About this episode

Ruth Benny interviews Barnaby Lenon about the evolution of the UK education system and various debates surrounding it.

Welcome back to Destination Education UK! I'm your host, Ruth Benny, and today we have a real heavyweight guest from the world of British education. Barnaby Lenon, CBE, is the former Headmaster of Harrow School, where he spent 12 years elevating its academic and global prestige. He has chaired the Independent Schools Council (ISC), founded the London Academy of Excellence, and is currently the Dean of Education at the University of Buckingham. In this episode, Barnaby and I peel back the curtain on the evolution of the UK system. We discuss the "dumbing down" of exams, the reality of VAT on school fees, and the age-old debate of single-sex vs. co-educational schooling. Barnaby shares candid stories from his days at Eton and Harrow, offering a rare perspective from the very top of the independent sector. Grab a cup of tea ☕️ and join us for this masterclass in British education! Why Listen? The Headmaster’s Journey: Hear how Barnaby "fell into" teaching at Eton and eventually led Harrow. O-Levels vs. GCSEs: Discover why Barnaby believes the modern curriculum has "dumbed down" and what that means for your child. The Single-Sex Debate: Get an honest take on whether boys and girls…

People in this episode

Host: Ruth Benny

Guest: Barnaby Lenon

Topics covered

• British education
• exam standards
• single-sex education
• school fees
• curriculum debate

Keywords

• Barnaby Lenon
• education
• UK schools
• single-sex vs co-ed
• O-Levels
• GCSEs

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Buckingham, Harrow School, Independent Schools Council, London Academy of Excellence

Places: UK, Eton

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