We are undertaking a national conversation about the future of English alongside our colleagues in the Institute for English Studies and the School of Advanced Study, building resources with our communities to share.
Our project for the next three years has several aims:
- to move from defending to ‘thinking forwards’;
- to understand how the subject is already changing, with so much imaginative and creative thinking about teaching and skills happening, and to collect and share best practice;
- to support our commitment to English as a levelling up subject, with excellence in all kinds (and size) of school, college and university department;
- to explore opportunities for collaboration and new ways of working.
Thinking Forwards will begin with Collaboration. We’ll collect examples of innovative practice, teaching, and research, in schools and universities, so that we can see and help shape a narrative about English Studies and its contribution to change. Our Skills for the Future of English project will feed into these conversations.
Thinking Forwards also aims to build even stronger bridges between Secondary, Further, and Higher Eduation and the teaching of English; to ensure that English Studies – English language, English literature and Creative Writing – is seen as (a rich and diverse) go-to discipline at every stage in the emerging multidisciplinary and inclusive educational landscape (and why), and to bring in some new voices from STEM to speak alongside us; and to build links between English Studies and ‘industry’.
The project will begin with English Studies as its focus, and we will broaden the scope to include other subjects from the Arts and Humanities as the project develops, with the support of our colleagues in the School of Advanced Study.
The project is guided by an advisory group made up of teachers from higher, further, and secondary education. We will also create space for young peoples’ voices so this project becomes a collective movement with this generation.
Please keep checking back for updates and resources!
