Last weekend, I was listening to Radio 4’s ‘Saturday Live’ programme. One of the guests, Mary Beard, the classical historian, described a childhood visit to the British Museum. Like many children still today, Mary was ‘dead keen’ on the Egyptians, but museums in the 1960s were not so child-friendly and interesting artefacts were kept in closed, high-up cases. One of the artefacts was a piece of Egyptian cake – irresistible viewing, were it not for it being out of reach. Unusually, a curator came over and lifted the ancient cake down from the case to show the delighted young Mary.

 

An interesting anecdote, maybe, but how does this relate to OWN Trust? Well, Mary pinpointed that moment as the one that brought about her fascination with the ancient world, leading to her acclaimed career as an author, academic, and teacher. This encounter with the generous curator showed her that people are there to ‘open cases for other people’ – literally and metaphorically. At OWN Trust, I believe, we are ‘case openers’ for each other, students and colleagues alike, so that we can all access the wonders of learning, beyond just what we already know and experience, beyond our own environment.

 

For me, at school, that ‘case’ was language, both English and foreign languages, with their fascinating ability to transport you to other times, places, and cultures. I was the first in my family to go to university and was encouraged to study Business and French, rather than a pure language degree – better job prospects, it was felt. Indeed, a business career ensued, until, in my mid-30s, with three children of my own, I completed a PGCE and entered the wonderful world of primary education and of opening cases for brilliant young minds.

 

Still today, language remains the case that I want to open for others. I now teach English to adults, who are newly arrived in England or who have not had access to schooling. For them, like us all, language, and the ability to communicate in all its forms, hold such power. This was discussed in Fiona Schneider’s excellent blog (Communication and Community, March 2023).

 

Yet many children, and adults, have difficulties in this area, not just because they may have a language other than English as their first language, but because they may have individual challenges or they are affected by environmental factors. Studies have shown how socio-economic disadvantage is a key predictor of poor literacy development in children and that this can be intergenerational. The National Literacy Trust runs an Annual Literacy Survey. In 2023, their survey showed that only 43.4% of children enjoyed reading in their free time, the largest drop since their surveys began in 2005. The lowest enjoyment levels were amongst those children in receipt of Free School Meals.

 

As a headteacher, I was driven to address such inequalities. Now as a trustee, I am proud to be part of OWN Trust’s vision to transform aspirations, change attitudes, and raise achievements for our community through our passionate belief in the power of education (OWN Future 2022/27). It is the Trust Board’s job to bring a strategic perspective and robust challenge and structure, and to ensure that all our students receive an excellent education. On a recent school visit, with Trevor Goakes and OWN Trust Members, I was able to see a real joy of learning (and teaching) in our schools. There was also a common language evident across the schools, making aspirational teaching and learning accessible for all, adults and students alike.

 

We are all learning from each other. Indeed, in that same radio programme, Mary Beard went on to describe how one of the joys of teaching is how much we, as adults, can learn from children. This is something that certainly resonates with me. It was so often the case that, after lessons and discussions with students, I ended up rethinking topics that I thought I had got sussed and pondering the insights of a child’s perspective.

^{Photo by Lee Jeffs on Unsplash}