The visiting of secondary school headteachers from Zhejiang province and speaking at the SCEN board
- yuchenwanguk
- Dec 20, 2017
- 2 min read
In November, with many other colleagues at Moray House School of Education, we hosted the visiting study of 20 secondary school headteachers from Zhejiang province, China. The visiting lasted for 2 weeks, during which the delegation attended a series of lectures and workshops, as well as visiting a range of schools in Scotland. Through the programme, the headteachers learned about the education system of Scotland, values that have driven its educational reform and recent initiatives to close the attainment gap between students with different socioeconomic backgrounds. In particular, focusing on the theme of ‘future school leadership’ for the visiting study, more time was dedicated to explore the relevance and practice to support inclusion in schools, and the applications of technology to enhance students’ learning.
As headteachers who were managing academically selective state schools in China, the first thing that surprised them was how Scottish state schools tended to admit a wide range of learners and strive to provide supports. For many of them, although they were aware of supporting female students, migrant students and students living in poverty, disabled students were seen perhaps as the least relevant learners for them to consider. Indeed, disabled children’s access to mainstream schools is much more likely to be granted, to comply with the legislation of compulsory education. However, they also shared other observations that were more critical about the Scottish system. For example, they commented on the huge inconsistency in terms of available resources and performances across schools, from schools that struggled with pupils’ attendance to the ones that were extremely well equipped with facilities for STEM education. They exchanged their views with the university tutors and school practitioners, and both sides had a lot to learn from each other.
They found the visiting a rewarding experience. They reflected on how ‘persons’ seemed to be more valued in Scottish schools, while in China, the high performing education system severely restricted the space for diverse achievements and well-being of students. Nevertheless, they strongly felt that as headteachers, it was important to keep reminding themselves about the meaning of education, and try to change the system through their daily practices. The visiting, according to a headteacher’s feedback, has planted a seed for ‘inclusive education’ in her heart.
In early December, Dr Judith McClure warmly invited me to speak about my research and the CECI project at the board meeting of Scotland China Education Network. While collaboration in Chinese language teaching and learning between Scotland and China has gained significant progress, I believe that more exchange should also happen in relation to broader aspects in education. It is hoped that the CECI project, with an established network involving partners in both countries, could help turn a new page for collaboration.
If China, as its policy has just promised, is really determined to promote the inclusion of disabled students at all levels, mainstream schools must be meanwhile better prepared to open doors and welcome the increasing enrolment of this group of learners. There are many questions that would need to be proposed to practitioners: Who are disabled children? Where are they? Why inclusion? (Why haven’t we?) How can we do our best?

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