Alison Peacock – författare

This book tells the story of how one primary school community worked to build a learning environment that is inclusive, humane and enabling for everybody, a place free from the damaging effects of fixed ability thinking and practices. Drawing on compelling accounts of everyday life in the school, it describes how, in just a few years, the school (once in special measures) grew into a thriving community, with distinctive views of learning, curriculum and pedagogy, monitoring and accountability that found expression in every aspect of school life.

The work of the school community was guided by the findings of a previous project, 'Learning without Limits' (Hart, Dixon, Drummond and McIntyre 2004), an empirical study of the classroom practice of individual teachers who had rejected the concept of fixed ability. 'Creating Learning without Limits' explores what becomes possible when the same ideas and principles are used creatively to guide and inspire whole school improvement. This book is not simply a celebration of the success of the school; it engages with the struggles and difficulties encountered by the staff as they set about learning to reshape pedagogy and curriculum by reference to their shared values of inclusion, social justice and human educability. It gives a detailed analysis of how the headteacher harnessed the power of collective action.

The insights generated by this study have enduring relevance and applicability to people in other contexts - for staff groups craving for more equitable school improvement; for individual teachers wondering how best to foster children's learning capacity; for school leaders and teacher educators who find their values increasingly compromised.

"'Creating Learning without Limits' takes on one of the most important issues in education today... This is a must-read for educators, policy makers and parents alike."

Jo Boaler, Professor of Mathematics Education, Stanford University, California. Formerly a teacher and researcher at the Universities of London and Sussex.

"This will undoubtedly turn out to be amongst the most important educational books of the decade...If you want to know why 'the standards agenda' must inevitably fail and what we might do instead, read this book."

Professor Michael Fielding, Institute of Education, University of London, UK

"This is an inspiring and reviving book."

Anne Watson, Professor of Mathematics Education, University of Oxford, UK

"This book provides a grounded demonstration of the importance of educational principles, the most important of which is the understanding that each child's potential for learning is limitless... I urge you to let it influence your thinking too!"

Professor Andrew Pollard, Institute of Education, University of London, UK

"The book deserves a really wide readership."

Professor Clyde Chitty, Institute of Education, University of London, UK

"This book is slim in size but hefty in significance."

Barry Hymer, Professor of Psychology in Education, Education Faculty, University of Cumbria, UK

"A classic for our time, it should be read by all who seek approaches to teaching and learning that are free from externally imposed views of ability and potential.”

Professor Lani Florian, School of Education, University of Aberdeen, UK

"This book could be the catalyst for the educational change that we are all praying for."

Julie Lilly, Head Teacher, UK

This book tells the story of how one primary school community worked to build a learning environment that is inclusive, humane and enabling for everybody, a place free from the damaging effects of fixed ability thinking and practices. Drawing on compelling accounts of everyday life in the school, it describes how, in just a few years, the school (once in special measures) grew into a thriving community, with distinctive views of learning, curriculum and pedagogy, monitoring and accountability that found expression in every aspect of school life.

The work of the school community was guided by the findings of a previous project, ''Learning without Limits'' (Hart, Dixon, Drummond and McIntyre 2004), an empirical study of the classroom practice of individual teachers who had rejected the concept of fixed ability. ''Creating Learning without Limits'' explores what becomes possible when the same ideas and principles are used creatively to guide and inspire whole school improvement. This book is not simply a celebration of the success of the school; it engages with the struggles and difficulties encountered by the staff as they set about learning to reshape pedagogy and curriculum by reference to their shared values of inclusion, social justice and human educability. It gives a detailed analysis of how the headteacher harnessed the power of collective action.

The insights generated by this study have enduring relevance and applicability to people in other contexts - for staff groups craving for more equitable school improvement; for individual teachers wondering how best to foster children''s learning capacity; for school leaders and teacher educators who find their values increasingly compromised.

"''Creating Learning without Limits'' takes on one of the most important issues in education today... This is a must-read for educators, policy makers and parents alike."

Jo Boaler, Professor of Mathematics Education, Stanford University, California. Formerly a teacher and researcher at the Universities of London and Sussex.

"This will undoubtedly turn out to be amongst the most important educational books of the decade...If you want to know why ''the standards agenda'' must inevitably fail and what we might do instead, read this book."

Professor Michael Fielding, Institute of Education, University of London, UK

"This is an inspiring and reviving book."

Anne Watson, Professor of Mathematics Education, University of Oxford, UK

"This book provides a grounded demonstration of the importance of educational principles, the most important of which is the understanding that each child''s potential for learning is limitless... I urge you to let it influence your thinking too!"

Professor Andrew Pollard, Institute of Education, University of London, UK

"The book deserves a really wide readership."

Professor Clyde Chitty, Institute of Education, University of London, UK

"This book is slim in size but hefty in significance."

Barry Hymer, Professor of Psychology in Education, Education Faculty, University of Cumbria, UK

"A classic for our time, it should be read by all who seek approaches to teaching and learning that are free from externally imposed views of ability and potential.”

