Towards Utopia - the conclusion

In this series of posts I have been seeking to distil my own thoughts, as well as hoping to provoke the thoughts of others, as we face the perennial challenge of what education looks like within our own sphere, what we want it to be and the limitations we face along the way.

I have stressed the benefits of experiential education, of doing, of exploring, of learning actively rather than sat at a desk, even though for many logistics dictate the balance of the two; perhaps beyond this I must acquiesce that some learning and reinforcement will best be done in a formal setting, and that children respond in different ways in different situations and sometimes need the calm, as well as understanding clear expectations, of a classroom. The freedom of the outdoors can be liberating but also distracting!

I have touched upon the importance of breadth in education, especially in the creative sphere, but I could have written more perhaps on the importance of languages, of the humanities in understanding ourselves and others, our past and present culturally and geographically, of understanding the world around us. I remain a passionate advocate of learning Latin for the linguistic, cognitive and cultural education it provides, as well as learning modern foreign languages where the cognitive dexterity required is of another order: of course for many children in our schools who hail from distant lands, this is a skill they have already mastered which never fails to impress me.

However with all these various facets of education, one truth holds firm for me which is the power of synoptic education, of children digesting and processing, understanding and developing skills which are then applied to new situations, problems and learning opportunities. One scholastic example of the tension between learning and tests is the conundrum of Science at Common Entrance: the three disciplines of Chemistry, Biology and Physics are examined separately, yet the extent to which topics overlap between them means that teaching them discretely, especially with different teachers, is bound to lead to lost opportunities to make connections. Of course, as children head towards teenage and a higher level of subject knowledge is required, there comes a point where even the most erudite dilettante will come unstuck but, in those middle years, I do believe a single teacher or tutor with the energy, passion and determination to help children to find their way through the jungle and illuminate the path for them will provide the best learning opportunities where connections can be made and patterns spotted across the entire curriculum.

Above all, I believe we must find the balance between enjoying and appreciating the process of education for its own benefits, versus focusing on the outcome, on ‘what’s next’: it is also a philosophical question for our longer adult lives, one I have asked myself seriously. I was conditioned (or did I condition myself?) to strive, to be ambitious, to want to climb, without necessarily giving due consideration to whether I would enjoy the view from the summit as much as the expedition to get there - or indeed, whether after eight years I was still enjoying the view as much as I did when I first reached the top. By now you may have seen the news that I am leaving Bilton Grange at the end of this academic year, and not to proceed to a second headship as everyone might assume – as did I until not so long ago.

I have decided that I want to harness my love of education – and yes, my love of working with children – as well as my experience of teaching alongside what I have learned in my (by next summer eight years of) headship, and do something bold and different. I am therefore setting up a bespoke, residential tutoring service which will look to provide the most utopian education possible to four fortunate boys; I will guide their learning through Years 4 to 6, helping them to develop their character, their skills and their knowledge of the world to a point where they will not only gain access to the finest schools, they will do so from a position of strength and confidence – but without arrogance. They will visit a care home every week, and experience live music, theatre or dance every three weeks; at least once a fortnight they will visit a museum, art gallery or place of historical interest. They will learn from the natural world, they will learn from each other… and they will learn about themselves.

They will learn musical instruments and speech and drama; they will entertain guests to Sunday lunch (and I will be inviting some of you – let me know if you would like an invitation to visit!) and perform to them. They will get to know local children through sports clubs, cub scouts (inevitably!) and other community-based pursuits. Above all, they will learn to be part of a community and, through that, positive members of society.

Whilst the website and marketing for Osiatynski Bespoke Education is not quite ready – Covid and my unexpected hospitalisation getting somewhat in the way – if you think that you might be able to help me to find families who would genuinely appreciate the offer I am making (not just to get their sons into top schools! If you’re wondering why boys, it’s because the market is stronger, and trying to create and manage a mixed gender group of this size would create insurmountable challenges) then please do message me directly: I will be grateful, and to an extent greater than offering you a free lunch!

I hope you have enjoyed reading these articles and do please share any thoughts you might have. Thank you again for all the kind words regarding my recent op, I am pleased to say I am recovering fast and well, my protein intake assisted by an incredibly kind and generous former parent who insists on cooking the most sensational Chinese food for me and my family!