curriculum and the RSA Academy for recollections of the lesson structure in Table 8.1.
The author would also like to thank the following schools in which he was lucky enough to serve with some wonderful, committed and forward-thinking staff.
Swavesey