Gareth Parker-Jones, Head Master of Rugby School, on how adults' 'safetyism' is harming our kids
“We overestimate the dangers of the real world and underestimate the dangers of the online one – and without taking appropriate risks, we don’t grow.”
Next to join us on Heads & Tales is Gareth Parker-Jones, Head Master of Rugby School, the near 500-year-old institution and the birthplace of the eponymous sport when Web Ellis famously picked up the ball during a school football match back in 1823. Appointed in 2020, Gareth took the reins at one of the most famous schools in the country, and his conversation with Walter Kerr reflects on how tradition can coexist with reform.
As we peer behind the curtain of this historic school, Gareth discusses his commitment to character education, the need for curriculum breadth and the importance of resilient kids. He addresses the pressures facing the next generation, pushing back on lazy, reductive narratives about Gen Z, instead arguing that the safetyism imposed by adults is clipping the wings of childhood.
🎙️ Episode highlights
Character in the classroom: why debate and disagreement are pivotal to building both intellectual and emotional resilience.
Bursaries: Rugby's decision to double down on means-tested bursaries, despite the financial pressures facing schools at the moment.
Gen Z and safetyism: Gareth responds to his media headlines, explaining how adults' aversion to risk is reshaping childhood.
Smartphone policy: why Rugby restricts phone access at 13 and the positive impact the ban has had.
Curriculum shortcomings: his critique of recent government reforms around the IB and the case for a broader academic pathways post 16.