Education Bill

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Janet Downs: “Such men are dangerous” says Lord in warning about radical changes to education

Lord Griffiths  of Burry Port gave this warning to Mr Gove on14 June 2011: “The Minister [of State for Education], in the short time that he has been at his post, has won the affection and respect of noble Lords on all sides of the House. He is a good listener, which makes it all the more difficult to ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Shane Rae: "It's his selective hearing that will have far-reaching consequences...."

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Francis Gilbert: The Church of England wants to end segregation in their schools, but does the government?

The news today that that the Church of England is intending to sweep away the requirement for children to have a religious background should be welcomed. Clearly, the C of E has figured out that the current system has lead to chronic social segregation with "Voluntary-Aided" schools -- largely C of E ones -- containing disproportionately high numbers of children ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Andrew Edmondson: "Schools should be run on secular lines. Anything else contravenes the rights of the child. No religion or belief should be allowed to discriminate against others or have privileges over others. Inclusive community schools are good for children from religious and non-religious ......"

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Francis Gilbert: Let’s support Comprehensive Future’s campaign for fair admissions

The Education Bill, which had a second reading last Tuesday, if enacted, could make school admissions even more unfair than they are at the moment. As Barnardos, The Sutton Trust and Comprehensive Future's research has shown, when schools become their own admissions' authorities, unfairness creeps into the system. Barnados report, Unlocking The School Gates, notes: "Schools that are their own admissions authority are subject to the School Admissions ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Janet Downs: "We're discussing Local Education Authorities (LEAs), whose limited functions I outlined above. Apart from these functions, LEAs do not dictate how schools spend money. Schools are run by Governing Bodies and headteachers. However, the much-trumpeted Academies and ......"

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Melissa Benn: Speak up at the back there!

With yesterday’s announcement of radical health service reform, a huge Education Bill looming,  cuts in all public services, hitting the poorest hardest, we are witnessing a full on  public service revolution. Its purpose is clear,  to eliminate local democratic accountability and increasingly to open our public services up to profit seeking private companies. Many of these worrying developments, in terms of ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Francis Gilbert: "Gerry, I am afraid I don't agree with you. I think we are against making generalisations of the type you accuse us of making; we look at schools with an open mind and judge situations based upon the evidence before ......"

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