Patrick Hazlewood – författare

This book will address the leadership challenge of creating an environment for the development needs of 21st century students. These students need to be globally aware, flexible in approach, and to develop transferable, multi-skills across a wide spectrum of employment opportunities. They also need to be numerate, have highly defined social and communication skills and have an Information and Communication Technology skill base embedded within all that they do.  In order to create the appropriate learning environment, every organisation must address as a first priority the way it is led. Schools must second guess needs for the future and put robust structures in place to facilitate those needs. This book will show how such a culture change is possible, note the barriers encountered and the successes achieved, both within schools and other organisations. Schools are one member of a group partnership with parents, employers, society and the students themselves - all of whom are charged with making this change happen. For this reason, the book looks at a number of business organisations to see what leadership lessons can be learned by both sides in this process of transformation.

St John''s School and Community College in Wiltshire made headline news this year. In challenging old ideas about homework and the National Curriculum, St. John''s has developed its own integrated curriculum based on:

-        learning to learn

-        managing information

-        managing situations

-        relating to people

-        global citizenship

- a curriculum designed to equip learners with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the real world. The success of this new approach has resulted in:

-        improved academic progress

-        better behaviour

-        greater learning opportunities

-        increased confidence

-        more responsible learners.

Nurturing Independent Thinkers is both a practical guide to the implementation of the ''St John''s curriculum'' and a realistic account of the journey taken by the staff and students involved.