At a time when education is considered crucial to a country’s economic success, recent UK governments have insisted their reforms are the only way to make England’s system world class. Yet pupils are tested rather than educated, teachers bullied rather than trusted and parents cast as winners or losers in a gamble for school places. Peter Mortimore will be discussing his book Education Under Siege: Why There is a Better Alternative (Policy Press), in which he challenges the claims of both the Coalition and the previous Labour government that there is ‘no alternative’ to the education market they have attempted to create. Drawing on his experience of visting and working with those involved in the Nordic education systems, Peter Mortimore argues that there are better alternatives to the English education market that could lead to the creation of happier, less pressurised and ulitmately, more successful ways of working.

Peter Mortimore began teaching in 1964.  He was professor of education at the Universities of Lancaster, London and Southern Denmark; Director of the Institute of Education from 1994-2000; and President of the British Educational Research Association 1999-2001. After leaving London University he undertook reviews of the Danish and the Norwegian education systems for the OECD. He was a monthly education columnist for the Guardian from 2006 to 2010.

 In association with Nottingham NUT.

Admission: £3.00,  refreshments available. 15% off all purchases made on the night.