The Gilbert Review: four areas for consideration

Earlier this year Christine Gilbert was charged with presenting a vision of personalised teaching and learning in 2020, which will enable every child to achieve higher standards. The Campaign for Learning is delighted that the Review heralds a return to an emphasis on teaching and learning. Based on our Learning to Learn research, we believe there are four key areas that need to be considered by the Gilbert Review:

First, our project findings suggest that personalised learning should be a product of individuals learning together - communities of learners - teachers, pupils, parents and the wider world. We believe that personalised learning is not about individualising teaching and learning to fit the pupil, but is looking at creating the conditions that enable pupils to develop the skills, attitudes and dispositions that make them effective learners. By making the learning process explicit, and giving pupils the encouragement and opportunity to talk about and discuss their own learning with each other and with teachers and parents, pupils are also actively involved in shaping these conditions including the way they are taught, the curriculum and developing a common language for learning.

Secondly, the project is highlighting the crucial roles of teachers as researchers and learners in creating the personalised classroom. The project teachers increasingly see learning to learn as being an ethos or an approach to teaching and learning and not about a set of techniques or specific practices. The research framework is giving help and support so the teachers can personalise their approaches to teaching in their own classrooms through a process of innovation, experimentation and contextualisation.

Teachers in the project have an increased interest in the feedback from pupils and a willingness to learn more about learning and how to respond as a teacher. They talk about changes in the scope of their thinking, so they take account of a wider range of factors or their understanding of the processes of learning is deepened. And, by focusing on the learning needs of the pupils, it appears that teachers are trying things that would under normal circumstances be seen as 'risk-taking'.

Thirdly, we would argue that collaboration between organisations is key to supporting the development of personalised learning. As the project becomes as much about teacher learning and professional development as pupil learning, we can see that it is the collaborative network that is having a significant influence on the development of the teachers' work in schools. Involvement in a large-scale project, co-ordinated by a national organisation, with support from a University and identified LEA staff is helping to create a climate in which investigating and researching learning to learn in classrooms is encouraged. It is particularly productive when there is support from senior management in schools. This support gives teachers the confidence to innovate and make decisions to improve learning experiences for all.

Finally, we feel that it is important that personalised learning should be about creating capable, confident and motivated lifelong learners. The Learning to Learn in Schools project has always looked at the 'bigger picture' for what goes on in classrooms. If personalised learning can provide a clear focus on the development of pupils' identities as learners and the attitudes and dispositions that will help them become learners for life, we believe that it will fulfil many of the aspirations of the Gilbert Review.

For more information about the Gilbert Review click here.

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