Headmaster of Millfield School in Street calls on educators to 'let go of standardised tests'

Headmaster of Millfield School in Street, Gavin Horgan, urged school leaders to give teachers the "licence to let go" of standardised tests and to foster originality of thought and creativity through radical curriculum rethink, at this year's BETT Show in London.

Mr Horgan joined a panel of education, science, human resources and intelligence experts to discuss "Educating the Workforce for the Future" in the BETT Arena at the technology conference in late January.

The panel included former Millfield pupil Kate Griggs, founder of Made by Dyslexia; space scientist and communicator Maggie Aderin-Pocock; global head of human resources retail banking and wealth management from HSBC, Laura Powell; and Beth Sizeland, director general strategy from British Intelligence Agency, GCHQ.

Mr Horgan said: "I think it's important for school leaders to look outside of traditional schooling and understand that young people's brilliance can manifest itself in many ways.

"Future workplaces need neurodiversity and creative thinkers, and here at Millfield we have the capability to offer a curriculum that discovers that talent, and l believe this is a framework that can benefit educators and young people in Britain and across the world.

"If we continue as we are we will produce the workforce of 20 years ago rather than the skills that we need now and in the future."

Mr Horgan's appearance at the BETT Show follows his comments on exam reform in British schools at the 2019 Made by Dyslexia Global Summit.

He urged the government to reform the exams process as the current format "restricts dyslexic learners" during a panel discussion with HRH Princess Beatrice and leading dyslexia influencers in London last year.