Sharing views on primary school education and pupils' wellbeing
Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:00:00

Teachers, headteachers and leading national experts came together at a conference to discuss some of the leading findings relating to primary school education and the happiness and well-being of pupils.

The Childhood, Well-being and Primary Education event, which took place on the 17 March, is the first conference to look at the emerging findings of two leading inquires - The Primary Review and The Good Childhood Inquiry®. The conference was hosted by the General Teaching Council for England (GTC).

The on-going inquires have, so far, both contributed significant findings relating to the  condition and future of primary education, children’s well-being and the way childhood is experienced and understood.

Part of the conference programme was two discussion sessions, offering delegates an opportunity to share and discuss their own professional views and experiences.

The first discussion sessions asked delegates to identify challenges and needs within the context of primary education and children’s happiness and wellbeing.

Challenges included:

• The current focus on testing which reduces time for teacher learning and puts pressure on children and,
• Poverty / inequality and the impact of family background on learning.

Delegates also looked at what needs to be done to improve primary school children’s experiences, proposals included:

• developing relationships between pupils (friendship groups) and pupil / teacher relationships,
• developing a sustainable primary curriculum with more flexibility for teachers to follow their own agenda,
• simplifying the primary curriculum and reviewing the assessment regime to support learning,
• increasing trust in teachers’ professionalism and allowing them more freedom to be creative in their teaching and
• listening to children’s voices to increase their involvement with how they are taught, to make them more active learners (Pupil Voice)

Rick Weights, Saxton CE Primary, North Yorkshire, highlighted some issues concerned with Pupil Voice, he said: “There is a danger of Pupil Voice being in conflict with other voices and not being heard. When what pupils want differs with other views, including those of the government, it can be very hard to act upon it.  As teachers we have to ensure that the Pupil Voice is heard and acted on.”

The second discussion session included valuable input from an expert panel of education professionals. The purpose of the panel was to lead a discussion that identified ways forward. The outcome of this discussion and delegates’ wider contributions at the conference will help to inform the inquiries’ future focus and outcomes. Key areas identified from delegates’ contributions and panel discussion included:

1. A consensus among delegates about the need to simplify the primary curriculum and review the current assessment regime.

2.  The need to trust teachers as professionals by letting them be creative by having a less prescriptive curriculum.

3. More emphasis on the early years foundation stage, with a more seamless link into primary education.

4.  More parental involvement so that schools can be viewed as the ‘hub of the community’.

5. Greater links between schools and Children’s Trusts / Children’s Services and, in general, more joined up working between organisations involved in children’s services.

View presentation slides from Bob Reitemeier’s speech.

View Professor Robin Alexander’s speech in full please click here

View Keith Bartley’s speech in full.

Further information about the reviews is available on the following websites:

The Primary Review: www.primaryreview.org.uk

The Good Childhood® Inquiry: www.goodchildhood.org.uk