lessons from around the world.

In 2015 Singapore topped the global PISA results for science, mathematics and reading - making Singapore the potential future home of STEM. This is partly thanks to education spending, which makes up 20% of the national budget. Budget aside, there is still a lot to learn from Singapore especially when it comes to NQTs. All new teachers are paired with experienced teachers for mentoring and peer feedback. Teachers focus on teaching problem solving and they ensure each of their students thoroughly understand the syllabus before moving on.

Estonian students benefit from relatively small class sizes and high levels of teacher autonomy. Not only that, but teachers usually stay with the same students in grades one to three, sometimes they will stay up until the sixth grade, which means teachers can develop deeper relationships with their pupils. Estonian teachers also instruct using the constructivism method of teaching rather than a direct and formal transmission of information. This means students are active participants in the learning process.

Canadian schools use a student-led model of education and place a big emphasis on a teacher’s instructional repertoire. Canadian teachers don’t rely on a single method of instruction and take a much more collaborative approach to education. In some regions, Canadian teachers take the co-planning/co-teaching approach, whereby teachers from across the school, street, area or district come together to plan a particular lesson. During the planning sessions, learning expectations are selected and clustered around the big-ideas that teachers are keen to explore.

The Finnish system does not rely heavily on standardised tests. In fact, there is only one exam right at the end of high school, and progress is measured by exams the teachers set themselves. Finnish teachers prepare children to learn how to learn, not how to take a test. Children are also permitted 15 minutes of play for every 45 minutes of instruction.

Students in Finland spend fewer hours at school and also do less homework than kids in almost any other nation – the average is less than three hours per week, whereas, in the UK, it’s usually more than five hours per week. This is because the schooling system reflects the culture of Finland, a culture built on trust.

The South Korean model focuses heavily on testing their students. All students must take an entrance exam into high school and university. The pressure to succeed in these tests is evident in the fact that training for exams begins when children are three or four years old. Every school in South Korea has digital textbooks and high-speed internet, which means learning materials are more accessible, especially for disadvantaged students.