‘An essential read – as entertaining as it is insightful – for anyone who cares about the way we treat young people’ Observer

What is school for? Drawing on his twenty years as a teacher, hundreds of interviews and his experience on the UK Government’s Social Mobility Commission, head teacher Sammy Wright exposes the fundamental misconception at the heart of our education system. By focusing on the grades pupils get in neatly siloed, academic subjects, we end up ranking them and our schools into winners and losers: some pupils are set on a trajectory to university – the rest are left ill-equipped for the world they actually face.

Wright’s entertaining and hugely important book shows that schools are – and should be – so much more than this. With wisdom and humour, balancing idealism and pragmatism, he sets out what a better way would look like and how we might get there.

‘Brilliantly illuminates the realities and blindspots of the system’ Jeffrey Boakye ‘Deeply absorbing…Wright deserves the highest marks’ Financial Times
‘Such a compelling read, no matter your outlook’ Telegraph
‘Extraordinary and brilliant . . . the book education has been waiting for’ Laura McInerney, co-founder of Teacher Tapp

A pioneer in the world of education technology, Khan explains the ins and outs of these cutting-edge tools and how they will forever change the way we learn and teach. Rather than approaching the ChatGPT revolution with white-knuckled fear, Khan wants parents and teachers to embrace AI and adapt to it (while acknowledging its imperfections and limitations). He emphasizes that embracing AI in education is not about replacing human interaction but enhancing it, so that every student can complement the work they’re already doing in profoundly new and creative ways, to personalize learning, adapt assessments, and support success in the classroom, preparing students for an increasingly digital future.

But Brave New Words is not just about technology – it’s about what this technology means for our society, and the practical implications for administrators, guidance counsellors, and hiring managers who can harness the power of AI in education and the workplace. Khan also delves into the ethical and social implications of AI and GPT, offering thoughtful insights into how we can use these tools to build a more accessible education system for students around the world.

‘An ebullient, irrepressible spirit invests this book. It is erudite and sprightly’Sunday Times

From the creation of the first encyclopedia to Wikipedia, from ancient museums to modern kindergarten classes-here is award-winning writer Simon Winchester’s brilliant and all-encompassing look at how humans acquire, retain, and pass on information and data, and how technology continues to change our lives and our minds.

With the advent of the internet, any topic we want to know about is instantly available with the touch of a smartphone button. With so much knowledge at our fingertips, what is there left for our brains to do? At a time when we seem to be stripping all value from the idea of knowing things – no need for maths, no need for map reading, no need for memorisation – are we risking our ability to think? As we empty our minds, will we one day be incapable of thoughtfulness?

Addressing these questions, Simon Winchester explores how humans have attained, stored and disseminated knowledge. Examining such disciplines as education, journalism, encyclopedia creation, museum curation, photography and broadcasting, he looks at a whole range of knowledge diffusion – from the cuneiform writings of Babylon to the machine-made genius of artificial intelligence, by way of Gutenberg, Google and Wikipedia to the huge Victorian assemblage of the Mundaneum, the collection of everything ever known, currently stored in a damp basement in northern Belgium.

Studded with strange and fascinating details, Knowing What We Know is a deep dive into learning and the human mind. Throughout this fascinating tour, Winchester forces us to ponder what rational humans are becoming. What good is all this knowledge if it leads to lack of thought? What is information without wisdom? Does René Descartes’ ‘Cogito, ergo sum‘-‘I think, therefore I am’, the foundation for human knowledge widely accepted since the Enlightenment-still hold?

And what will the world be like if no one in it is wise?

Education remains the greatest indicator of life chances in Britain. What we study, where we study, and how long for shape all aspects of our lives. Our careers, our long-term health, our wealth and security are all moulded in the classroom.

But who we are ultimately matters the most.

In Race and Education, Professor Kalwant Bhopal shows how race still determines who gains the best education in Britain, and who falls by the wayside. Through case studies, original research and interviews with students, teachers, and academics alike, she reveals how the construction of privilege starts at a young age: with Whiteness taking some students on a gilded path from cradle to career, while many still struggle to build the futures they deserve.

This book highlights how classrooms and lecture halls are at the centre of perpetuating white privilege – and how racism continues to exist in Britain.

