Hendrick van der Kush

Edu researcher and evidence informed educationalist

[Hendrick van der Kush @HendrickVDK]

In the UK, the demise of private schools is not solely driven by the VAT imposed by the government. It is part of it but falling rolls across the country (low birth rates) and the severe drop in overseas students coming to the UK over the last 5 years are the main reasons.

[Hendrick van der Kush @HendrickVDK]

Whatever your politics, next time you read about another private school closure, think for a moment about the devastating impact on hundreds of families who live in that village or town. That is all I ask.

[Hendrick van der Kush @HendrickVDK]

In the UK, the demise of private schools is not solely driven by the VAT imposed by the government. It is part of it but falling rolls across the country (low birth rates) and the severe drop in overseas students coming to the UK over the last 5 years are the main reasons.

[Hendrick van der Kush @HendrickVDK]

They often cater for pupils who would, for many reasons, struggle or worse, in most state schools. This has been the most saddening aspect of the recent closures for me.

[Hendrick van der Kush @HendrickVDK]

The "Meaningful" Subjectivity
Ausubel distinguishes "meaningful learning" from "rote learning."
The line is blurrier than he suggests. Some rote tasks (like learning a base vocabulary or times tables) are essential scaffolds that eventually lead to meaningful insights.

[Hendrick van der Kush @HendrickVDK]

Hallo. Today a deep dive into David Ausubel’s Subsumption Theory 🧵

[Hendrick van der Kush @HendrickVDK]

Overlooking the Affective Domain
Ausubel focuses heavily on cognitive structures—how we process and store facts.
The theory largely ignores emotional and social aspects of learning (motivation, anxiety, peer collaboration). Learning isn't just data merge; it’s a human experience.