Cabinet of Curiosity

James Handscombe is known as one of the great school leaders of this generation. This book allows his originality, inspiration and genius to be shared on a far wider stage. -- Anthony Seldon, educator, historian and author.
Handscombe is the Montaigne of education writers. -- David Didau

James Handscombe's Cabinet of Curiosity is exactly the kind of transformative, forward-thinking work our sector needs. This book doesn't merely champion the value of curiosity - it demonstrates, with warmth and intellectual ambition, how we can infuse learning environments with authentic curiosity, daring young minds and teachers alike to ask more, think deeper, and never settle for narrow answers. With hands-on guides, stories from the classroom, and a fiercely human approach to knowledge, Handscombe invites us all - educators, leaders, and learners - to become custodians of curiosity and architects of richer, more empowering educational experiences.



Cabinet of Curiosity reaches across boundaries of subject, age, and ability, exemplifying the powerful impact of a curriculum that values breadth, conversation, and the joyful unpredictability of asking "what if?" in every discipline. At CELT, we believe the future belongs to the curious; Handscombe's work gives every reader the framework and inspiration to unleash curiosity as a superpower in their own settings. This is a book every school should have on its shelves - and every teacher should have at their elbow - as a wellspring of practical wisdom in shaping the kind of education that makes a lifelong difference

* Dan Morrow, head of the Cornwall Education Learning Trust (CELT) *