Cor ad Cor: The Quiet Power of Small Moments and Bold Ideas
This reflection is rooted in my personal journey—shared first with RSA Fellows in Glasgow in November 2024—and shaped by the people and moments that, while seemingly small, altered the course of my thinking and strengthened my lifelong commitment to equality, equity, and empathy.
Two seemingly insignificant encounters stand out.
The first was Edward. When I first met him, he was a young pupil, written off by the education system, labelled as a “non-certificated” student. Years later, I met Edward again—this time as a successful manager in a major supermarket. His resilience, and the quiet power of his journey, was a wake-up call: the system’s expectations had failed him, but he had refused to be defined by them.
The second was Jane , a pupil frequently late to school. See earlier blog “Gie the wean a pen”
One morning, I challenged her on her lateness—only to realise that she had navigated a life that morning more complex and adult than anything I’d faced before I even stepped out the door. That moment humbled me. It reminded me of the importance of listening, of context, of not making assumptions about what young people carry with them each day.
These two individuals helped anchor my philosophy as an educator: small acorns really do grow into mighty oaks. We often don't realise the impact we have. But think of Edward. Think of Jane.
Years later, as a Head Teacher invited to Paris to explore vocational education, I found myself moved again. In a training restaurant, students were assessed not only on savoir-faire (how to do) but also on savoir-être (how to be). It struck me powerfully: education must not only focus on skills but on humanity, on the character we bring into the room. I brought this ethos home and embedded it into my school’s culture.
As a Fellow of the RSA, I have had the privilege of contributing to initiatives that strive for meaningful change. In 2020, we launched CfE 2.0, a series of collaborative sessions that reimagined Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland. Inspired by George Monbiot’s call for a “reset” in the wake of the pandemic, we asked: what if education could press its own reset button?
The results were compelling. Participants called for:
Collaboration
Experimentation and innovation
Interdisciplinary learning
Flexibility
Structural change
More than anything, we realised that the issue was not CfE itself, but the structures surrounding it: who gets to shape the conversation, and who is excluded. The idea of a “consensus” in Scottish education can be misleading—it can stifle dissent, reduce autonomy, and breed compliance instead of creativity.
Real transformation demands voices—strong, diverse, and unafraid. What would our educational landscape look like if school leaders could speak their truths freely, without fear of reprisal? We must decolonise our thinking and embrace dissent as a route to progress.
This commitment to reform led to the formation of Exam Scot, a small but vocal group of RSA Fellows campaigning for change in the Scottish qualifications system. While we can’t claim full credit, it’s fair to say our voices contributed to national conversations and reviews that followed. The work is far from over—but we’re in it for the long haul.
Another effort close to my heart is the Young Democracy Project (2019–2020), designed to empower young people aged 16–26 in democratic decision-making across public and charitable institutions. Despite fantastic partnerships and passionate engagement, particularly with students at Glasgow Caledonian University and youth organisations like After the Pandemic, the tangible impact of the project was limited. It’s a hard truth—but one that reflects the challenge of turning inspiration into lasting institutional change.
Still, this project proved one thing beyond doubt: young people are ready, willing, and capable of shaping the future. We just need the courage and imagination to let them.
The second aim of Young Democracy was internal—encouraging the RSA to adopt more flexible, Fellow-led project structures. We imagined branded initiatives, freedom to seek funding, and organisational support to incubate new ideas. Despite promising starts, momentum faltered. But again, this is not failure—this is the nature of innovation. As Brené Brown reminds us: “There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.”
As we reflect on the future, I confess that my early hope for a new millennium of enlightenment has been tempered by realism. But not cynicism. We may not always see the fruit of our efforts, but that’s not the point. We act with faith. With hope. With courage.
This website, Cor ad Cor—Latin for "Heart to Heart"—is our open-hearted, open-minded space to share, connect, and build. We’re inspired by the words of St John Henry Newman:
“Nothing would be done at all if one waited until one could do it so well that no one could find fault with it.”
So, we move forward. Together. Sharing stories, testing ideas, learning from setbacks, and above all—keeping on.
Keep on keeping on.