The problem of a creative use of the ideas that contain O. V. Dukhnovych’s pedagogical heritage in order to direct our search for constructive approaches to realisation of the concept “New Ukrainian School” has been raised. Special attention is paid to the parameters of the construct “substantial reform” which constitute the historical and pedagogical source bases. On the material of O. Dukhnovych’s elaborations, we focus on the attitudes related to textbook creation, organisation of schooling and pedagogisation of family education; this is the subject of the performed fundamental research. Since today it is not yet possible to effectively solve the new tasks set within the concept “New Ukrainian School”, this context of scientific understanding of O. Dukhnovych’s pedagogical paradigm has been actualised: creative adoption of the outstanding pedagogue-classicist’s ideas will contribute to the positive dynamics of the educational reform aimed at improving educational realities. The before mentioned issues constituted the purpose of the article and outlined the substantive content of its scientific objectives. A set of scientific and pedagogical methods, mainly of a theoretical level, was used to solve the outlined tasks: analysis, systematisation, generalisation, specification, modelling. It is noted that the scientific understanding of the pedagogical heritage of O. Dukhnovych creates an opportunity to understand the regularities of the gradual development of a corresponding pedagogical phenomenon better, for example of the ones the totality of which are concentrated in the problematic field of domestic education now – enhancement of the personal and professional mission of the pedagogue as “an agent of changes”, which (according to O. Dukhnovych) is “the greatest artist” from the perspective of “Pedagogy as an art”; enrichment of the national content of education through the imperative of teaching students in their native language; recognition of the basic importance of education as the general purpose of school and family as well as the meaning of education; full implementation of the conformity-to-nature principle to acquire “the joy of knowledge” by the child regardless of his / her educational needs. Reference is made to the context of O. Dukhnovych’s pedagogical paradigm with regard to solving the problems of small schools (in particular through the participation of village communities), bullying (in particular through stimulating public opinion). The historical and pedagogical provisions on the “substantiality” of any reform that correlates with “internal spiritual reform” are recognised as significant. Special attention is paid to the interpretation of the empirical data of the psychologists who characterise the involvement of modern pedagogues in innovations and actualise the historical and pedagogical heritage of O. Dukhnovych.