C.E. Jottings

Outstanding Conductor posts at Paces 'Outstanding' School

Paces long association with the Peto Institute is a matter of pride. As is our part in the very first UK-wide summer schools, here in Sheffield, from 1992-94. As is the help received from Prof Kozma and Anikó Salga in setting up our own centre from 1996. As is our part in introducing conductive education to the English mainstream in 2009, when the Department for Education recognised Paces School as a Non-Maintained Special School; as is the formal opening of... Read more →

"Think. Innovate. Be yourself." Is there relevance for conductive education?

"Let's face it though, some societies are rather more amenable to the notion of transformative pedagogy than are others." (Andrew Sutton on Conductive World. "Is there relevance for Conductive Education?"). I'll let you work out for yourself the relevance I see in the cartoon by Peter Steiner. Or you can just have a good laugh. [Posted without his permission and with apologies, therefore, to Peter Steiner.] Read more →

Pondering research, cerebral palsy and education (1)

The fourth and final evidence session of the Parliamentary Enquiry into Cerebral Palsy was held last Tuesday. Led by Action Cerebral Palsy and Chaired by Paul Maynard MP (to whom many grateful thanks), the final report is expected to be published on 27th January 2015. The final session, in part, raised issues around the vexed questions of research and funding. My interest, to declare it up front, is the education of children with cerebral palsy and the continuation into adulthood... Read more →

"This is an Outstanding School" - Ofsted on Paces School November 2013

Read the Ofsted Report Read more →

More urgent than Xmas! Anyone know an Independent Educational Psychologist, Conductive Education

This from Mumsnet. Can you help? "Hi I have two children aged 3 and 5 who both have got celebral palsy. They both have just been given statements however the school I asked for the LEA has not agreed to it so we are going to tribunal. They have said they are suited to a maintream school. However I have been sending them privately funding it to a non maintained special school for conductive education in sheffield. They have been... Read more →

The role of leadership is to create a climate of possibility not command and control.

What is the purpose of schools? asked Anthony Seddon

What is the purpose of schools? Writing in the Sunday Times (£pay site) a couple of weeks ago (“Think Tank: New Ideas for the 21st Century”), Anthony Seddon, Master of Wellington College, approved much that Michael Gove has done as Education Secretary, whilst suggesting “If he has a blind spot, however, it is his lack of a vision for the purpose of schools”. “Gove has let exam passes become the all-important validator of the worth of a school .... Exams,... Read more →

Schooling: when enough is enough

Much of my thinking time yesterday was spent pondering Paces' adult services and conductive education. Prompted by a meeting in the morning, the subject whirled around my head all the rest of the day and into the evening. Partly my pondering is about conductive education. We know something about "conductive pedagogy"; but what do we know of "conductive andragogy"? We know something about "conductive upbringing"; but what do we know about "conductive living?" Coincidentally, I yesterday, too, happened to re-read... Read more →

Concocting a recipe for a new approach to conductive upbringing and schooling from four ingredients

The 4 Ingredients: Cyber-CE Flexischooling Family-centred education Free schools. I have long puzzled about how conductive upbringing, which is necessarily child-and-family centred 365 days a year, might creatively be integrated with conductive schooling with its institutional structures and limitations – whilst having some hope at least of a sustainable business model. Three fortuitous bits of reading and a current obsession - the 4 ingredients - can perhaps be shaken or stirred together to make something wholly new. Crazy? No problem.... Read more →

Parent founded special schools. How many, ever?

Does anyone know how many special schools in the UK are run by charities that were originally founded by parents? Or where I can find out? On twitter @newmanswords posted: #freeschools - loadsa money, tailor-made for the chattering classes, now big expensive consultancies to create more.. http://bit.ly/hlgBIM To make @newmansworld's point, his link is to just such a consultancy. Following his tweet, we had an interesting exchange of thoughts. However, our exchange led me to ponder this: the Free School... Read more →