DAVID HOPKINS

David has recently completed his school improvement trilogy with the publication of Exploding the Myths of School Reform; the previous books being School Improvement for Real (2001) and Every School a Great School (2007).

David is passionately committed to improving the quality of education for all and has worked in policy, research and practice, in the UK, Australia and Internationally for over forty years. He has published some fifty books, helped establish the National College for School Leadership in England and among a range of educational roles has been Chief Adviser to the Secretary of State on School Standards in the UK, Dean of Education at the University of Nottingham (as well as a visiting professor at over a dozen international universities), a long-time consultant to the OECD and also as an International Mountain Guide. He is Emeritus Professor at the Institute of Education, Director of Education for the Bright Tribe Trust and founder of the Adventure Learning Schools Charity.

David was recently ranked as the 16th most influential educator in the world by the American based Global Gurus organization..

Session Title: The Past, Present and Future of School Improvement and System Reform

There is no doubt that the world’s educational systems have made significant progress over recent decades. It is also indubitably true that we have generated substantial practical knowledge over the past fifteen years about how to improve both schools and systems. Yet debates still rage at the policy, practitioner and academic levels over which policy levers and strategies actually make the difference. It is also sadly the case that the most significant consequence of this ‘debate’ has been to slow the progress of student achievement at the system level.

The Oration opens with this introductory statement and in support briefly sketches in the recent history of school improvement and system reform. The seminal work of Jurgen Habermas particularly Knowledge and Human Interests is then drawn on to explain why we are, where we currently are. This framework is then used to propose a series of guidelines for future practice, policy and research that will ensure sustainable progress in student learning and leadership practice into the future.

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