38
A tribute to John Coe, former editor of Primary First by Robert Young
It is extraordinary that someone into their 90s should want to edit a journal! Almost all members of the teaching profession at the point of retirement in their mid-60s hang up their boots and settle for a life of relative ease and comfort, free of the angst associated with educational ventures. But not for John. No single person could have done more for the profession than John and a critical aspect of this engagement has been the channeling of his energies and expertise into the role of editor of Primary First. John’s voice as editor draws on a distinguished record of service to the profession, stretching back to 1949 when he qualified as a primary teacher. Two headships were followed up by two appointments in the local inspectorate, the first in the West Riding of Yorkshire and the second in Oxfordshire, both areas of the UK which were perceived in the 1960s and 1970s as beacons of excellence in the primary sector and both providing inspiration for much of the enlightened philosophy behind the famous Plowden Report of 1967. At the point of retirement, the challenge of initial teacher education beckoned and John took on the programme leadership of the Primary PGCE at the London University Institute of Education at a very stressful time when central government was embarking on the process of establishing a foothold in curriculum design and accountability. His intention to retire from full- time work was thwarted by an invitation, readily accepted, from Oxford Brookes University to contribute to initial teacher education and to design and direct courses for teaching assistants. John’s role in NAPE has been all-pervasive from its inception in May 1980 when he was one of its
architects alongside a group of heads and inspectors who deeply cared about the way in which primary education was perceived as the Cinderella of the educational system, subservient to the secondary sector in terms of its preparatory role and undervalued as a critical phase of education in its own right. Since 1980, John has taken on all the officer roles on the NAPE Council including two stints as chair and his formidable commitment to the wellbeing of the organisation is reflected in the fact that he was willing to maintain the editorship of Primary First until January of this year. His editorials, in addition to all the articles/papers he has drafted over the years, reveal the sharpest of minds and the accumulated wisdom of years of experience. But his reflections are always more than a dry analysis of the current scene – they are infused with quality of concern for the entitlements of childhood. This passion for a concept of education which is not constrained by the requirements of a high-stakes testing regime and which does justice to the full breadth of human endeavour has consistently informed his approach to educational commentary. Moreover, as editor he has steered the journal to acquire a powerful voice, highly accessible in its format, occupying a distinctive position between the traditional academic journal at one end of the spectrum and the tips for teachers newsletter at the other. We are indebted to John for his years of service and in particular for providing the energy and the acumen to co-ordinate its publication, developing it as NAPE’s flagship. As a model of what can be achieved into your 90s, John is an inspiration and long may he continue to be!
