Personalised Learning : Building a New Relationship with Schools

1 Personalised Learning: Building a new relationship with schools FOREWORD This pamphlet provides the text of my speech on Personalised Learning: Building a New Relationship with Schools which I It outlines how personalised learning might become the defining feature of our education system; to provide an education to every child, which is tailored to their unique learning styles, motivations and needs. I believe that this can be achieved if we develop a new relationship with schools which will give schools the time, support and information they need to focus on what really matters. By strengthening our school improvement processes, improving our data flows and working with schools to tackle problems we will ensure there is real focus on the central priorities of teaching and learning. Above all, I want to see an education system that combines excellence and equity; that ensures every child receives the education they deserve. With the proposals outlined here, I believe we can rise to that challenge. The Challenge Over the last six years we have seen some outstanding success in our education system. Schools have focused on the core business of teaching and learning, and standards have risen. But we are facing a critical challenge in education: how do we achieve both excellence and equity? Personalised Learning The solution is to build on what the most successful teachers do best, to create an education system with personalised learning at its heart. This means a system in which every child matters; careful attention is paid to their individual learning styles, motivations and needs; there is rigorous use of pupil target setting linked to high quality formative assessment and marking; lessons are well paced and enjoyable; and pupils are supported by partnerships with others beyond the classroom. Personalised learning can only be developed school by school. It cannot be imposed from above. If we want to make personalised learning the defining feature of our education system then we need to develop a new, more focused and purposeful relationship between the Department, LEAs and schools. 3 Personalised Learning: Building a new relationship with schools The new relationship with schools will bring a sharper focus to our work at national level and strip out clutter, in order to release greater local initiative and energy. We want to free schools to focus on what really matters, give them more help in identifying their weaknesses, and more tailored and coherent support …