A system that serves all: reimagining the future of education

Les Walton CBE

As I turn 80, I find myself reflecting not just on a life in education, but on education itself - and the system that surrounds it. Over the decades, I’ve seen governments come and go, each bringing reforms, initiatives and acronyms designed to "fix" our schools. Some changes made a real difference. Others were swept away before they could take root. Too often, appointments have been based on former titles, not specific expertise. But through it all, one belief has remained constant: every child should be able to access a good education, regardless of postcode  - and each should have the chance to fulfil their potential.

That belief has driven my work - as a teacher, head, director of education, adviser to ministers of all political persuasions and more recently, as founder of the Association of Education Advisers (AoEA).

It’s also what continues to motivate me now, as we look ahead to a critical moment in shaping the future of school support in England.

The weight of constant change

Education in the UK has long been marked by disruption. With each political shift comes a new wave of strategies - some well-considered - others more performative than practical. Too often, we’ve mistaken structural change for systemic improvement. Rebranding and reorganisation are easy; improving outcomes for children is not.

The truth is that systems alone don’t educate children.  People do. And unless we support those people properly, especially those who lead, advise and teach, our reforms will never deliver lasting change.

The invisible gap: who advises the advisers?

This understanding led to the creation of the AoEA. We have invested much more into regulation and inspection investment than into the systems and people who support and enable school. Improvement. From interpreting policy to shaping improvement plans, their advice can profoundly impact school culture, leadership, and learning.

I founded the AoEA to fill this gap. As the only UK-wide accreditation body for school and college advisers, our goal is simple: to ensure that those offering advice are doing so to a consistently high, evidence-based standard. We want to enable - not judge - those who support improvement.

Systems need clarity. So do roles.

AoEA recently held its annual summit which discussed a simple but powerful idea:

“Systems need clarity. Leaders manage strategy. Inspectors ensure accountability. Advisers build capacity.”

It may sound obvious, but these roles have too often become blurred. Leadership has been confused with compliance. Advisers have sometimes doubled as inspectors. And schools have been left unclear about who is there to help and who is there to evaluate.

By introducing the International Quality Standard for Education Advisers (IQSEA) in 2016, we  began to restore this clarity. IQSEA sets a benchmark for what good advisory practice looks like - from curriculum design and policy interpretation to safeguarding and inclusion. It is developmental, not punitive. It builds confidence, not just competence. And it is now used in schools, trusts and local authorities across the UK and even beyond.

In September 2025, I will take this work further with the launch of a national pilot across nine English regions.

A national pilot with a national purpose

This is a bold initiative, supported by leading education bodies including the Association of School and College Leaders, the National Association of Headteachers, the Association of Colleges, the National Governance Association, the North East Combined Authority and many other key bodies within the education sector.

The pilot will:

·      Map existing strengths across regions

·      Train and accredit advisers to a recognised international standard

·      Develop a flexible but coherent national improvement framework

·      Generate an evidence base to inform future policy

·      Build sustainable, locally owned capacity

This is a significant step. It is about creating a trusted, professional support system that reflects the diversity and complexity of our schools.

Let advisers enable, not judge

Our ambition is to move away from the over-reliance on inspection and towards something more powerful: support.

Great advisers do not arrive with a clipboard; they arrive with knowledge, empathy, experience and the ability to challenge constructively. They enable networks, bridge the gap between policy and practice and offer support and challenge where it is most needed. They help schools become self-improving, rather than compliance-driven. They are a quiet force behind sustainable change.

But until recently, their role has been undervalued and underdeveloped. IQSEA is changing that - one adviser at a time.

A lifetime of learning—and still more to do

I’ve spent my life trying to create opportunities for young people - especially those in places where opportunity is too often rationed. I have seen how the right support at the right time can change the trajectory of a child, a school, and a whole community.

That is why I believe so strongly in this next chapter. We now have a chance to build a better system - one rooted in trust, clarity and the collective will to help every school succeed: not through another policy cycle, but through a profession-led movement built on credibility, consistency and care.

As we look to the future, let us leave behind more than memories. Let us leave behind a system that listens, that learns and that lasts.

If you work within the education sector and are interested in working with us to build a system where every school is supported to thrive together, please get in contact with us by visiting www.aoea.co.uk.