A respectful and listening school

A relevant and flexible school• The message was clear: school is boring, but it doesn't have to be

that way. If only lessons were made more relevant, learning could be fun. Subjects should be explored through experience, by doing rather than being shown. The suggestions were innovative, from school dinners themed on space food or second world war rationing, to geography trips to tropical rainforests. John Paul Martindale was unusual in designing a specialist History School, where the playground had replica castles, classrooms were in different time zones "such as cowboys, Romans, Celts and Vikings", and teachers were "knights and tribal leaders". Many children wanted teachers who were not only teachers but practitioners. Science teachers should be real scientists, English teachers should work as literary critics, IT teachers should have worked in the industry.