Flemish Minister of Education Zuhal Demir (N-VA) will travel to London on Monday and Tuesday to seek inspiration from several highly-regarded schools.
She will visit the Michaela Community School, commonly referred to as “the strictest school in England,” during her first official trip since taking office.
Her first stop will be the West London Free School, which offers both primary and secondary education. Recently, The Sunday Times, a conservative newspaper, named it the best school in London. Despite not being an elite school, it performs exceptionally well, with a significant number of deprived students and ranking within the top 1% of achievers.
On Tuesday, Demir will visit the Michaela Community School, spearheaded by Katharine Birbalsingh, often described by the British press as “England’s strictest headmistress.” The school is known for its disciplined approach, where students stand in line and wear uniforms. Despite her straightforward and sometimes controversial methods, Birbalsingh has consistently achieved outstanding results since establishing Michaela around ten years ago.
Demir’s visit to England is deliberate. Recently, the international TIMSS report revealed that the level of maths and science among ten-year-olds has dropped more in Flanders than anywhere else. About a decade ago, the United Kingdom faced similar issues but is now among the top-performing European countries in international tests due to a focus on knowledge transmission and clear guidelines. The two schools Demir will visit exemplify this new approach.
Under the leadership of education professor Daniel Muijs from Queen’s University Belfast, Demir is advancing new minimum goals for primary education in Flanders, raising standards. Muijs previously led the research department of the British education inspectorate. He, alongside education expert Tim Surma from Thomas More, will accompany Demir in London. Notably, key figures from the Flemish educational umbrella organisations will join them and receive an explanation of the new knowledge-rich curriculum alongside the attending press on Monday.
