Diplomas have some way to go
Mike Baker reports from a London conference on planning and delivering diplomas and questions the Government’s hesitation to label them as vocational forfear that they will be seen as second-class.

What will diplomas be worth?
Ian Nash questions how much more someone can expect to earn if they take the 14-19 diploma route and explores why this has become a key issue in the
Government’s drive for a better-skilled nation.

Higher level teaching assistants are having a positive impact
As illustrated by our front cover picture, Graham Holley, Chief Executive of the Training and Development Agency for Schools, writes about the new research
showing that Higher Level Teaching Assistants are having a positive impact on schools and on pupils.

An ADES view of Scotland
Bruce Robertson, OBE, President of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, gives an overview of the educational landscape in Scotland.

People
New appointments at the top of the National Strategies and DCSF.

Higher ground
This issue John Izbicki looks at rat infestation, Leicester and Durham’s approach to overseas students, the Open University, film studies at the University of the West of England, and the altruistic nature of laughter.

Is higher education really worth it?
John O’Leary challenges the OECD’s claim that the salary premium associated with a degree in the UK is high and suggests that the reality is far more complicated.

Letter from Scotia
Our Scotland editor, John Dobie, on the difficulties the Scottish National Party has faced since its election in May and its inability to deliver on many of its manifesto pledges.

Tour de force
Our children’s services editor, Chris Waterman, looks at what is needed from the children’s workforce, by following an imaginary child’s journey from birth to 19
and mapping the contact and input from each of the services.

A new year ahead in Wales
Our Wales editor, Professor Ken Reid, writes about some of the major events and developments in Welsh education over the last academic year, including school closures, the plight of modern languages, disappointing exam results and increasing rates of school absence.

NCH’s ‘Growing Strong’ campaign
Clare Tickell, Chief Executive of children’s charity NCH, writes about the launch of a major new campaign to improve the emotional wellbeing of children in the UK.

More power to the teachers
Our parliamentary editor, Nick Kent, on a report from the Conservative Party’s Public Services Improvement Group, Restoring Pride in Our Public Services, which calls for greater independence for all schools.

Plans revised
Geoff Gee, Head of EMIE, reports on research into local authorities’ Children and Young People’s Plans for 2007.

Brief reports
Short reports on asylum seekers, careers advice, sponsorship of academies, the role of grandparents and further education colleges wasting money according to the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee.

Children’s health
Arabella Hargreaves looks at the effects of television on children, over-weight children and the dangers of allowing pre-school children to be aggressive.

Media Watch
Press distortions on the reporting of the annual report of H M Chief Inspector of Schools in England.

Personalised learning throughout a lifetime of development
Brian Stevens, Director of FEdS Consultancy, gives more detail about the new Signposter Programme, a new online system that provides easy access to
personalised information on a range of lifestyle choices, and learning and employment opportunities.

General section

Opinion
John Izbicki on Britain’s falling position in the OECD’s examination tables and the death of Anne Jarvis.

Fun page

Book reviews
John Izbicki reviews The Imperial Capitals of China: An inside view of the Celestial Empire, by Arthur Cotterell.

Reference section

Conferences
We report on the ‘My Life, My Choices’ conference, organised by the LGA, ADASS and ADCS.

Conference Round-up

Document Reviews
The documents reviewed this month are The Annual Report of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills from Ofsted and Special Educational Needs: Assessment and funding from the Education and Skills Select Committee.

Document Digest

Reports Digest

Research section

Research Digest

Research Notes
Our research editor, Michael Marshall, looks at research into children’s emotional wellbeing.

The Dearing Report: Ten years on – learning and teaching in higher education
Diana Laurillard, of the London Knowledge Lab at the Institute of Education, reports on progress in higher education since the Dearing report ten years ago.

School headship: Present and future
We report on a survey of headteachers, commissioned by the NUT, to establish the nature and likely future of school leadership.

Support for children who are educated at home
Kerry Martin of NFER on two pieces of research investigating home education in Britain.

Short research reports

Parliament section

Westminster
Our parliamentary editor, Nick Kent, reports on debates in the House of Commons on the performance of schools and children with communication difficulties.

Problems in Denbighshire
We report on three debates in the Welsh Assembly on the problems of Denbighshire County Council.

Deafness and young people
Arabella Hargreaves, editor of EPM Scotland, reports on a debate on the National Deaf Children’s Society consultation document, Change Your World.

SNP’s broken promises
We report on Opposition attacks on the SNP, accusing it of failure to meet its election pledges.

Parliamentary Questions
Funding per pupil in some LAs; free school meals by children’s services authority in England; assaults on teachers by education authority in Scotland; class size, teachers and drug and alcohol misuse in Scotland; foundation phase rollout in Wales; Welsh skills framework; Welsh-medium schools and Welsh parent action plan.

Phoenix
Celebrating the life of Anne Jarvis. Celebrating the Schools Prom at the Royal Albert Hall.