The conscious espousal of Independent Learning as a desirable goal is a relatively recent phenomenon. A generation ago it was a given and schools and examiners expected 6th Formers, certainly, to read and think much more for themselves. A combination of public scrutiny through league tables, and the Curriculum 2000 A levels which put a premium on rehearsed exam technique have militated against both risk-taking, and the relaxation of control inherent in letting pupils research and learn for themselves. Societal (technological and cultural) changes, which have led young people to want immediate answers and make them impatient with the timescale of research and wide reading, have probably exacerbated this trend.

Yet it is important for us to aspire to train Radleians to be independent; they should think and discover for themselves, they should be prepared to cope with university demands where they must synthesise from books, articles and lecture notes and subsequently write for themselves; and for their careers, too, they will need to manage, and think critically about, a wealth of information, and make independent judgements which can be rigorously defended.

There is a balance to be struck at Radley, perhaps more even than elsewhere. We have a deserved reputation, validated in this month's ISI Inspection, for excellent teaching, for going the extra mile for our pupils, for 'relentlessly driving them to exceed expectations'. The results are 'a major success story', especially for a school with a mixed and not especially selective entry, and they are a form of USP for us. Parents, boys and teaching dons would not want a focus on independent learning which compromised the examination outcomes. However it is by no means the case that all independent learning has a deleterious effect on results, and much good practice is already firmly embedded in our teaching here – at the least – not harming, but in all probability enhancing the end product.

Current situation:

Departments encourage independent learning in different ways. Here is a selection of some of their activities:

Modern Languages.

• Boys select and research topics for oral examination at GCSE and A level.
  
• They make oral presentations in class on topic areas they've researched.
  
• They use foreign news websites on Course Forum.
  
• They determine their conversation needs and book in time with an assistant accordingly.

Biology

• The SNAB A level is designed around an Independent Learning focus. The interactive website has activities for boys to access; the on-line student forum encourages debate.
  
• A2 coursework is an independent study and boys choose any topic, for themselves; they plan the project, the preliminary practical, the main investigation themselves.
  
• At GCSE they pursue independent research on, for instance, Diseases of the Nervous System or an endangered species.
  

Chemistry

• Oxbridge boys interview each other, teach a lower school set (with all the preparation for lesson plan etc.)
  
• Radleians research particular topics; do PowerPoint presentation; make posters on an area of choice; teach a partner about their area of expertise in class pair work.
  

Physics

• 6.1 teach themselves in Michaelmas term exams on a self-teach internet package on particle physics.
  
• All years are expected to make their own log-book notes; and to bring in their own snippets of information about which they give a short talk.
  
• Boys from the department participate in the Engineering Education Scheme to solve a real engineering problem, meeting the engineer from the sponsoring company and doing a 15 minute presentation to a panel of assessors.
  

Maths

• Oxbridge aspirants research a piece of Maths and present it to the Maths Society.
  
• The best mathematicians are set 'challenge starred questions' for Preps without explaining methods beforehand and expected to find out how to work the problem through.
  
• There is a Maths Problem Programme for junior mathematicians – challenging problems with prizes for the ambitious.

Geography

• All GCSE and A level candidates are expected to do their own research e.g. by using ICT to explore information on Geography file server, Intranet, Department Database [with its 16,000 articles, maps, video and books]. These are accessible at Radley and at home.
  
• They make their own class presentations based on independent research topics (e.g. alternative energy, resources, hazards).
  
• They undertake personal investigative studies through fieldwork.
  

Design

• In Shells and Removes the department steps back to let them make mistakes and learn accordingly.
  
• All project work and associated portfolios in GCSE and A level 'give massive opportunities' for independent learning.
  

Geology

• 'The whole culture of the department has always been that boys are working for themselves'. They, for example, make their own course notes; do their own analysis of performance in exam give-backs; and research their own topics, presented to the class (sometimes in pairs) through PowerPoint or as a poster.
  

Art

• Art, like Design, is by its nature individual and creative; but Preps, workshop out of school time, the month up to public exams, mock exams, are times when boys are independently working on portfolio and exam ideas.
  

Theatre Studies

• Much of the practical work in the department is led by the boys' input in ideas for investigation, in directing their own group projects. They research the background, they devise the directional approach.
  
• Boys also make their own responses to external influences (theatre visits, play texts) using appropriate technical terminology.

Politics

• Independent learning is promoted: through group work and pair work with boys exploring source materials; through Preps; through the use of newspapers and RSS feeds on course-forum to gain a grasp of contemporary events to inform Politics study; editing the Politics Journal; considering the subject beyond the syllabus in Politics, Philosophy and PPE societies; through PPE lessons for boys aspiring to read these at university (research of own topics required); through using Politics lending library.
  

History

• Within the curriculum boys are encouraged to use books and articles (e.g. History Review, Hindsight) to broaden their understanding. Boys are also required on occasion to research, using Internet and Library.
  
• Beyond the curriculum, 6.1/6.2 essay prizes; the History Reading Group; Oxbridge classes; History Society lectures demand independent thought and research.
  

Music

• Composing and Performing in Academic Music from Shell to 6.2 are activities by their very nature relying on independent learning. Composition demands that pupils generate their own musical ideas; and for performance, pupils independently practise.
  
• In learning to listen and analyse music, boys at GCSE and A level use Naxos on-line independently to develop their skills.
  

Economics

• Pair work and group work explores topics featured on A level work sheets.
  
• Preps are sometimes projects/presentations requiring independent research.
  
• Preparing and competing in the Target 2.0 Interest Rate Competition is a boy-led project.
  
• Boys research and write for 'In Demand'.
  
• Boys read and research 'Economist' articles and department videos, and are stimulated to think for themselves by the Department Reading Area resources, Economics Society speakers, trips and the Vth Form Society.
  

English

• The subject demands independence of thought and the capacity to study independently. OCR English Literature A level demands an independent response to literature; success in the synoptic paper depends on candidates' private reading.
  
• 6th Form boys present seminar-style presentation; the Literary Society sees boys presenting areas of enthusiasm; extension classes – on a seminar basis – see boys research and discuss topics of their choice; Oxbridge English candidates do original essay projects.
  
• In Lower School extended writing projects, GCSE coursework, self-designed speaking and listening exercises, debating, all develop independence.
  
• There is much encouragement to research playwrights, a school of writing, the background to a play, before a theatre trip.
  
• Skills of IT, research, dictionary, library usage are taught early on to enable independent learning.
  

Classics

• Classical Civilisation lends itself to independent learning: the Internet is a valuable resource for project work on paralinguistic material, and – with the library – for research on GCSE Class Civ. course e.g. gods topic.
  
• In the languages, older boys prepare ahead in set texts and write essays independently. Oxbridge candidates do self-generated presentations on major figures from Roman history and literature.
  
• In helping independent thinking, the subject provokes much debate and personal response – on character in literature, aesthetic judgement in vase painting, in refining set text translation, in making synopses of academic articles.
  

Departments will find their own ways of putting greater emphasis on independent learning where it is appropriate, and will judge for themselves the point at which that emphasis impacts deleteriously on the exam results.