2nd November 2007
Cambridge-based think tank, the Primary Review has published startling results indicating that despite huge sums of money being spent on initiatives such as the National Literacy Strategy, reading levels in primary schools are no better than they were in the 1950s. The Review also criticises national tests pointing out that they cause stress for pupils and narrow the curriculum.
29th October 2007
It seems that not only are our schools bad places if you are a summer baby, but, according to a senior advisor to the government, they are also dangerous places if you are male and come from an Afro-Caribbean background. According to Sir Keith Ajegbo, black Afro-Caribbean boys are three times more likely to be permanently excluded from school that white young people.
26th October 2007
Ministers promised a crackdown on truancy today after new Government figures showed that truancy levels are on the rise. One might be tempted to ask whether some children are simply voting with their feet?
24th October 2007
Research, published today by the Institute of Fiscal Studies, shows that month of birth is the biggest single factor affecting children's exam performance. According to the report, children born in August are less likely to get five or more good GCSEs that children born in September. Or to put it another way, schools are not necessarily good places for summer babies!
23rd October 2007
School Secretary Ed Balls today announced that new Diplomas could become the qualification of choice for 18 year olds replacing A levels.
12th October 2007
The Times today reports on figures published by the government that show that the government's early years strategies are failing children, even when solely based on crude measures such as the ability to read or write simply words.
12th October 2007
A profoundly depressing picture has been presented of life for children during their primary school years by Cambridge-based Primary Review. Their report, published today, speaks of children suffering from "deep anxiety" about many aspects of modern life, commenting that pressure of Sats dominate the final two primary years. Follow some of the links on the right to find out more.
9th October 2007
Alistair Darling today announced increased funding for education targetted at helping children to be ready to benefit from personalised support. He also announced increased schooling for 3-4 year olds as well as one-to-one tuiton for 300,000 under-attaining pupils by 2010.
6th October 2007
Fears have today been voiced that online marking of examination scripts has led to a rise in students being given the wrong grades.
4th October 2007
According to Prof Michael Reiss , Head of Science at the Institute of Education, many science teachers are so fearful of the rise of creationism that they are avoiding teaching anything on origins. His book "Teaching about Scientific Origins: Taking Account of Creationism", gives advice on how to deal with the "dilemma".
29th September 2007
Gordon Brown has today pledged to make Britain's schools "world class". Addressing a citizen's jury in London as part of the Time to Talk consultation. The consultation period ends on the 19th October after which the government's new 10-year Children's Plan will be published.
28th September 2007
A boy with a severe nut allergy is being taught at home after his mother withdrew him from school instead of allowing his local school to teach him in isolation.
26th September 2007
A survey of primary aged children makes depressing reading as it describes typical family life in modern Britain where children spend more time watching TV than with parents and a third of parents never or hardly ever take their children to a library.
25th September 2007
BBC News' Sean Coughlan talks to Penny Wilson of the Play Association of Tower Hamlets about the need for children to be given time to play spontaneously.. At a time when only 21% of children play outside their home, Wilson describes some of the problems cause by a lack of play.
18th September 2007
Mike Baker talks about the growing evidence showing how schools fail the most disadvantaged in our society.
1st September 2007
Ian McNeilly of the National Association for the Teaching of English has expressed serious concerns over the 'sickening violence' found in many GCSE English coursework folders.
1st September 2007
In a cutting article, Chris Woodhead highlights the failure of the current school system to deliver consistent success. He states, "Last year 45.8% of students achieved five A*-C grades including English and mathematics in the GCSE examination: 54.2% did not." Or to put it another way, after over 11 years of schooling, more than 1 in 2 children leave school inadequately prepared for adult life in the real world! |
