Review by Dr Jeffery Quaye

Sir Tim Brighouse was a celebrated educationalist whose ideas were far-reaching and will reverberate long after his death. If he is remembered for one thing above all, it was his role as schools commissioner for London from 2002 to 2007, where he led the London Challenge with the primary aim of improving the educational outcomes across the capital’s schools.

I worked in London during his tenure, and having been accredited as a chartered London teacher is still something that brings me pride. I’m sure I’m far from alone, and so it’s no wonder that his passing has caused so many to want to celebrate his life and achievements, his ethos, values, and significant contribution to our sector.

Unfinished Business aims to capture all of this and serve as a call to action for future and current educators. Edited by David Cameron, Steve Munby and Mick Waters, it is replete with a vast number of contributions from a staggeringly broad range of school leaders, politicians, policymakers and teachers.

Some of the more notable among them include David Blunkett, Estelle Morris, Kenneth Baker, Kevan Collins and Christine Gilbert, but the contents page as a whole is a veritable who’s who of the sector today.

Given this breadth of input, the editors have managed nevertheless to impose some structure on the contents The sixty-three chapters are divided into two parts.

The first, made up of nine chapters, is essentially about tributes to Brighouse, including one from his son, Harry. Part two is organised around four themes: ‘a call to action’, ‘policy, politics, accountability, and governance’, and ‘curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment’ and ‘improvement, leadership and technology’.

It was refreshing to read the tributes that described Brighouse as a unique leader with “natural patience, courtesy, and kindness”. These attributes are essential for teachers and leaders to navigate the complexities of education.

Brighouse’s sense of social justice was infectious, and those who have worked with him closely talk about his enthusiasm and passion about educational institutions becoming a welcoming and fair place for all children.

Brighouse embodied what we all want from school

Brighouse, in short, embodied what we all want from school: a positive culture and a place where every child has a sense of belonging. Apart from this ethical drive (and the fact that he was an intellectual powerhouse), Brighouse is also noted for his collaborative approach and capacity to ignite a fire in others.

It is not surprising, then, that the impact of the London Challenge can still be seen in the performance of pupils in London’s schools. Nor is the outpouring of tributes since his passing, of which this book is only the tip of the iceberg. Brighouse’s humility, even in the face of his successes, was evidently inspirational.

But while I totally agree with Brighouse’s vision for a more inclusive, equitable and supportive educational system premised on collaborative partnerships, mutuality and reciprocity, there are some perspectives in some of the chapters that require critical examination.

For example, in chapter 13, the notion of wealth redistribution is cited in reference to Brighouse’s final book with Mick Waters, About Our Schools. But will additional taxation of private schools really address all of the challenges our sector faces?

Nevertheless, whether you agree with it or not, the key message from this book is profound. Brighouse’s legacy provides no escape from the realities of education today. What comes out clearly though is that ideological certainties won’t give rise to the solutions we seek.

Instead, this book invites you to imagine what is possible even in an imperfect education system so that equity and fairness can be realised. And its recurring emphasis on the importance of curriculum, assessment, and pedagogic approaches to meet the needs of all learners puts the onus where it should be: on each of us

Unfinished Business does what it says on the cover. It is a celebration of Brighouse’s life and achievements and a call to action. But it’s more than that too. It’s a source of visionary ideas to adopt, adapt (and debate) – and that ensures it a legacy of its own.