The years following the end of World War II were characterised by reconstruction and regeneration, providing a rich ground for the reformation of social and educational policies and practices. Britain appeared open to progressive education and its potential to address the significant impact of poverty and social disadvantage, via an exploratory experiential philosophy for learning. The arts were central to this aim and key therefore to the educational vision of Sir Alec Clegg whose contributions are examined in this edited volume. As a key proponent of progressive education, Clegg recognised the significance of inequality to education and the centrality of managing regional and national reforms that would promote social improvement. This edited collection makes use of personal and professional reflections as well as extensive archival material to offer a sustained insight into the educational leadership of Sir Alec Clegg, Chief Educational Office for West Riding between 1945 and 1974.
The work begins with a welcome introduction to the National Arts Education Archive (NAEA) at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, from which much of the archival material and images for the book have been sourced. In addition, an interlude dedicates a midpoint in the book to ‘Art in the West Riding classroom’ bringing together images of children and their work from the 1970s, reproduced from the NAEA collection. The NAEA is still housed in close proximity to some of the remaining buildings of Bretton Hall, a site dedicated to the promotion of Clegg’s philosophies through arts-based teacher education between 1949 and 2001 and explored in an informative, if brief, chapter by Allie Mills.
Above all, Clegg emerges as an intellectual, an accomplished administrator and a leader in educational reform, reaching local and national practice in schools and beyond, via his vision for teacher education through the introduction of residential workshops which, acknowledged the importance of experiential arts-based learning for teachers as well as their pupils. It is his capacity as a leader and the significance of his belief in democratic education that is explored in an opening chapter by Sir Tim Brighouse. What is important here is the ways in which Clegg appeared to model the behaviours and values he hoped to share. Martin Lawn situates Clegg’s work in post-war reconstruction in Chapter 2 offering insights into Clegg’s use of data and the significance of his administrative achievements, a theme built upon by Peter Cunningham who reflects on the use of photographic documentation to reveal a connection between administration and educational vision. Drawing on a range of images Cunningham offers an analysis of concerns which ranged from the school environment and the role of the caretaker through to classroom-based pedagogies.
Whilst a number of chapters emphasise the importance of the arts, Catherine Burke offers an in-depth account of the emergence of innovative pedagogies in dance and movement as a means of promoting child growth and development. Burke makes a clear connection with Clegg’s educational philosophy in enabling all pupils to thrive, recognising the distinctive role that movement had on the capacity for children to experience their environment and their place within it. This, along with Lottie Hoare’s exploration of arts education and oracy in the contributions of Muriel Pyrah, reflects the connections Clegg fostered with educationalists of the time, situating him within a community of practitioners who shared a philosophy for social improvement through attending to the child’s creative capacities. Alison Roy’s chapter ‘Children in distress and their need for creativity’ offers an important reminder of the influence that distressed and stressed adults and teachers can have on children. Roy connects with work by Clegg and Barbara Megson (Children in Distress, 1968), emphasising the importance of a holistic approach to well-being that includes an awareness of the school community and the need to improve contemporary learning environments for distressed adults and teachers, a theme that shows the contemporary value of Clegg’s work.
As someone whose primary education was influenced quite significantly by progressive education, I could not help being swept up by the nostalgic ideal of my early years, rich in expressive and creative education. A final, powerful chapter by Ken Jones curbed my romanticism, bringing a much-welcomed critical reading to Clegg’s work, including his failure to acknowledge the significance of the shifting social and political context in the last quarter of the twentieth century. Here, the legacy of Clegg’s work is examined in light of recent social and educational policy in Britain where the continued relevance and application of Clegg’s work is acknowledged, despite ‘repudiations of the past’ by successive governments and their hostility to progressive education. In closing this chapter, Jones calls for the ‘difficult and necessary’ approach advocated by Clegg to be resumed, recognising its potential for countering the failures of current policies and pedagogies. Finally, a conclusion by the book’s editors situates Clegg’s legacy in the landscape of Wakefield and its surroundings, offering an optimistic and hopeful rendering of the role that the arts continue to play in West Riding.
A point of interest is the brief foreword by Sir David Attenborough who offers recollections of his ‘uncle Alec’ and his early emphasis on exploration as a means of instilling a love for learning. There is a sense that the contributors to the book are also related by their investment in Clegg’s philosophy and his rigorous methods for pursuing educational improvement, particularly for those who faced impoverished living conditions. As an edited collection there is the inevitability of repetition, with a number of authors offering introductory outlines of Clegg’s contributions to progressive education, and in some cases, the chapters seem quite brief. Although the inclusion of images is welcome, a number of these are low in quality. That said, the use of rich descriptions, in the chapter by Cunningham for example, goes some way to addressing this point and the book is not diminished in its achievement in drawing together a range of perspectives on Clegg’s work.
As Ken Jones indicates, Clegg’s work, and therefore this volume, has a very clear resonance with our current times, particularly given ongoing concerns regarding child poverty in Britain and the inhumane treatment of vulnerable populations. Education should continue to play a pivotal role in the lives of those whose early experiences continue to be defined by displacement, homelessness and poverty. Clegg’s philosophies of education are significant, not only for their local and national resonance but for the ways in which education through the arts might facilitate an understanding of our place within a humane global community.