Creating World-Class Schools

How do we create world-class education where almost all students are achieving at high levels? A system where high performance is the norm. In the past we assumed high-performing students would be those with the most potential. We believed high performers were born not made. Yet now we know differently. Almost everyone can become a high performer but only if they are educated in a way that systematically develops advanced cognitive performance. Currently schools are educating for the past. This chapter shows schools how to educate for the future and make world-class schools the system standard. It explores why this is an urgent agenda and why we cannot continue with business-as-usual if students are to thrive in the fast-changing world of AI and existential threats such as climate change and global instability. It explains why and how the High Performance Learning teaching and learning framework can help schools to make the necessary step-change and illustrates that this is no pipedream but rather a well-attested methodology, already being implemented successfully by school leaders in over a hundred schools. It is a call-out to school and systems leaders to make the change, so all our students can thrive.