The School Curriculum Ten Years Hence - UCET: Universities ...

example, how the teacher/tutor might better work with the
disengaged young person to identify and agree on:
• the young person’s learning potential
• the barriers to achieving that potential
• the programme to attain realistically achievable objectives
• the provision of accreditation routes, if possible, by doublebadging
national awards, but at least, to show the distance
travelled to provide a sense of achievement for the learner and the
teacher
Conclusion
The theme of the conference is challenging, the address by Susan
wide-ranging and relevant. I hope that my response gives you some
sense of the value we place on the conference in general and
Susan’s address in particular, and that we are taking these matters
very seriously in Northern Ireland. I look forward to the opportunity
for my colleagues in the Inspectorate to continue to debate these
matters with you. I believe we have something to contribute to that
debate. I know we have much to gain from participation.
Finally chairman, can I express my appreciation for the opportunity
to respond to the plenary address by HMCI Susan Lewis and to
express my appreciation to all of you for all that you do in the
interests of young people.
~ THREE ~
REPORTS FROM DISCUSSION GROUPS
I. Professor Denis Lawton
This was a lively group with the distinct advantage of having
members from all five countries with a wide range of experience -
and views. The main difficulty for the Chair, Frank Adams, was that
there was simply too much to discuss: no sooner were we getting to
grips with one topic than we had to move on to the next plenary
session topic and a different set of questions. Nevertheless we felt
that the quality of discussion was good and a degree of coherence
emerged in the end.
We began by reacting to the Papers by Lawton and Pring, both of
whom were convinced that schools needed to bring about changes
in structure and ethos for a variety of reasons, including the fact
that most schools’ concern for control distorted more educational
purposes, including the kind of moral and social education suitable
for the 21st century. Most of the group were prepared to accept
that position but a small number felt that many schools were