The big lesson from the world’s best school system? Trust your teachers

Finnish education policies are highly praised, but the real success is the level of responsibility and autonomy given to teachers to do their jobs

• John Hart
• The Guardian

Finnish education is rarely out of the news, whether it’s outstanding Pisa results, those same results slipping, the dropping of traditional subjects, not dropping subjects, or what makes Finnish teachers special.

I worked in England for two years as a teacher before moving to Finland eight years ago.

My colleagues in the UK were supportive and the headteacher gave me subject leadership in my second year.

I didn’t want to leave but the pull of home for my…

• The big lesson…