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New recruits at Wellington to encourage 'active learning'

Posted on 20th April 2009

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A leading independent school is recruiting both a thinker and philosopher-in-residence to give pupils, staff, parents and governors new incites into effective ways of thinking.

Master of Wellington College Dr Anthony Seldon has argued that this move has been made due to concerns about the state of the curriculum and examinations in Britain today.

He argued that the country has "lost sight" of what education is about, with too much focus on assessment and rote learning.

"Education is about much more than this. It is about teaching the whole child and this involves being taught how to think and reason independently," added Dr Seldon.

The headteacher called for "discovery" to be put back at the heart of education, with thinking becoming "active, not passive".

Creator of Mind Maps Tony Buzan will take on the role of thinker-in-residence, while leading philosopher Dr Julian Baggini will become philosopher-in-residence at the private school.

Dr Seldon noted that their introduction will complement that of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme at the school.

Wellington will be the first British independent school to offer this when it is introduced this September.