Professor Lani Florian, School of Education, University of Aberdeen, UK

"This book could be the catalyst for the educational change that we are all praying for."

Julie Lilly, Head Teacher, UK

This book explores assessment practices that offer an enlightening and enabling view of all learners. Following the demise of national curriculum levels, the book embraces a unique opportunity to change how children are assessed. Rather than simply replacing the old structure with a new one, it focuses instead on enabling children to learn in meaningful ways so that assessment becomes a tool for improvement rather than judgment by building on two influential research studies, Learning without Limits (Hart et al 2004) and Creating Learning without Limits (Swann et al 2012). Inspired by a relentless focus on every child’s capacity to learn, the book explores what can be achieved when we remove limits on learning. School leaders and teachers, struggling against practices that seeks to define, label and rank, explore the opportunity to view assessment reform as a means of reducing inequity through ‘learning without limits’ principles of collaboration, professional learning and inquiry. Children share their views and offer powerful insights into what may be achieved when limits are lifted on their learning. Consequently a liberating and alternative view of assessment is presented, achieved through children and adults working in partnership.At a time when schools are in pursuit of new assessment practices and reporting of progress, the insights in this book about what is possible are highly pertinent for individual teachers, school leaders and teacher educators wondering how best to foster children’s learning capacity.

“Everyone who cares about children’s lives and their futures should read this book!”Carol S. Dweck, Professor of Psychology, Stanford University, US and author of Mindset

"This book tackles the difficult and very important task of bringing together the Learning Without Limits big ideas and the challenging topic of assessment.”Mary Jane Drummond and Susan Hart, Co-authors of Learning without Limits and Creating Learning without Limits, UK

“This is a great book, and as one of the nine teachers who was part of the original ‘Learning without Limits’ research project I can vouch for Dame Alison Peacock’s unswerving commitment to, and passion for, the principles of Learning without Limits embodied within its pages.”Dr Claire Taylor, Pro Vice-Chancellor, St Mary’s University, Twickenham, London, UK“The book's agenda and commitment are uplifting - to generate a love of learning and realise achievement in every child, irrespective of their circumstances or prior attainment.” Professor Becky Francis, Professor of Education and Social Justice, King's College London, UK"Alison Peacock makes a powerful case for trust and dialogue as the essential building blocks of this 'different way'."Mary Jane Drummond and Susan Hart, Co-authors of Learning without Limits and Creating Learning without Limits, UK"In contrast to some rather 'dry' books on assessment that start with abstract principles and seek illustrations of them, this book works the other way around. It is full of rich stories of practice and the voices of children and their teachers."Mary James, Professor Emerita, University of Cambridge Faculty of Education, UK

This book explores assessment practices that offer an enlightening and enabling view of all learners. Following the demise of national curriculum levels, the book embraces a unique opportunity to change how children are assessed. Rather than simply replacing the old structure with a new one, it focuses instead on enabling children to learn in meaningful ways so that assessment becomes a tool for improvement rather than judgment by building on two influential research studies, Learning without Limits (Hart et al 2004) and Creating Learning without Limits (Swann et al 2012). Inspired by a relentless focus on every child’s capacity to learn, the book explores what can be achieved when we remove limits on learning. School leaders and teachers, struggling against practices that seeks to define, label and rank, explore the opportunity to view assessment reform as a means of reducing inequity through ‘learning without limits’ principles of collaboration, professional learning and inquiry. Children share their views and offer powerful insights into what may be achieved when limits are lifted on their learning. Consequently a liberating and alternative view of assessment is presented, achieved through children and adults working in partnership.At a time when schools are in pursuit of new assessment practices and reporting of progress, the insights in this book about what is possible are highly pertinent for individual teachers, school leaders and teacher educators wondering how best to foster children’s learning capacity.

“Everyone who cares about children’s lives and their futures should read this book!”Carol S. Dweck, Professor of Psychology, Stanford University, US and author of Mindset

"This book tackles the difficult and very important task of bringing together the Learning Without Limits big ideas and the challenging topic of assessment.”Mary Jane Drummond and Susan Hart, Co-authors of Learning without Limits and Creating Learning without Limits, UK

“This is a great book, and as one of the nine teachers who was part of the original ‘Learning without Limits’ research project I can vouch for Dame Alison Peacock’s unswerving commitment to, and passion for, the principles of Learning without Limits embodied within its pages.”Dr Claire Taylor, Pro Vice-Chancellor, St Mary’s University, Twickenham, London, UK“The book''s agenda and commitment are uplifting - to generate a love of learning and realise achievement in every child, irrespective of their circumstances or prior attainment.” Professor Becky Francis, Professor of Education and Social Justice, King''s College London, UK"Alison Peacock makes a powerful case for trust and dialogue as the essential building blocks of this ''different way''."Mary Jane Drummond and Susan Hart, Co-authors of Learning without Limits and Creating Learning without Limits, UK"In contrast to some rather ''dry'' books on assessment that start with abstract principles and seek illustrations of them, this book works the other way around. It is full of rich stories of practice and the voices of children and their teachers."Mary James, Professor Emerita, University of Cambridge Faculty of Education, UK