Playing With Fire: Embracing risk and danger in schools - Softcover

Fairclough, Mike

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1911382071 ISBN 13: 9781911382072

Publisher: John Catt Educational, 2016

Synopsis

There is a misconception, within the teaching profession and the general public, that Ofsted, the Health and Safety Executive and the establishment are against children being exposed to danger and that schools are prevented from giving children experiences which involve risk. Mike Fairclough, headmaster at West Rise Junior School, has blown that theory out of the water.

In the superb Playing With Fire, Mike urges all schools to follow his lead, empowering other Heads and their schools to provide activities for their pupils which include an element of risk and danger. With entertaining and visual examples of his work at West Rise, including bee keeping, water buffalo breeding, shooting, archery, Forest School, paddle boarding, and skinning rabbits, Mike breezily demonstrates how teething problems and mistakes are part and parcel of risk-taking and should be embraced.

The result is an empowering book that urges educators to cultivate their own resilience, courage and trust in the same way that we are hoping to foster those qualities within our students.

Reviews

“This is a very important, very necessary, and very beautiful book for all parents educators around the world to treasure. Read it and rediscover the best of your childhood—and how to bring it to children everywhere.”
Barbara Oakley, PhD, author of New York Times science best seller, A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science, and instructor of Learning How to Learn, the world’s largest online course.

“This is a stunner. A beautifully written account of how to get a jaw-droppingly powerful curriculum, complete with water buffalo, 1000 bees, shooting (yes,
shooting) endorsed by the establishment. Mike Fairclough and his colleagues have shown how, by removing the cotton wool culture, they are able to give children a truly amazing deal. ‘Playing with Fire’ shows how it is possible to do the same in any school, in any environment.”
Mary Myatt, advisor, inspector, author of High Challenge, Low Threat

“A fundamentally vital book that challenges our risk averse culture and demonstrates in a very candid and honest way the importance of giving children
the space to be creative and questioning. West Rise Juniors is a phenomenal place and Mike Fairclough is an exceptional educationalist.”
Dr Henry Ward, Head of Education, Freelands Foundation

 

“You don’t read a book like this every day about how to run a school! I read this at one sitting – it proved riveting!”
Paul Garvey, education consultant and owner of QA South-West

About this title

About the Author

Mike Fairclough is headmaster at West Rise Junior School, the TES Primary School of the Year. He is a regular contributor to the TES and conference speaker.

Review

"A man after my own heart, Mike Fairclough believes in the Jesuit principle of management - namely that it is easier to beg forgiveness than seek permission. In this down-to-earth book he energises readers to be creative risk-takers in the best interests of providing memorable and meaningful learning for primary children." Roy Blatchford, Founding Director, National Education Trust "This is a book about taking risks and embracing challenges. Mike Fairclough gives an inspirational account of what 'learning' can look like when you have a bronze age settlement and a herd of water buffalo at your school." Sue Cowley, teacher, best-selling author "A wonderful book. Mike Fairclough puts us all back in touch with essential parts of ourselves and our responsibilities as educators - to challenge, inspire and nurture in children a love of real life and the outdoors. It is essential reading for all teachers and school leaders, at any point in their careers." William Stow, Head of the School of Teacher Education and Development, Canterbury Christ Church University "Inspiring examples backed by sound educational principles coupled with straightforward advice makes this book the ideal launchpad for rethinking your school's approach to creative and risky endeavours. Now, where are those matches?" @ThatBoyCanTeach, Classroom-based Primary Academy senior leader "Once in a while you encounter someone who inspires you. Hearing about and then meeting Mike Fairclough was one such encounter for me. I spent most of my tenure as Chair of HSE encouraging teachers and parents to recognise their role in helping children to learn about risk to prepare them for life. Here is someone who does exactly that and much, much more. Every school should own a copy of this book and learn from this teacher's shining example." Dame Judith Hackitt DBE FREng former Chair of HSE "A fundamentally vital book that challenges our risk averse culture and demonstrates in a very candid and honest way the importance of giving children the space to be creative and questioning. West Rise Juniors is a phenomenal place and Mike Fairclough is an exceptional educationalist." Dr Henry Ward, Head of Education, Freelands Foundation "This is a very important, very necessary, and very beautiful book for all parents educators around the world to treasure. Read it and rediscover the best of your childhood-and how to bring it to children everywhere." Barbara Oakley, PhD, author of New York Times science best seller, A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science, and instructor of Learning How to Learn, the world's largest online course. "You don't read a book like this every day about how to run a school! I read this at one sitting - it proved riveting!" Paul Garvey, education consultant and owner of QA South-West

Edition details

• Publisher: John Catt Educational
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1911382071
• ISBN 13: 9781911382072
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 96