Tag Archives: citizenship education

Accessing the IB diploma

Posted on February 12, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma is a well-established internationally recognised qualification which provides students with an excellent grounding across a broad and balanced curriculum. It is based on a core; theory of knowledge, creativity, activity, service and an extended essay … Continue reading →

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Educating after the November 13th attacks.

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

Philippe Meirieu on keeping the big questions open The French educationalist Philippe Meirieu reflects in Café Pedagogique on how the French education system should respond to the 13th November Paris massacre: “Our society’s response to terrorism must keep faith with … Continue reading →

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Keri Facer and the future-building school

Posted on August 4, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

In her brilliant book Learning Futures – Education, technology and social change (2011) Professor Keri Facer suggests that we should be creating what she calls future-building schools rather than future-proof schools based on equipping young people to compete in the global economy. Keri … Continue reading →

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‘Not for Profit’ by Martha Nussbaum

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

In Not for Profit (2010), the U.S. philosopher and academic Martha Nussbaum argues that we are in the midst of a global crisis in education. Why? Because we are too willing to neglect the skills we need to keep democracy … Continue reading →

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Colleges and violent extremism

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

I work in a large inner city sixth form college with 2,600 students in London’s 3rd most socio-economically deprived borough where unemployment, poverty and homelessness are more common than average. Another way of describing the college is that it is also … Continue reading →

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Education and skills coming together?

Posted on November 1, 2014 by Eddie Playfair

The appointment of Peter Lauener as the chief executive of the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) while remaining as chief executive of the Education Funding Agency (EFA) has prompted speculation that the two agencies could soon be merged, although this has … Continue reading →

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Promoting a sixth form student research culture

Posted on September 2, 2014 by Eddie Playfair

Good news: Extended Project qualification (EPQ) entries were up again this year. The qualification which is equivalent in value to an AS level accredits a substantial piece of research on a topic of a students’ choice, usually culminating in a … Continue reading →

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Trivium 21c by Martin Robinson

Posted on August 24, 2014 by Eddie Playfair

I am so glad to have finally got round to reading Trivium 21c. I was expecting a treat and I wasn’t disappointed. This is an important book which should be read by anyone interested in the purpose and practice of … Continue reading →

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Sixth forms working together against the tide

Posted on June 4, 2014 by Eddie Playfair

Opening speech to the Sharing Good Practice conference at St.Angela’s school, Stratford, 4th June 2014. We are all here today because we are committed to providing the best possible educational opportunities to young people aged 16-18 and because we think … Continue reading →

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Post-16 citizenship in tough times

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Eddie Playfair

The times we live in demand more than ever that we assume responsibility for ensuring that all young people are educated for global citizenship, in other words for survival. What might this look like post-16? The context The current context … Continue reading →

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Voting and the habit of democracy

Posted on May 22, 2014 by Eddie Playfair

Do young people see the point of voting? Is democracy important in their lives? Should ‘something be done’ about low election turnouts among 18-25’s? Today, we are voting in elections for the European parliament and in many areas we are … Continue reading →

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Young people between hope and despair

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Eddie Playfair

Young people’s natural reserves of hope are running low in the current recession. As a result, much of Britain’s youth now seem strangely suspended between hope and despair. In the London borough of Newham, reasons for despair are not hard … Continue reading →

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