RSA Education

Redefining excellence

This morning I went to a debate, held by the Young Foundation and Relate at the RSA, on whether schools should teach social, emotional and other skills alongside academic subjects, and I wondered how far the debate might be pushed in the direction of valuing such skills as much as ...

Apprenticeships and vocational courses – valued, to a degree…

Aiming to get 50% of the population into university, short of diminishing the advantage of the wealthy, may in fact have aggravated the problem. Of course, everyone who wants to study at university should have an equal opportunity to do so regardless of the amount of money their parents earn. However, now ...

I think therefore I learn

Teaching philosophy in primary schools is viewed by some as one thing too many or an unnecessary luxury, yet it seems to me that the disciplines such as rational and critical thought, learned through the practice of philosophy, can provide an important foundation on which a child can build throughout ...

Reflections on the Manchester curriculum

On Monday evening the RSA hosted a reflections event in Manchester to celebrate and review the fantastic work schools and their students did last year, working with the Manchester Area-based Curriculum. What was particularly encouraging was the enthusiasm of the Manchester Fellows to build on the successes and failings of the ...

RSA Fellows take on challenge of designing education

The RSA held its AGM last Wednesday, and RSA Fellows from all over the country came to John Adam Street to participate in seminars run by the projects team, make pledges on the fantastic exhibition (for which somehow we got permission to paint wavy coloured lines on the walls), and ...

The future of special needs education

Do we need a debate on the future of special needs education? How does public policy on special needs education need to change? RSA Chief Executive Matthew Taylor gives his views - let us know what you think.

How can design help education?

This Wednesday (7 October) sees the RSA's Annual General Meeting held at the House on John Adam Street, and the Education and Design teams have joined forces to invite RSA Fellows to contribute their ideas to a potential new cross disciplinary endeavour. The RSA design and education teams are exploring ways ...

Children, their world, their education

Robin Alexander and team are coming to the RSA on 19th October for a debate on the primary curriculum as part of the launch of the Cambridge Primary Review. The RSA, Cambridge Primary Review and Esmee Fairbairn Foundation host a public event to launch the debate about the final report of ...

Opening Minds across sectors

The RSA hosted a really successful event in collaboration with IPD, the professional development association serving the independent sector groups GSA, HMC and SHMIS on Monday. The event sought to bring some of the experience of schools implementing the RSA’s Opening Minds programme to an audience of independent school representatives, ...

Can we all be a bit more like Lance Armstrong?

A few things recently have got me thinking about the relationship between 'world class' achievement, notions of excellence, and education. We can't all, by definition, be the best, but as a society we share in the excellence of our highest achievers. This is why we watch sport, appreciate brilliance in ...