Stories + Views: Government Policy

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LocalSchoolsNetwork: PAC Press Notice: Managing the Expansion of the Academies Programme

This is the press release issued by the Public Accounts Committee, after its report on the £1 billion overspend identified by the National Audit Office in the government's academies programme:   The Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP, Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, today said: “Academy schools lie outside local authority control and are directly accountable to central government. It is therefore ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by jordan: "Yesterday, while I was at work, my cousin stole my apple ipad and tested to see if it can survive a 40 foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My apple ipad is now broken and she ......"

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Janet Downs: Concern over curriculum proposals inspires petition asking Gove to address these issues instead of saying, “Yada, Yada”.

A petition calling on Education Secretary Michael Gove to address concerns about the proposed curriculum made headlines in the Independent last week. The petition raised several issues: 1 Three of the four experts on the advisory panel for the National Curriculum had resigned because Gove both ignored and misrepresented their concerns. 2 Gove ignores the comprehensive and independent Cambridge Review of the Primary ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Sally: "Research this conversion and you will see why I have shared this petition. If you choose not to agree then simply dont sign it. Thanks for your time...."

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Francis Gilbert: Our children must learn to be independent; too much school can harm that…

My pupils were quite upset today because they were very worried that they would lose their school holidays and have to stay in school until midnight. They’d watched the news items on the BBC saying that Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, is planning to shorten the school holidays and lengthen the school day. None of my students were keen on ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Roger Titcombe: "Guest (no button) - As far as I am aware all schools provide sport, music and drama now. If they don't then they could and should. I think the outcome you seek is best achieved by enabling schools to be ......"

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Janet Downs: Trouble at two academy chains: AET banned from expanding and E-Act gets a warning

“I believe that chains such as the Harris group, Ark or the United Learning Trust are doing an amazing job on the ground, working with local authorities and turning round schools in the worst condition. As far as I am concerned, they should grow at the fastest sustainable rate,” said Education Secretary Michael Gove in July 2011 shortly after ULT, ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Janet Downs: "It seems that E-Act isn't too hot at comprehension either. E-Act’s Director General, Sir Bruce Leddington, wrote on E-Act's website: ‘The [Academies Commission] report is right to acknowledge “the overwhelming success” of the academies programme to date.’ http://www.e-act.org.uk/academies-commission-report/ But it ......"

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Francis Gilbert: Will the EBacc lead to a narrowing of the curriculum? Ex school minister wants to bring back 1908 exams…

I debated the issue of the English Baccalaureate at the Spectator's schools conference this week with the ex-schools minister Nick Gibb, an Oxford classicist, and Anthony Seldon. The debate was perhaps most notable for the argument I had with Nick Gibb, which I've already blogged about here. The substance of it is worth considering in depth because I believe it ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Francis Gilbert: "Thanks for informing us about this, I'll look into this, and yes, I would be interested in knowing more, I'll email you!..."

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Francis Gilbert: Have you taught a day in your life?

I think this gets right to the heart of the matter of what's wrong with education today. The Conservative MP, Nick Gibb, having watched my video of Gallions primary school (see below) in which a very experienced headteacher talks about teaching Maths through dance, proclaims that this is not appropriate teaching. I challenged him about this; after all, what right ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Debra Kidd: "The same Poynton High School that is a performing arts college with an excellent PADS project where the dance department go into local primary schools and teach, err, Maths through Dance?..."

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Francis Gilbert: Exclusive: Michael Gove says younger teachers are better than older ones — watch his full speech on LSN!

I attended the Spectators' schools conference today and listened to the Education Secretary give a long speech about his policies and what he considers a good education to be. You can watch the full speech down below. Andrew Neil introduces and then Gove delivers his speech. I've not edited it because it's a long "off the cuff" speech which is ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Ron Glatter: "It was very useful to see this speech Francis, thank you. Among other things it displayed one of the least attractive features of Gove's rhetoric, his use of what Prof. Stephen Ball more than 20 years ago called the ......"

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Francis Gilbert: Education expert calls for “an education spring” in this blistering attack on schools’ policy — watch the video here…

Education expert and former QCA chief, Mick Waters, has just published a new book on schools called "Thinking Allowed on Schooling". He spoke at the House of Commons yesterday about his book, giving a blistering talk about how schools policy is heading in the wrong direction at the moment. He argued passionately for a more evidence-based approach, talking eloquently about the need for ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by talesbehindtheclassroomdoor: "[...] former QCA chief Mick Waters is a fascinating commentator on education. I’ve already commented upon his new book Thinking Allowed On Schooling; it’s a really interesting read. What I like about Mick is that he is very approachable, and [...]..."

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Janet Downs: Channel 4 Fact Check asks if Coalition plans for childcare would reduce costs for parents. Or would they increase profits for nursery chains?

It’s a central plank of the Coalition’s plans for early-years reform – that the UK is over-regulated. Removing the red tape and allowing bigger staff-child ratios, schools minister Elizabeth Truss says, will reduce child-care costs. This would bring the UK in line with other countries. And nursery staff would need to have at least Grade C in Maths and English. Channel ... read more and comment →

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Fiona Millar: Performance related pay. Don’t believe the spin.

Last week I decided to write my Guardian column on the issue of performance related pay for teachers which the Coalition government wants to introduce from this autumn. You can click on this link to read the full text of the article. Before I started writing it, I put out a request for opinion and evidence on Twitter and received a huge ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Ian Bolton: "'As time went on Old Herbaceous found himself isolated in a most peculiar fashion. Nobody took any notice of him.'..."

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