|
|
Education Journal No.100 (2007-1) |
|
Inspection – past, present and future Our children’s services editor, Chris Waterman, looks at how the personality of HMCI has impacted on inspection in the twelve years since the creation of the post and the prospects for a much brighter future. Ofsted scorecards Ofsted and the Commission for Social Care Inspection have published the Annual Performance Assessment tables for 102 local authorities in England for 2006. Karaoke The Government’s ludicrous announcement before Christmas that millions wouldn’t be able to join in karaoke sessions because they could not read. Hope for the future of the Basic Skills Agency after government funding is withdrawn? George Low writes about the decision of the DfES to cease its Basic Skills Agency funding and the implications of this for the Agency’s future. Short reports Schools’ lack of preparation for the introduction of the Disability Equality Duty, teachers lack of confidence at teaching dylexic pupils, and pupils’ literacy difficulties. Basic Skills: only two cheers for Leitch Alan Wells, former director of the Basic Skills Agency, evaluates the Leitch review of skills, pointing out mistakes and inaccuracies in the report. New-style accountability for primary schools Professor Colin Richards suggests how new-style accountability in primary education could be rendered at national, school and parental levels, by modifying the current Ofsted inspection model. Baccalaureate takes precedence this year Our Wales editor, Ken Reid, reports on the controversy surrounding continuation of the revised 14-19 curriculum and the growing influence of the Welsh Baccalaureate. A matter of Trust Does the draft Trust School Toolkit offer the answers schools need to decide whether or not to go for Trust school status? Letter from Scotia Our Scotland editor, John Dobie, comments on HMIE’s findings in respect of their first cycle of inspections of Scotland’s 32 education authorities. Professor Ken Reid to chair Welsh review We report on Professor Ken Reid’s appointment as chairman of a review into school attendance and behaviour in Wales. Children’s health This month’s health column covers the link between “stranger danger” and childhood obesity, juvenile diabetes research, sex education, teenage male drivers, and the influence of family life on a child’s development. Higher Ground In the second of a new regular column, John Izbicki casts an eye over recent events in higher education. This month he looks at the terrible plight of Iraqi academics, Internet degrees, Arthur Cotterell’s book, Leadership, and continuing academic snobbery. General section Fun Page Media Watch Ruth Kelly’s decision to send her child to a private school and media coverage of the HMCI annual report. Conferences Our Scotland editor, John Dobie, reports on the annual conference of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland in November. Conference Round-up Opinion John Izbicki gives three possible solutions to Britain’s problem of juvenile delinquency. Times Were When Professor Colin Richards on lessons to be learnt from Michel Eyquem’s 1850 essays, On schoolmasters’ learning and On educating children. Reference section Document Reviews The documents reviewed this month are Policy Review of Children and Young People from HM Treasury; and Improving Scottish Education: Effectiveness of Education Authorities from HMIE. Document Digest Reports Digest Reports from LEAs and CSAs, produced by EMIE at NFER, include those covering 14-16 collaborative provision in Barnsley; children’s centres in Brent; a review of primary school provision in Yorkshire; and provision for pupil exclusions in Hertfordshire. Research section Research Digest Research Notes Our research editor, Michael Marshall, looks at the theory of teachers as mediators between educational policy and practice. Making Every Child Matters a reality Graham Handscomb, Principal adviser at Essex Children’s Services Authority, on the challenges schools face in implementing the Every Child Matters agenda. Short Research Reports The ineffectiveness of Anti Social Behaviour Orders; headteacher workload; a Nuffield Foundation report on the Government’s education policies; and sex education. Parliament section Drowning in a “legislative torrent” Our parliamentary editor, Nick Kent, takes a retrospective look at the last decade and the tidal wave of complex, abstruse and all too often pointless legislation that Acts of Parliament have unleashed. Vocational education and skills Arabella Hargreaves, editor of EPM Scotland, reports on a debate in the Scottish Parliament on skills academies. Adoption and Children Bill passed At the beginning of December, the Scottish Parliament passed the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act. Policy changes for under-sevens Helen Grimmett, editor of EPM Wales/Cymru, reports on the Minister for Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills’ statement in the Welsh Assembly on the change of policy for children under seven and its financial implications. Report from the Secretary of State for Wales The Secretary of State for Wales’ report on the Queen’s Speech after the State opening of the Westminster Parliament. Parliamentary Questions Answers to written parliamentary questions include those covering the Dedicated Schools Grant, childhood obesity, the International Baccalaureate and citizenship education in the House of Commons; school funding and energy, and speech and language skills in the Scottish Parliament; and physical education in the Welsh Assembly. Phoenix Blair, Schools Prom, George Cunningham, and lovely Lunca the lupine looker. |