Guiding readers past the sterile debates about City Academies and dumbed-down exams, this book proves that education's key responsibility should be to create enthusiastic learners who will go on to thrive as adults in a swiftly-changing, dynamic world.

With their emphasis on regurgitated knowledge and stressful exams, today’s schools actually do more harm than good. Guiding readers past the tired debates about examination overload and dumbed-down lessons, Claxton proves that education’s first priority should be to create enthusiastic learners who can thrive in our complicated and dynamic world - all without chucking out Shakespeare or the Periodic Table.

Blending down-to-earth examples with the latest advances in brain science, Claxton rescues schools from the scrap heap, and suggests a host of ways to help students learn how to think for themselves. What's the Point of School? Charts the development of this sea-change in education and makes an irresistible case for its urgent implementation on a national - indeed global - scale. Written with passion, wit, and authority, this brilliant book will inspire teachers, parents, and readers of all backgrounds to foster in the next generation the confident spirit of adventure they so obviously need.

"This book is a must read for us all, not just those interested in formal education. In his brilliant unpacking of what it is to become a good learner, Guy shows us how to create environments that encourage people to learn, how to take risks, how to challenge, empathise, play, and innovate. This book should persuade politicians around the world that what future generations need most - to be both happy and productive - is the capacity to learn, and that schools can and must teach it"