This is an argument for a new public education for England, but not for a new public school. The focus should be on aims, not structures. We should ensure that all schools (community schools, private schools, academies and religious schools) are working to realise the same nationally determined aims. The national set of aims should be determined…

This is a short reply to an article by Anders Schinkel published in the "Oxford Review of Education" in December 2015. His article discusses John White's work on education and a meaningful life. In this reply, White shares his belief that one role of education should be to equip people to lead meaningful lives. He explains that this has…

This is a reply to six "Theory and Research in Education" commentators on views I expressed in a 2013 "Theory and Research in Education" piece about priorities in philosophy of education today. The first section is about a concession to my critics; the second, about various misconceptions in their views. The third section…

We begin by arguing that curriculum development should start with aims rather than, as is typically the case, with subjects. We, therefore, ask what might be the fundamental aims of school education. We conclude that they are twofold, namely, to enable each learner to lead a life that is personally flourishing and to help others to do so too.…

This is a reply to John Hopkin's article in this number of "FORUM" on "Re-energising subject knowledge" (Volume 54, Number 2, 2012). It argues that Hopkin does not provide sufficiently cogent reasons for continuing the tradition of a subject-based curriculum. It favours starting from defensible general aims of school education…

Richard Peters argued for a general education based largely on the study of truth-seeking subjects for its own sake. His arguments have long been acknowledged as problematic. There are also difficulties with Paul Hirst's arguments for a liberal education, which in part overlap with Peters'. Where justification fails, can historical explanation…

Asks how far philosophy can go in elucidating the aims of higher education. Examines and rejects the argument of Ronald Barnett that there are common "emancipatory" claims implicit in the concept of higher education. Suggests that higher education offers much less scope than lower compulsory education for philosophical discussion of its aims. (MSE)