Stories + Views: Government Policy

Page 10 of 73« First...89101112...203040...Last »
Avatar Image

Janet Downs: The Commons EBacc debate – a mixed serving with piquant side dishes

This week’s debate on exam reform went something like this: The first course: a substantial soup served by Stephen Twigg. It contained familiar ingredients: concerns about a narrowed curriculum, the rushed timetable and a lack of consensus seasoned with strong body of opposition. The second course: rather thin gruel from David Laws. It contained a promise that the reformed exams for 16 ... read more and comment →

49 comments

Latest comment by Tubby Isaacs: "A very good point about study without examination. Has Gove any idea what the people who aren't going to do A levels will be doing?..."

Comment + Debate
Avatar Image

Ivan Godfrey: Now that the focus is really returning to the EBacc proposals I hope it’s worth giving a reminder of what the consultation questions were … and one set of responses that were given (by me!). It may come as a shock to some to see how poor the nature of the consultation was!

Reforming Key Stage 4 Qualifications Consultation Response Form (Extracts only) 2 a) Do you agree that the new qualifications should be called English Baccalaureate Certificates? The baccalaureate is an internationally recognised qualification for students aged 18+ based on a much broader and inclusive curriculum than what is proposed. To use the name ‘baccalaureate’ for the sterile examination system proposed is both confusing ... read more and comment →

7 comments

Latest comment by Rebecca Hanson: ""It may come as a shock to some to see how poor the nature of the consultation was!" Many of us are now unshockable. I attended one of the first consultations (on the new primary curriculum) after Gove got convicted of failing ......"

Comment + Debate
Avatar Image

Meraud: The curriculum and the creative industries

A number of the regular posters on LSN seem to have a strong maths and science bias - which is helpful for me, since I don't (!). But I thought it might be useful to add a different perspective on the curriculum changes, the Ebacc, and the rest. I've been watching the Culture Media and Sport select committee's work over the ... read more and comment →

One comment

Latest comment by Janet Downs: "Meraud - the downgrading of creative subjects was discussed in the EBacc debate on 16 January. The Government said that the 30% of the timetable remaining outside the EBacc core was sufficient to allow pupils to receive a broad ......"

Comment + Debate
Avatar Image

Henry Stewart: Academies: Do the DfE Claims Stack Up?

The 2nd release of detailed school level GCSE data is due next week, on 24th January. As the government has made clear that its primary programme for school improvement is academy conversion, this information is important. It enables analysis of whether schools who become academies do better and therefore whether there is any basis to the £1 billion plus that ... read more and comment →

6 comments

Latest comment by Neil Moffatt: "Thanks - well said and highly pertinent. I have joined the Labour party, SEA, sent letters to my local MP, yet the process for reacting to the narrow, accountability/punitive driven nature of schools remains out of my influence. I would love ......"

Comment + Debate
Avatar Image

Francis Gilbert: Ex-children’s minister says that Gove’s department is like “Upstairs, Downstairs”

[caption id="attachment_9714" align="aligncenter" width="375"] The Times 16th January 2013[/caption] The Times 16th January 2013   This news item in The Times today is interesting, highlighting what we've suspected for a long time that Gove doesn't really listen to anyone who disagrees with him, which might explain why he's pushing through things like the changes to the English examination system which are so unpopular ... read more and comment →

4 comments

Latest comment by Rebecca Hanson: "This is well worth watching: http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=12279 What wonderful insight. I like Tim Loughton a lot now! Gibb and Teather tomorrow. I've got as far as Gibb stating that his great work with phonics is his proudest moment and suspect some drivel ......"

Comment + Debate
Avatar Image

Meraud: HOC Education Committee

Interesting insights into the DfE from the Education Committee evidence, here. read more and comment →

No comments

Be the first to comment!

Comment + Debate
Avatar Image

Janet Downs: For-profit education providers are being encouraged to run free schools, said Co-op as long ago as June 2011

The Co-operative College found that the free schools approved up to June 2011 didn’t comply with David Cameron’s description of what free schools should be: “I want to explore how we can create a new generation of co-operative schools in Britain, funded by the taxpayer, but owned by parents and the local community”. However, the Co-operative College, which offers help to free ... read more and comment →

No comments

Be the first to comment!

Comment + Debate
Avatar Image

Fiona Millar: Outside the Tory bubble, Gove not doing that well

Interesting poll here from You Gov which breaks down public opinion into different policy areas. Labour appears to have a pretty solid lead over the Conservatives when it comes to education, which has widened in the past month from 6% to 9 %. Labour is also ahead in almost every  social class, age and regional group in this area of policy. ... read more and comment →

7 comments

Latest comment by Janet Downs: "Rosie - as Laws was addressing the Local Government Association I think he would have received quite a few jeers if he'd criticised LAs. And he included free schools in his praise of Coalition educational policy in the Evening ......"

Comment + Debate
Avatar Image

Janet Downs: Schools already have considerable freedoms, says Academies Commission. Why, then, do schools need to convert to gain “freedom”?

The Government’s said it again and again: schools need to become academies in order to gain “autonomy” and “freedom from local authority control”. But the Academies Commission admitted that UK schools already have considerable freedoms. Among other evidence they cite the findings of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2009 before the Coalition took power*. “The reality is that ... read more and comment →

3 comments

Latest comment by Janet Downs: "And there's more: converter academies "could have implemented the innovations they were considering (mostly in the area of curriculum development) as a maintained school." This rather explodes the myth about "innovation". The Department for Education is being strangely quiet about the Academies ......"

Comment + Debate
Avatar Image

Janet Downs: Academy conversion is not essential for school improvement – it’s time the myth was exploded

“In removing academies from the control of local authorities, the expectation is that these schools use greater freedom and independence to lead and manage more effectively and more innovatively so that pupil outcomes improve.” That’s what the Academies Commission report says. But it reveals the flaws in the spin that surrounds the academies programme: 1 No school is under local authority (LA) ... read more and comment →

7 comments

Latest comment by Rebecca Hanson: "In theory academisation could be a positive thing but only if there is full, open and honest discussion and consultation about what it is trying to achieve, whether it's the best route for achieving what is wanted, how what is ......"

Comment + Debate
Page 10 of 73« First...89101112...203040...Last »