Community learning plan for students
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.PUPILS SHOULD be able to leave school at 14 and continue their learning anywhere from home to museums, a government adviser says today.
Tom Bentley, part-time adviser to David Blunkett, the Secretary of State for Education, says in a pamphlet - published by the think-tank Demos - that schools should act as brokers for their pupils by organising educational opportunities in the community.
Mr Bentley, 25, who went to Oxford University after attending a comprehensive school in a deprived part of London, argues that the next great stage in educational reform is to "de-school" society - a change first proposed by the American sociologist Ivan Illich 30 years ago.
He calls for fundamental changes in education to achieve ministers' goal of raising standards among underprivileged pupils.
Instead of being self-contained institutions, schools should become "neighbourhood learning centres" which organise services for people of all ages. Some staff would help students plan and review their activities while others would record and assess them.
"From the age of 14 compulsory schooling might come to an end, to be followed by a number of community-based learning packages which continued for five years or more."
More learning should take place in the context in which knowledge is applied, for example on the shop floor or through voluntary work.
Mr Bentley suggests that the notion that teachers can transform the lives of deprived pupils is "romantic".
"It relies on the myth that individuals can buck the system and transform their destiny but ignores the fact that these individuals are the exception." Students need many different role models, he says.
He also supports a broader system of assessment which would measure different types of intelligence and ability from those measured by traditional tests and exams.
Learning Beyond the Classroom; published by Demos and Routledge; price pounds 15.99.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments