The Education and Inspections Bill and personalised learning

The challenge

The first priority of the Education and Inspections Bill should be to address underachievement and educational disadvantage.

The Government could support this aim by widening its vision of personalised learning to include greater use of assessment for learning and the importance of the voice of pupils. This should be matched with tailored continuous professional development for teachers, as well as the resources and flexibility to shape the curriculum and teaching and learning to each pupil’s needs.

Where are we now?

Personalised learning has been significant in debate on education for some years. It was prominent in the 2005 White Paper, Higher Standards; Better Schools for All, which set out the scope of the Education and Inspections Bill currently before Parliament. 

The White Paper confines the vision for personalised learning to ‘catch-up classes’ and programmes for the gifted and talented. However, a broader vision would be more effective in raising standards, motivating pupils and tackling inequality. 

Where do we need to be?

Policy and research models point towards a series of key linked themes at the heart of developing personalised learning. These themes were part of the Government’s original vision for personalised learning:
a)  Assessment for Learning - a process that enables teachers to find out and explore each pupil’s learning needs through a dialogue with the pupil
b)  the importance of the pupil voice - consulting pupils, involving them fully and helping them take responsibility
c)  teacher professional development - tailored to each teacher’s needs
d)  school organisation - school leaders being creative in applying the school workforce, ICT, and creating effective environments for learning
e)  partnership beyond the school, closely involving parents and carers in their child’s learning and improving behaviour and attendance.

The Government will miss an opportunity if it now pursues a narrower vision.

Why and how is the GTC involved?

The General Teaching Council for England is committed to ensuring the best possible standards of learning and achievement for young people.

The GTC is working with teachers, researchers and policy-makers to develop advice on personalised learning. It has a statutory power to provide advice to government and other agencies on issues affecting the quality of teaching and learning.