We must rise with the occasion

It has been a difficult week. I could not possibly blog anything without first mentioning Jonathan Bramsdon, our Partnership Director. He was a lovely, lovely man who did a great job for Edge, especially in relation to our work with young people through the Edge Learner Forums and with employers; campaigning to improve the quality and variety of young people’s ‘experience of work’. I say ‘was’ because at the end of last week, at the age of 40, he died tragically. None of us can think of anything else at the moment. Here’s to you Jonathan – and especially your beautiful young family.

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending Sir Ken Robinson’s lecture and launch of his new book, The Element, which is all about finding your passion. If you have not seen him, you should. He is a brilliant speaker who delivers a very simple and important message - one which is almost identical to that of Edge. I am delighted to say that he features prominently in the forthcoming Edge-funded film We are the People We’ve been Waiting For, produced by New Moon and with Lord Puttnam as Executive Producer. I am sure his speech will be on the web soon, so I won’t try and paraphrase it now. I will just repeat one quote he read out, because it is beautifully phrased and sums up the need for transformation in education along with our extraordinarily fast-changing global world:

“The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.”
Abraham Lincoln

Finally, I noted this short piece in the papers today:

“Official figures show state schools and colleges in England spent more than £265 million enrolling pupils for tests last year, compared to £155 million in 2003. Fees for exams such as GCSEs, A-levels and GNVQs are now second only to staff salaries as the biggest expense in state schools. Headteachers claim the true cost could be nearer £700 million after paying for test invigilators and hiring exam secretaries.”

It is not as poetic as Abraham Lincoln’s remarks but it certainly sums up the need for educational transformation!