1. “The UK’s Experience in Developing the New Skills” Keynote Presentation to the Sixth Knowledge Economy Forum ‘Technology Acquisition and Knowledge Networks on Responsive Education System and Skills for the Knowledge Economy’ University of Cambridge, Tuesday 17th April 2007
Professor David Hopkins HSBC Chair of International Leadership
Institute of Education, University of London

2. High Excellence High Equity – Raising the Bar and Narrowing the Gap
560
High excellence
Low equity
High excellence
High equity
Finland
540
U.K.
Canada
520
Japan
Korea
U.S.
Belgium
500
Switzerland
Spain
Mean performance in reading literacy
Germany
480
Poland
460
Low excellence
Low equity
Low excellence
High equity
440
420 60 80
100
120
140
200 – Variance (variance OECD as a whole = 100)
Source: OECD (2001) Knowledge and Skills for Life

3. Brief History of Standards in Primary Schools
11 plus dominated
Professional control
Standards and
"Formal"
"Informal"
accountability
NLNS
2004
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010

4. This map shows in red those LEAs where three quarters of their children were achieving the expected level in English in This provided the clearest possible justification for the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy, and the position in numeracy was very similar.

5. This map showed the transformation that we had achieved by 2002
This map showed the transformation that we had achieved by And this year we have gone even further…..

6. 4
This map showed the transformation that has now been achieved

7. Distribution of Reading Achievement in 9-10 year olds in 2001
575
550
525
500
475
450
425
400
375
350
325
300
The recent international PIRLS report on reading standards confirmed that we are right to describe our performance as world class.
The study showed:
Ten year olds in England are the third most able readers in the world, behind Sweden and the Netherlands
England is the most successful English-speaking country.
There has been a marked increase in our international performance since the mid-1990s. An NFER report in 1996 said that our performance would have put us close to the international average in 1991
The study also exploded a number of common myths
Teachers say that the literacy strategy has introduced pupils to a wider range of texts
Schools in England use more real books and more longer books than those in other countries.
The high performance of our children is related to the broad reading curriculum that they follow
Italy
Israel
Sweden
England
Bulgaria
Latvia
France
Greece
Cyprus
Turkey
Kuwait
Belize
Lithuania
Hungary
Germany
Scotland
Iceland
Norway
Singapore
Romania
Slovenia
Colombia
Argentina
Morocco
Netherlands
United States
New Zealand
Czech Republic
Hong Kong SAR
Slovak Republic
International Avg.
Moldova, Rep of
Russian Federation
Macedonia, Rep of
Iran, Islamic Rep of
Canada (Ontario,Quebec)
Source: PIRLS 2001 International Report: IEA’s Study of Reading Literacy Achievement in Primary Schools

8. The High Challenge High Support Framework
Intervention in inverse proportion to success
Ambitious Standards
High Challenge
High Support
Devolved
responsibility
Accountability
Access to best practice and quality professional development
Good data and clear targets

9. Percentage of pupils achieving level 4 or above in Key Stage 2 tests 1998-2003
English
Maths 80 75 70
Percentage 65 60 55 50
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
Test changes in 2003
Major changes to writing test/markscheme
Significant changes to maths papers

10. The Key Question - how do we get there?
Most agree that in England:
standards were too low and too varied in the 1970’s & 80’s
some form of direct state intervention was necessary
the impact of this top-down approach was to raise standards (particularly in primary schools).
But now:
progress has plateaued - while a bit more might be squeezed out nationally, and perhaps a lot in underperforming schools, must question whether this is still the recipe for sustained reform
there is a growing recognition that to ensure that every student reaches their potential, schools need to lead the next phase of reform.
The 64k dollar question is how do we get there?

11. Towards system wide sustainable reform
Prescription
Building Capacity
Professionalism
National Prescription
Every School a Great School
The real challenge we all face is to move the system from National Prescription  Schools Leading Reform.
As the Minister says, to move from a situation where Government delivers policy  to one that builds capacity.
This is not a chronological shift, it takes time and it is always a blend, but we want to shift the balance.
The aim is to go from a)  through b)  c). When at c) = High Excellence High Equity
Schools Leading Reform
System Leadership

12. 4 drivers mould to context through system leadership
Personalised
Learning
Professional
Teaching
SYSTEM
LEADERSHIP
Networks & Collaboration
Intelligent Accountability

13. System Leadership: A Proposition
‘System leaders’ care about and work for the success of other schools as well as their own. They measure their success in terms of improving student learning and increasing achievement, and strive to both raise the bar and narrow the gap(s). Crucially they are willing to shoulder system leadership roles in the belief that in order to change the larger system you have to engage with it in a meaningful way.’

14. System leaders share five striking characteristics, they:
measure their success in terms of improving student learning and strive to both raise the bar and narrow the gap(s).
are fundamentally committed to the improvement of teaching and learning.
develop their schools as personal and professional learning communities.
strive for equity and inclusion through acting on context and culture.
understand that in order to change the larger system you have to engage with it in a meaningful way.

15. “What does it mean to be educated?”
Being educated at any particular age has four central elements:
a breadth of knowledge gained from a curricula entitlement;
a range of skills on a developmental continuum that reflects increasing depth at ages 7, 11, 14,16, and in many cases, 18;
a range of learning experiences;
a set of key products, projects or artefacts.
It also means that students are able to…
Sustain employability through basic skills
Apply their knowledge and skills in different contexts
Choose from and learn in range of post-14 study (assuming an entitlement curriculum up until then)
Draw on wider experiences to inform further learning and choice

16. Personalised Learning is …
An educational approach that focuses on every individual achieving their potential and enhancing their learning skills
About designing teaching, curriculum and the school organisation to address the needs of the student both individually and collectively
A system that is more accessible, open to customisation and involves the learner in their own learning
A learning offer to all children that extends beyond the school context into the local community and beyond
Customising the curriculum offer so that it balances breadth with personal relevance, and unifies the curriculum offer across sectors and age groupings. Its foundations are the curriculum subjects that fire students’ imagination and provide the basis for enquiry.
Deep learning and teaching that builds on the learner’s experience, knowledge and multiple intelligences, and develops their confidence and competence. These strategies provide the focus for the teacher’s professional development, especially the use of ICT as a way to enhance creativity, extend learning opportunities and accommodate differing paces of learning.
Assessment for learning engages pupils fully in their learning through shared objectives and feedback, the use of individual learning profiles and self directed learning projects, whilst enhancing their social skills.
The focus on standards of achievement and learning provides the basis for unifying provision beyond the classroom and school to embrace the role of the family and community.
Organising the school for personalised learning stresses the importance of leadership, enhances the role of the learning mentor and involves establishing a system of transferable learning profiles and credits.
Networks and collaboration are an important enabler for personalised learning, both in providing choice and developing professional learning communities with access to a range of teaching strategies. They also enable the use of disciplined innovation, as a means for harnessing diversity to generate excellent outcomes under widely varying circumstances. 16

17. Barriers to Personalised Learning
Curriculum congestion
Expected levels
Poor catch- up provision or progression for low attaining pupils
Inadequate embedding of core skills
Lack of clarity for students on the common learning skills
Insufficient stretch for the most able
Staffing problems

18. Realising Personalised Learning
Focus on core study
Contested statutory curriculum in non-core subjects combined with an optional entitlement
Flexibility of an optional entitlement
Clarity on common learning skills
Champion effective pedagogy

19. Powerful Learning … Integrate prior and new knowledge
Is the ability of learners to respond successfully to the tasks they are set, as well as the task they set themselves In particular, to:
Integrate prior and new knowledge
Acquire and use a range of learning skills
Solve problems individually and in groups
Think carefully about their successes and failures
Accept that learning involves uncertainty and difficulty
All this has been termed “meta-cognition” – it is the learners’ ability to take control over their own learning processes. 19

20. Learning Skills Functional skills Thinking and Learning skills:
Literacy
Numeracy
ICT
Thinking and Learning skills:
Enquiry
Creative thinking
Information processes
Reasoning
Evaluation
Personal skills:
Communication (and personal presentation)
Diligence, reliability, and capability to improve
Working with others (social skills and teamwork)
Moral and ethical awareness

21. OECD (2005) Definition and Selection of Competences Project
1. Use tools interactively (both physical and socio-cultural ones)
a. Use language, symbols and texts interactively
b. Use knowledge and information interactively
c. Use technology interactively
2. Interacting in Heterogeneous Groups and specifically to:
a. Relate well to others
b. Co-operate, work in teams
c. Manage and resolve conflicts
3. Acting Autonomously
a. Act within the big picture
b. Form and conduct life plans and personal projects
c. Defend and assert rights, interests, limits and needs

22. Ensuring students gain mastery in these skills
But to ensure students gain mastery of these skills there needs to be agreement on how the skills should be:
embedded in teaching and learning, especially since in most systems these skills are not well taught in all schools and consequently students’ skill development is patchy
developed coherently across the curriculum especially as again in most systems these skills are not specified or developed in a systematic way and progression is assumed rather explicit.

23. The Dialectic between Curriculum, Learning and Teaching
Group
Investigation
Role
Playing
Synectics
Curriculum
Development
Evaluation
Concept Attainment
Curriculum
Development
Synthesis
Simulations
Inductive Thinking
Concept Attainment
Analysis
Models of Learning – Tools for Teaching
Inductive Thinking
Concept Attainment
Application
Comprehension
Inductive Thinking
Mnemonic
Knowledge
Mnemonic
Inductive thinking
Simulations

24. Principles for System Transformation
Teaching and Learning
School Improvement
System
Leadership
System Wide Reform

25. Core Principles – Learning and Teaching
Establish what learners already know and build on it
Set high expectations, show commitment to learner’s success and structure and pace the learning experience to make it challenging and enjoyable
Consistently develop learning skills and personal qualities
Ensure curriculum entitlement and balance it with curriculum choice
Inspire learning through passion for the subject
Make individuals active partners in their learning through ‘assessment for learning’ strategies

26. Core Principles – School Improvement
Focus systematically on teaching and learning
Base improvement activity on qualitative and quantitative evidence
Create time for collective enquiry and modelling across the curriculum
Build ownership and develop leadership
Embed improvement in the organisation’s systems and practices
Engage in collaboration and the sharing and development of ‘practice’

27. Core Principles – System Wide Reform
Establish a ‘Guiding Coalition’ with reform based on clear values – a commitment to the success of every learner
Develop a system that is coherent for learners at every level
Establish an intelligent accountability framework
Built front-line capacity by devolving funding and autonomy to the local level
Strengthen diversity, collaboration and innovation
Develop local and regional capacity and structures for agency, professional support and challenge

28. The Logic of School Improvement
Learning Potential of all Students
Student Repertoire of Learning Skills
Teacher Repertoire - Models of Teaching
Embedded in Curriculum Context and Schemes of Work
Whole School Emphasis on High Expectations and
Pedagogic Consistency
Sharing Schemes of Work and Curriculum Across and Between Schools, Clusters, Districts, LEAs and Nationally

29. Professor David Hopkins HSBC Chair in International Leadership
David Hopkins was recently appointed to the inaugural HSBC Chair in International Leadership, where he supports the work of iNet, the International arm of the Specialist Schools Trust and the Leadership Centre at the Institute of Education, University of London. He has also just been appointed a Professorial Fellow at the Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne. Between 2002 and 2005 he served three Secretary of States as the Chief Adviser on School Standards at the Department for Education and Skills. Previously, he was Chair of the Leicester City Partnership Board and Professor of Education, Head of the School, and Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Nottingham. Before that again he was a Tutor at the University of Cambridge Institute of Education, a Secondary School teacher and Outward Bound Instructor. David is also an International Mountain Guide who still climbs regularly in the Alps and Himalayas. Before becoming a civil servant he outlined his views on teaching quality, school improvement and large scale reform in Hopkins D. (2001) School Improvement for Real, London: Routledge / Falmer. His new book Every School a Great School has just been published by The Open University Press.