With the advent of the internet, any topic we want to know about is instantly available with the touch of a smartphone button. With so much knowledge at our fingertips, what is there left for our brains to do? At a time when we seem to be stripping all value from the idea of knowing things – no need for maths, no need for map reading, no need for memorisation – are we risking our ability to think? As we empty our minds, will we one day be incapable of thoughtfulness?

Addressing these questions, Simon Winchester explores how humans have attained, stored and disseminated knowledge. Examining such disciplines as education, journalism, encyclopedia creation, museum curation, photography and broadcasting, he looks at a whole range of knowledge diffusion – from the cuneiform writings of Babylon to the machine-made genius of artificial intelligence, by way of Gutenberg, Google and Wikipedia to the huge Victorian assemblage of the Mundaneum, the collection of everything ever known, currently stored in a damp basement in northern Belgium.

Studded with strange and fascinating details, Knowing What We Know is a deep dive into learning and the human mind. Throughout this fascinating tour, Winchester forces us to ponder what rational humans are becoming. What good is all this knowledge if it leads to lack of thought? What is information without wisdom? Does René Descartes’ ‘Cogito, ergo sum‘-‘I think, therefore I am’, the foundation for human knowledge widely accepted since the Enlightenment-still hold?

And what will the world be like if no one in it is wise?

Some of the best philosophers in the world can be found in the most unlikely places: in preschools and playgrounds. They gather to debate questions about metaphysics and morality, even though they’ve never heard the words, and can’t tie their shoelaces. As Scott Hershovitz shows in this delightful book, kids are astoundingly good philosophers. And, if we let ourselves pause to think along with them, we might discover that we are, too.

Nasty, Brutish, and Short is a unique guide to the art of thinking, led by a celebrated philosophy professor and his two young sons. Together, Scott, Rex, and Hank take us on a romp through classic and contemporary philosophy, steered by questions like, does Hank have the right to drink Fanta? When is it okay to swear? And, does the number six exist? They explore weighty issues, like punishment and authority; sex, gender, and race; the nature of truth and knowledge; and the existence of God. And they call on a host of professional philosophers, famous and obscure, to help them along the way. Ultimately, they demonstrate that we shouldn’t just support kids in their philosophical adventures: we should join them, so that we can rekindle our own innate, childlike wonder at the world. We’d all be better, more discerning thinkers for it.

‘This is a nerd.

He has a PhD and works in the biochemistry lab of a university hospital.

But this is not what makes him a nerd.

His catalogued and indexed collection of over 6,000 empty crisp packets does that.’
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‘These nerds have paid money to see a film they think is terrible and have seen at least thirty times before.

They are having the most fun they can possibly have.’
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This delightful book is the latest in the series of Ladybird books which have been specially planned to help grown-ups with the world about them.

The large clear script, the careful choice of words, the frequent repetition and the thoughtful matching of text with pictures all enable grown-ups to think they have taught themselves to cope. Featuring original Ladybird artwork alongside brilliantly funny, brand new text.

‘Hilarious’ Stylist

Other new titles for Autumn 2017:
How it Works: The Brother
How it Works: The Sister
How it Works: The Baby
The Ladybird Book of the Ex
The Ladybird Book of the New You
The Ladybird Book of Balls
The Ladybird Book of the Big Night Out
The Ladybird Book of the Quiet Night In
People at Work: The Rock Star
A Ladybird First Grown-Up Picture Book

Previous titles in the Ladybirds for Grown Ups series:
How it Works: The Husband
How it Works: The Wife
How it Works: The Mum
How it Works: The Dad
The Ladybird Book of the Mid-Life Crisis
The Ladybird Book of the Hangover
The Ladybird Book of Mindfulness
The Ladybird Book of the Shed
The Ladybird Book of Dating
The Ladybird Book of the Hipster
How it Works: The Student
How it Works: The Cat
How it Works: The Dog
How it Works: The Grandparent
The Ladybird Book of Red Tape
The Ladybird Book of the People Next Door
The Ladybird Book of the Sickie
The Ladybird Book of the Zombie Apocalypse
The Ladybird Book of the Do-Gooder