The school bus

For many students, being at school is like being in a bus.

• It is an essentially passive experience.
• The route is pre-planned.
• The timetable is preplanned.
• Someone else does the driving.
• They don't have to concentrate.
• They sit and chat, or stare out of the window.

Driving yourself in a car is a completely different experience!

• You might look at a map, but you decide where you are going.
• You also decide when to start and when to finish your journey.
• You can stop and take a break if you want.
• You can take a detour if you decide there is something you want to investigate.
• You have to concentrate hard!

Young people really, really want to learn to drive. They will pay hundreds of pounds to learn.

Driving represents freedom and personal choice.

Pupils would be more motivated and concentrate harder if schools were less like buses and more like cars.