Stories + Views: Parents

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Nigel Ford: Man in £5 million debt as he struggled to pay school fees

An article in the Daily Mail reveals a reversal in fortunes as a speculator's overseas venture ruined him After his UK property business fell flat due to the slump in prices this guy took out a loan of £3.3 million against his mansion to invest in the property market in Romania so that his children could continue to board at their ... read more and comment →

22 comments

Latest comment by Jane Eades: "Interesting reverse argument by CSN. Surely s/he should be arguing that the family in the article are benefit scroungers? They have the choice to send their children to state schools but, instead, presumably are claiming benefits in order ......"

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Fiona Millar: Why we should support the feisty parents at Downhills Primary School

Last night I went to speak at a public meeting at Downhills Primary School in Tottenham. The school is being faced with ‘forced academisation’ by the government even though according to several external indicators (an HMI visit and league tables) it is starting to improve. The meeting in the school hall was packed with well over 500 parents, governors, heads and ... read more and comment →

39 comments

Latest comment by Jake: "Marigold, when it comes to the rantings of the loony left I rarely do believe what I read. Still, its good of a Downhills parent to confirm a number of inaccuracies in the lefty article. Who'd have thought?..."

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Francis Gilbert: The madness of small primary schools becoming academies

Gove's vituperative speech today attacking anyone who dares to question his academies policy has genuinely surprised me and highlighted for many people like me, who are not ideologically opposed to the academies programme per se, that there are some very serious flaws in the policy. I could speculate that his speech is actually a warning shot at people on his ... read more and comment →

82 comments

Latest comment by Rebecca Hanson: "jest not just!..."

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Bromley Parent: How an academy chain’s dominance in an area creates a monopoly and undermines parental preference

Parents in Penge, South London, who want to send their child to their local school are being effectively denied any meaningful preference since the Harris Federation now runs the four main secondary schools that serve the area. To adapt Henry Ford’s famous maxim to this area parents can choose any local school they want as a long as it is ... read more and comment →

32 comments

Latest comment by Penge Parent: "I am also interested that Royston and Malcolm are becoming Harris academies. I have no experience of how they do at primary level so I will be watching to see how they get on. I understand St Johns ......"

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Nicola Bown: Forced conversions of primary schools

I've commented on this below, but I think it's such an important issue I've decided to post on it. In comments on the latest batch of primary league tables, Michael Gove made it clear that he is moving towards the forced conversion of 200+ 'failing' primary schools into sponsored academies. Almost no primary schools have willingly converted to academy status, but this ... read more and comment →

25 comments

Latest comment by Janet Downs: "The cartoon in the article below sums up Mr Gove and his attitude towards his "opponents": http://www.economicvoice.com/the-michael-gove-dictatorship/50027033#axzz1irS4VCJz..."

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Francis Gilbert: The evidence mounts that the choice agenda is unpopular, unfair and destructive

There are a few education stories in the media at the moment that have a common theme: they all illustrate quite powerfully that free markets erode standards in education in all sorts of ways. Furthermore, there's mounting evidence that this current government's obsession with choice in education is unpopular both with teachers and parents. A survey highlighted in this week's TES ... read more and comment →

15 comments

Latest comment by Allan Beavis: "The complaints have been made, Leonard James, and are still being made. Where have you been? It is easy to educate the already advantaged. The challenge is to raise standards for everyone else and this where successive governments have failed, ......"

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Sonia Exley: New research shows that most people think parents should send their children to the nearest state school

Research published today as part of the 28th annual British Social Attitudes (BSA) report shows that more than eight in 10 people think parents should send their children to the nearest state school. New data released from the BSA Survey shows that 63% of people take this view outright, with a further 22% saying they would agree if the quality of ... read more and comment →

3 comments

Latest comment by Alan Gurbutt: "With respect, there must be a time in a child's life when s/he is capable of rational decision making; after all, children are criminally responsible at 10 years old. John Rawls’ social contract might be more fitting for children, for ......"

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Rosie Fergusson: Letter to Gove,Gibb and Teathers…hope springs eternal!!!

Dear Mr Gove, I am writing to you in your capacity as Secretary of State for Education not as an MP . I therefore assert , with respect, that the procedural " I'm not your MP " reply or email deletion is not appropriate. The Department of Education has just published their new Admissions Policy. This includes the proposal that the children ... read more and comment →

2 comments

Latest comment by Fiona Millar: "The new Code of Practice will also allow schools to prioritise the siblings of children who have already left the school. If taken up by schools this will also reduce the chances of local families with an only child, or ......"

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Francis Gilbert: Is the Independent Schools Inspectorate fit for purpose? Can it be trusted to protect children in private schools?

The scandal of the child abuse at St. Benedict's School has highlighted some significant problems with the Independent Schools Inspectorate's methods. As has been widely reported in the press, child abuse was rife at this private Catholic school, which was run by monks, some of whom were abusers. Lord Carlile's recent report into the school, which can be downloaded from the school's website, has ... read more and comment →

7 comments

Latest comment by Angel Garden: "Our experience of private schooling in New Zealand, was that they operate in a total legal vacuum as far as child welfare is concerned; it's absolute. Schools can do whatever they like, it's a High Trust Model. Plus ......"

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Francis Gilbert: Let’s celebrate the amazing extra-curricular activities that local schools offer…

I was speaking to some Northumbrian parents recently about their children's  local state schools -- primary, middle and secondary -- and everyone of them was delighted with them. They said that their children were really enjoying their lessons, progressing well academically and, above all, flourishing as people. One parent spoke proudly about Seahouses Middle School, which is situated in the ... read more and comment →

7 comments

Latest comment by Rebecca Hanson: "I consider both constructivist learning and the critical but deliberate acquisition of established knowledge to be true learning Francis: http://mathseducationandallthat.blogspot.com/2011/06/yin-and-yang-of-maths-education-part-1.html I can also recommend Lindisfarne (both the Island and the group), Howick Hall, Alnwick Castle, Cragside and skinny dipping off Druridge ......"

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