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Personalising Learning

SSAT’s ground-breaking pamphlets demonstrate how the teaching profession can take the lead in personalising learning.

The work was led by Professor David Hargreaves working closely with SSAT and school leaders.

Hargreaves engaged with 200 school leaders and together they designed the nine gateways to personalising learning. This work brought together theory and practice and led to the first series of pamphlets.

Feedback from schools was that they needed to be compressed further and the four ‘deeps’ – learning, support, experience and leadership – emerged.

The work continued with a focus on System Redesign and Leading System Redesign and a focus on leadership and governance to transform education.

Series 1 – The Nine Gateways
Series 2 – The Deeps
Series 3 – System Redesign
Series 4 – Leading System Redesign

Series 1 – The Nine Gateways

Aim of the series: To show how the teaching profession can take the lead in personalising learning through nine main gateways, each of which provides a distinctive angle on personalising learning by ensuring that teaching and support are shaped around student needs.

The final gateway: school design and organisation

The final pamphlet in this series explores school design and organisation as the gateway to personalised learning, integrating the other eight gateways. It showcases the transformative work of headteachers and schools.

Mentoring & coaching and workforce development

This pamphlet explores mentoring & coaching and workforce development as gateways to personalised learning. It shares insights from 2005 conferences hosted by the Specialist Schools Trust.

Curriculum and advice & guidance

This pamphlet explores the curriculum and advice & guidance gateways, aiding teachers and students on the path to personalised learning. It shares insights from conferences and expert presenters.

Learning to learn and the new technologies

"Learning to Learn & the New Technologies" is a pivotal guide for educators, exploring innovative approaches to personalising education and harnessing new technologies to cultivate independent, lifelong learners in the 21st century.

Student voice and assessment for learning

The second publication in the "Personalising learning" series, emphasises student voice and assessment for learning, placing students at the centre of change and enabling the student to be active in learning.

Next steps in working laterally

"Next Steps in Working Laterally" champions a transformative approach to education, advocating personalised learning through nine key gateways, tailored to meet the diverse needs of each student for a future-ready education.

Series 2 – The Deeps

Aim of the series: To explain the concepts and give an overview of the application of deep learning, deep experience, deep support and deep leadership that can help reshape schooling for the 21st century.

The Deeps in Action

The four 'deeps' were introduced in 2006 to help school leaders understand the moral purpose of education. They were intended as a conceptual tool but have been used practically for positive change.

Deep learning – 2: Why should they learn?

This pamphlet offers insight into the goals of schooling and how education should change. It discusses social entrepreneurship, creativity, and the importance of moral purpose in education.

Deep leadership – 2: A culture of personalisation

See how successful schools have created a unique culture that supports personalised learning through co-construction, innovation, and distributed leadership. Discover how personalisation and school culture work together to create a dynamic learning environment.

Deep experience – 2: Rethinking key stage 3

Kai Vacher explores how the concept of deep experience can be applied to rethinking the key stage 3 curriculum and its management in schools.

Deep leadership – 1: A new shape for schooling?

"Deep Leadership - 1" by David Hargreaves is a practical guide for educators seeking to embed deep learning, deep support, and deep experience in their schools through a culture of co-construction.

Deep experience – 1: A new shape for schooling?

"Deep Experience in Education" by David H. Hargreaves offers innovative strategies for engaging students in learning, focusing on creative curriculum design, stakeholder engagement, and the use of new technologies.

Deep support – 1: A new shape for schooling?

This pamphlet emphasises the importance of deep support in personalising learning and outlines the conditions for it. Case studies showcase schools progressing towards deep support.

Deep learning – 1: A new shape for schooling?

This pamphlet explains the connections between deep learning gateways and the conditions for deep learning, offering school leaders pertinent questions to achieve it.

A new shape for schooling?

The first pamphlet in this series introduces deep learning, experience, support, and leadership to reshape schooling for the 21st century and invites schools to participate in this transformation.

Series 3 – System Redesign

Aim of the series: To trace developments in personalising learning and to introduce the emerging concept of system redesign. This ambitious version of system leadership calls for a school-led transformation that changes the relationship between the teaching profession and government.

System Redesign – 4: Personalising relationships

This pamphlet explores how schools are redesigning their systems to provide deep support for students by integrating various reconfigurations and fostering a sense of community.

System Redesign – 3: Curriculum redesign

"Curriculum Redesign" presents a series of enlightening case studies that explore innovative approaches to education, focusing on creating engaging, personalised learning experiences for diverse student populations.

System Redesign – 2: Assessment redesign

This publication examines the current assessment regime for schools in England and explores how teachers can move beyond the 'standards agenda' to better models of assessment as a crucial aspect of system redesign.

System Redesign – 1: The road to transformation in education

System Redesign for personalised Learning proposes school-led transformation as a way to revolutionise education. Professor Hargreaves argues for greater autonomy for teachers and a more responsive education system.

Series 4 – Leading System Redesign

Aim of the series: To demonstrate how ‘Wikipedia world’ (web 2.0) presents opportunities for transforming the goals of system redesign in education; the means by which they might be realised; the kinds of leadership that will be required; and the forms of governance under which it will flourish.

Learning with students

Discover the power of student voice to be the gateway which has the greatest potential to personalise learning. Read empowering stories and practical tips from school leaders and teachers.

Leading system redesign – 4: Innovation networks in action

This guide from SSAT shares how to innovate education effectively. It offers clear guidance on conducting innovation and creating networks of schools. Learn to use the D&R model for success and transform your organisation.

Leading system redesign – 3: The students

Learn about co-construction in education, involving students in redesigning the learning process. Benefit from success stories and practical examples to enhance engagement and strengthen teacher training.

Leading system redesign – 2: The changing profession

This publication focuses on five reconfigurations of leadership. Case studies demonstrate how headteachers are reshaping their schools for the 21st century and leveraging wider collaboration opportunities.

Leading system redesign – 1

This pamphlet discusses how web 2.0, or the 'Wikipedia world', can transform education system redesign. It covers the necessary means, leadership, and governance to make it happen.

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