Radical education and the common school: a democratic alternative

A one day conference to mark the publication of an important new book and to contribute to re-invigorating democratic politics of education

Speakers include: www.ioe.ac.uk/tcru/ Melissa Benn, writer and journalist conferences Tim Brighouse, formerly London Schools Commissioner Catherine Burke, University of Cambridge Peter Cunningham, University of Cambridge Leora Cruddas, London Borough of Waltham Forest Mike Davies, founder member of Human Scale Education Michael Fielding, Institute of Education Matthew Horne, Innovation Unit Peter Mortimore, former Director of the Institute of Education Institute of Education Peter Moss, Institute of Education 20 Bedford Way Alison Peacock, Headteacher and National Network Leader for the Cambridge Primary Review London WC1H 0AA Pat Petrie, Institute of Education Richard Pring, Peter Wilby, former Editor of on Sunday and the 18th March 2011 Purpose of the Programme conference Session one:

To question the current direction of education 9.30 Registration and refreshments policy and discuss one alternative direction To think about the meaning and purpose of 10.15 Welcome and introduction from the chair education Michael Reiss Associate Director of Research, To recognise the importance and relevance of Consultancy and Knowledge Transfer and democracy as a fundamental value and practice Professor of Science Education, Institute of in education Education To learn from successful examples of democratic education To consider the type of school and the role for Session two: local government in a democratic education 10.25 Radical education and the common school The authors of the new book set out a critique of the current politics of education and offer one alternative whose aim is to reclaim education as a democratic project and a community responsibility and to resist the current educational dictatorship of no alternative. Topics covered Michael Fielding and Peter Moss Early childhood, primary and secondary Institute of Education education Democracy as a fundamental value in education Session three: parallel workshops Democratic education in practice, past and present 11.30 There are alternatives! Reconnecting with radical traditions Education in its broadest sense The neoliberal regime has no time for the past, Human scale and person-centred schools but we lose touch with past traditions and The role of local authorities as agents of experiences at our peril. These workshop sessions democratic education re-examine important pioneers of democratic education. How transformative change might happen John Dewey Richard Pring Professor of Education, Department of Education, University of Oxford

Teddy O’Neill Who should attend Catherine Burke Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge Practitioners Policy-makers and managers Edmond Holmes and Harriet Finlay-Johnson Academics Peter Cunningham Bye Fellow, Homerton Parents College, Cambridge and Visiting Fellow, Institute Politicians of Education Anyone else unhappy with the present market- Alex Bloom based direction of educational policy, hoping Michael Fielding Professor of Education, another education is possible, and wanting to Institute of Education learn more about one alternative - a democracy-based education 12.30 Lunch Session four: parallel workshops Session six:

13.35 There are alternatives! Contesting the present 16.00 Concluding comments The present too offers many examples of working with educational ideas and practices that Peter Mortimore former Director of the challenge the currenthegemony. These workshops Institute of Education and Professor of Education, offer some examples from early childhood to University of Southern Denmark secondary school Peter Wilby former Editor both of the Social pedagogy or education in its broadest sense Independent on Sunday and of the New Pat Petrie Professor in Education, Centre for Statesman Understanding Social Pedagogy (CUSP), Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education 16.20 Closing remarks from the chair

The municipal schools of Reggio Emilia Michael Reiss Associate Director of Research, Consultancy and Knowledge Transfer and Peter Moss Professor of Early Childhood Professor of Science Education, Institute of Provision, Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute Education of Education

Equity and empowerment within classrooms, schools and the wider profession Alison Peacock Headteacher, The Wroxham This conference marks the publication of an Primary School, Potters Bar and National Network important new book by Michael Fielding and Leader for the Cambridge Primary Review Peter Moss, Radical Education and the Human Scale Education - working with the Common School: a Democratic Alternative. rhythm of youth to develop new ways of relating, learning and organising Contesting the current hegemony of an Mike Davies Pioneer radical secondary education dominated by markets, headteacher and founder member of Human Scale Education instrumentality and technical practice, the book argues for an alternative: education in its broadest sense, with democracy as a Session five: panel discussion fundamental value and care as a central ethic, practiced in the ‘common school’, a human- 14.45 Putting the local into democratic education: the role of local authorities and other community actors scale and person-centred school for all What should be the role of elected local children in its local catchment area. authorities if education is a democratic project and community responsibility? How should they The book offers many examples, past and play their role? And what other local actors should contribute to this education? present, and examines how transformative change might come about. It is a ‘truly Melissa Benn writer and journalist thoughtful book’ (Michael Apple), ‘a necessary book’ (Stephen Ball), a book ‘that Tim Brighouse formerly London Schools Commissioner, Chief Education Officer in should be read by everyone concerned with Birmingham and Oxfordshire Local Authorities, the future of education and democracy’ (Keri and Visiting Professor of Education, Institute of Facer), and a book that ‘will lift the spirits and Education re-energise all who are engaged in education’ (Tim Brighouse). Leora Cruddas Deputy Director, Children and Young People Services, London Borough of Waltham Forest All conference participants will receive a copy of the book, which is published by Routledge Matthew Horne Managing Partner, Innovation Unit in the Foundations and Futures of Education series. Registration form

Radical education and the common school: a democratic alternative 18th March 2011 Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AA

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