Good to see that the ‘charity’ known as Teach First is hard at work. Now that they’ve got their claws into primary school kids they’re obviously not going to waste any opportunity to spread their message of bringing joy and light into the lives of the poor. The occasion as part of Teach First PR [...]
“Ofsted inspectors say literacy standards ‘fall short’”, the Beeb reports. This simply isn’t true. What has really fallen short are literacy test scores not literacy standards. OfSTED are confusing scores with literacy levels. A child that does badly on a test isn’t necessarily lacking in literacy. They are just unable to score high enough on [...]
The fact that the euphemistically-titled Spending Review has guaranteed an increase in money for schools is usually applauded. That this money – an extra £4bn – is coming at a time when those in FE and HE face hefty cuts will raise little cheer for those who are paying mortgages, have children to feed and [...]
The BBC Education news desk and the The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) seem to believe that a recent ICM survey shows teaching is ‘under rated’. This may be the case but the study does not show this. The study actually shows us not that teaching is under-rated but that prospects for career [...]
If half a million parents and guardians have submitted appeals regarding dissatisfaction with Little Johnny’s school place then how much is spent responding to them? The culture of choice is really an excuse to employ more civil servants – how very convenient for them. Nothing wrong with choice but how about cutting costs first. And [...]
We at EducationState think that it is very, very sad that, according to the BBC, “Children as young as seven are to be offered careers guidance under a government scheme in England.” Is this what children really need or will remember? Psychologists tell us that our automatic, non-conscious behaviour starts early on in life but [...]
We see that the “Tories back ‘Teach First’ scheme”. It seems sensible to encourage ‘high-flying’ graduates to join the teaching profession so that they can pass on their skills and experience. However, we would argue that this scheme is not the answer to teacher recruitment and retention. Improved working conditions especially eradicating all paperwork and [...]
“Union leader calls for review of mobile phone ban in classrooms”, says the Observer. Really? Perhaps so. After all, the article later declares: “In schools where children were provided with handheld computers with phone and internet access to use in lessons, teachers have reported very little misuse, according to David Whyley, the headteacher consultant for [...]
We’ve received the following email from the BBC. Anyone interested please contact them using the e-mail address below: “Hi, Sorry to bother you. I work for the BBC’s Today programme and we were wondering if you’d be able to help us. There was a story in the news yesterday (11 March 2008) that some schools [...]
The Primary Review findings prove YET AGAIN that politicians don’t listen and would rather toe the party line than to use common sense and admit to errors of judgement. We at EducationState thought we’d do our bit to improve their listening skills by lending them some of these: Or these:
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