Whole Education

Whole Education is a UK-based not-for-profit organisation involved in education reform.

It describes itself as a 'partnership of schools and organisations committed to redefining today’s educational offering.'

Programmes

Whole Education offers conferences, workshops and programmes to schools in its network.

• Its two day annual conference, for example, in 2015 will feature speeches from the Regional Schools Commissioner for South West England; former Education Secretary and peer, Baroness Estelle Morris, and will be hosted by Tim Brighouse and Lord Jim Knight. It is sponsored by, among others, GL Assessment and Discovery Education.

• More than a fifth of the sessions at Whole Education's 2013 conference, 'Journeys to Outstanding', focused on technology in teaching and learning, including sessions featuring Google's Chromebook laptops for schools, Apple's iPads, and discussions on 'How ‘Bring Your Own Device’ is transforming learning'. The conference brochure quoted McKinsey & Company's controversial 2010 education report ('The journey from great to excellent systems focuses on creating an environment that will unleash the creativity and innovation of its educators'). The conference was sponsored by, among others: OCR (examination board); Future Leaders; and BT.

• In 2013 Whole Education also hosted a webinar with 'global education thought leader and expert, author, and inventor' Charles Fadel on 21st Century Curriculum.

Interest in technology to teach

Whole Education also runs a series of 'Interests Groups', which it says 'help schools to learn with, and from, each other in providing a whole education'. A number of these interest groups have a particular focus on the role of technology in teaching, including:

• Driving Digital Fluency: 'how digital literacy can be embedded throughout the school, how both staff and students can be instrumental in this, and how mobile devices can open doors to enhanced pedagogy'.
• Flipped and self-regulated learning: Flipped learning is where children learn content at home, often online, and then practice what they have learnt in the classroom (as they do with standard homework). The group looks at the technology and pedagogy behind flipped learning.
• Innovations in Literacy: this group looks at 'innovations' that improve literacy, including 'examining various forms of technology specifically focused on enhancing literacy.'

Sponsors and partners

Whole Education is supported by the following organisations:

• Paul Hamlyn Foundation
• OCR, (Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations): examination board.
• BT

Other supporting organisations listed on its website include:

• Aldridge Foundation
• Association of School and College Leaders
• Toshiba

Among its partners listed in 2015 are:

• Innovation Unit
• Apps for Good
• DigitalMe
• realsmartcloud
• RSA
• IRIS Connect​
• Makewaves
• ASDAN (awarding body)
• University of the First Age

Other partners listed on its site include:

• Futurelab
• Young Foundation

People

• David Crossley, executive director and director of education consultancy Learn2Transform.
• Douglas Archibald, director
• Anita Kerwin-Nye, director of partnerships, lobbying and fundraising

Board of Directors

• Sir John Dunford, chair; UK government 'National Pupil Premium Champion'
• John Baumber, Director of Education (UK) at Kunskapsskolan
• Ross Hall, Director of Education Strategy, Ashoka
• Charlotte Hill, Chief Executive, Step Up to Serve
• Chris Holmwood, Senior Deputy Headteacher at Shenley Brook End
• Judith Judd, Former editor of the Times Educational Supplement
• Chris Padden, Chief Executive, Incerts (online assessment tool)
• Caroline Waters, Director of People and Policy, BT.

Contact

Website:http://www.wholeeducation.org/

Twitter: @WholeEducation; @johndunford

Address: c/o CAN Mezzanine, 49-51 East Road, London, N1 6AH